In the world of cybersecurity, SecOps (Security Operations) is an approach that combines security and operations teams to secure the organization’s systems, data, and infrastructure. One of the key aspects of SecOps is managing secrets - sensitive information such as passwords, access keys, and certificates. In this blog, we will discuss the distribution, storage, and rotation of secrets at run time.

Distribution of Secrets

In SecOps, secrets need to be distributed securely to the relevant systems and applications. The first step in the distribution process is to encrypt the secrets. This ensures that even if the secrets are intercepted during transmission, they cannot be read by unauthorized parties.

There are various tools and protocols available for secure distribution of secrets. For example, HashiCorp Vault is a popular open-source tool for secret management that provides a secure API for accessing secrets. Another popular protocol is the AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store, which allows for secure storage and distribution of secrets on the AWS cloud.

Storage of Secrets

Once the secrets are distributed, they need to be stored securely. The storage of secrets should follow the principle of least privilege, which means that only authorized users and systems should have access to the secrets.

One common approach for secure storage of secrets is to use a dedicated secret store, such as HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager. These secret stores provide advanced features such as encryption, access control, and auditing. They also allow for the separation of duties, where the operations team manages the secret store, while the development team requests and uses the secrets.

Another approach for secure storage of secrets is to use environment variables. However, this approach requires strict access control to the environment variables, as they can be accessed by any process running on the system.

Rotation of Secrets

Secrets should be rotated regularly to prevent unauthorized access. The frequency of rotation depends on the level of sensitivity of the secrets and the organization’s security policies.

Automated secret rotation can be implemented using tools such as HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager. These tools allow for the automatic rotation of secrets at a specified interval, and can also notify relevant stakeholders about the rotation process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, SecOps plays a crucial role in securing an organization’s systems, data, and infrastructure. Managing secrets is an important aspect of SecOps, and it involves secure distribution, storage, and rotation of secrets at run time. By following best practices and using dedicated tools, organizations can ensure that their secrets are protected from unauthorized access.