Managing Kubernetes Secrets: A Guide to HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, and Azure Key Vault Integration

Managing secrets like API keys, passwords, and certificates is crucial for application security. Storing these secrets directly in code or configuration files can be risky. This guide explores how to securely handle secrets in Kubernetes using external secret providers like HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, and Azure Key Vault. We will also look at the External Secrets Operator (ESO), its components, and how it simplifies secret management.

Learning Roadmap for first part:

By the end of this guide, you will understand:

• The importance of external secret providers in Kubernetes
• How ESO simplifies secret management
• Key differences between HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, and Azure Key Vault
• The workings of ESO, including its key components
• When to use SecretStore vs ClusterSecretStore
• How to install ESO
• How to install Hashicorp Vault

Prerequisites

For the full project implementation, including all the code examples and configurations discussed in this series, please visit…