Secrets Management
Depending on the type of information system you're working with, the level of security needed can vary. A simple web app won’t be protected the same way as a banking platform or a critical government infrastructure. That security doesn't just come from algorithms and protocols—it also depends heavily on how secrets are managed. But what exactly is a secret ?
In the context of computer systems, a secret can be a digital certificate, a cryptographic key, a password, a passphrase, a token, and more. These elements play a central role in securing communications, authenticating users and devices, and protecting data.
Secrets are the foundation of information system security. As the name suggests, they must remain hidden from unauthorized access, this is the principle of confidentiality. At the same time, authorized users and systems must be able to access them when needed, this is availability. To be trustworthy, secrets must not be altered or corrupted, this is integrity. And throughout their lifecycle, from creation to destruction, secrets must be traceable and properly managed : this is traceability.
All of these concerns fall under the umbrella of secrets management. In this series of articles, I’ll walk you through the key concepts of secrets management and show how it is implemented in modern information systems by introducing robust tools and practices, especially Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
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