AWS Secrets Manager
AWS Secrets Manager is a service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) designed to help users manage, retrieve, and rotate database credentials, API keys, and other secrets throughout their lifecycle. Here are key details about AWS Secrets Manager:
Overview
- Functionality: It enables users to replace hardcoded credentials in their code with a call to AWS Secrets Manager, which then securely retrieves the secret.
- Security: Secrets are encrypted at rest using AWS Key Management Service (KMS) keys, ensuring high levels of security.
- Secret Rotation: AWS Secrets Manager can automatically rotate secrets, reducing the risk associated with outdated credentials.
History and Context
- AWS Secrets Manager was introduced in 2018 as part of AWS's ongoing effort to enhance security and simplify management for AWS customers.
- The service was developed in response to the growing need for secure handling of secrets in cloud environments, particularly with the increasing use of microservices architectures and containerized applications.
Features
- Secret Creation: Users can create secrets directly through the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or SDKs.
- Secret Retrieval: Secrets can be retrieved programmatically, with AWS managing the encryption and decryption processes.
- Rotation: Supports automatic rotation of secrets for various databases and services like RDS, Redshift, DocumentDB, and more.
- Access Control: Integrates with IAM for fine-grained access control, allowing users to define who can access, modify, or rotate secrets.
- Auditing: Provides tools to track access to secrets and changes made to them through AWS CloudTrail.
Use Cases
- Managing database credentials for applications.
- Storing and rotating API keys for external services.
- Handling OAuth tokens or other types of authentication credentials.
- Securing configuration data for microservices or serverless applications.
External Links
Related Topics