Secret Management Best Practices

Secret Management Best Practices

Never commit secrets to version control, even temporarily. Use pre-commit hooks to scan for potential secrets before code enters repositories. Regular repository scanning identifies accidentally committed secrets for immediate rotation. Tools like git-secrets, detect-secrets, and truffleHog automate this detection.

Implement defense in depth for secret protection. Combine multiple approaches like external secret management, encryption, and access controls. This layered security ensures single failures don't expose secrets. For example, encrypt secrets before storing in secret management systems for additional protection.

Regular secret inventory and cleanup prevents accumulation of unused credentials. Automated tools can identify secrets without recent access for review and potential removal. This hygiene reduces attack surface and simplifies compliance audits.

Secret management forms a critical foundation for IaC security. Organizations must move beyond hardcoded credentials to implement comprehensive secret management strategies. The combination of centralized secret stores, dynamic credentials, and automated rotation enables secure infrastructure automation at scale. The next chapter explores implementing Role-Based Access Control and governance for IaC systems.## RBAC and Access Control for Infrastructure Code

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for Infrastructure as Code extends beyond traditional code repository permissions to encompass the entire infrastructure provisioning lifecycle. As IaC tools wield tremendous power to create, modify, and destroy cloud resources, implementing granular access controls becomes critical for security and compliance. Effective RBAC strategies must balance developer productivity with security requirements while maintaining clear audit trails of all infrastructure changes.