Best Practices for Managing Kubernetes Secrets
Keys, passwords, tokens, and other configuration information are instances of secrets which require to be kept safely. The Secrets need to remain safe regardless of the unlikely circumstance that our Kubernetes cluster gets compromised. These methods will assist us in preserving Kubernetes Secrets:
- Encrypt Data in Transit and at Rest: By default, Kubernetes does not safely transmit or store secrets. Consequently, having a structure that employs end-to-end encryption using TLS to encrypt secrets in transit and a solution that stores secrets encrypted are essential.
- Use a centralized Secrets store for easy management: Securing secrets becomes hard when we store them in various places. This is particularly so if we need to handle secrets in multiple clusters or if we use an assortment of private and public key pairs. Unauthorized users have an expanded threat surface since Secrets are spread across many locations in the lack of a centralized Secrets management system.
- Encrypt etcd data: The encryption of Secrets before storing them is one technique for improving the security of etcd data. To store our keys and Secrets, we need to use an encryption service provider, such a Key Management Service (KMS). Particularly, when a cluster is built, most of managed Kubernetes providers encrypt overall etcd Secrets storage by default, which helps to the safety of our etcd data.
- Have an Audit Log: Discovering your secret activity is an excellent item. An audit record gives you visibility to a breach and aids in your evaluation of the circumstances, allowing you to figure out whether the compromise was intentional, identify the affected location, and take additional investigative actions.
How to Manage Kubernetes Secrets ?How Secure are Kubernetes Secrets?
Most applications deployed through Kubernetes require access to databases, services, and other resources located externally. The easiest way to manage the login information necessary to access those resources is by using Kubernetes secrets. Secrets help organize and distribute sensitive information across a cluster.