Secrets management

Secrets are sensitive data elements—such as API keys, passwords, and tokens—used to authenticate and authorize access to resources within clusters. Improper handling of these secrets can lead to unauthorized access, data leaks, and security incidents. 

Kubernetes provides a basic framework for managing secrets, but default settings alone aren’t enough for robust security. Best practices for secrets management in Kubernetes involve controlling access to secrets, encrypting them at rest and in transit, and regularly rotating them to prevent misuse. 

Key Best Practices for Secrets Management: 

1. Control Access to Secrets: Use Kubernetes Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to limit who can access and modify secrets. Only assign permissions to necessary users and services, ensuring adherence to the principle of least privilege. 

2. Encrypt Secrets at Rest and in Transit: Always enable encryption for secrets at the storage layer and use secure connections to transmit secrets, minimizing the risk of exposure during access or transit. 

3. Regularly Rotate Secrets: Frequently rotating secrets, such as API keys or passwords, ensures that compromised secrets have limited validity. This rotation reduces the risk of long-term exposure. 

4. Use External Secrets Management Tools: Consider integrating with dedicated secrets management tools like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager for additional security and automation capabilities. 

By following these secrets management practices, teams can better protect sensitive data and strengthen their IAM approach within Kubernetes, reducing risks of unauthorized access and ensuring compliance with security standards.