Secrets-Management

Every Kubernetes cluster ships with a built-in Secret object. It looks like security. It feels like security. It isn’t security. A Kubernetes Secret is, by default, just a base64-encoded string stored in etcd — readable by anyone with cluster access and trivially decodable with a one-liner: echo "c2VjcmV0" | base64 -d. Unless you’ve explicitly enabled encryption at rest (and most teams haven’t), your database passwords, API tokens, and TLS private keys are sitting unencrypted in your cluster’s control plane datastore. Commit a Kubernetes manifest containing a Secret to Git, and that credential lives in your repository’s history forever. ...

The best secrets management tools 2026 landscape is dominated by seven key platforms: HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, CyberArk Conjur, Doppler, Infisical, and SOPS. Each addresses different organizational needs—from enterprise-grade privileged access management to developer-friendly CI/CD integration. HashiCorp Vault leads in flexibility and multi-cloud support, AWS Secrets Manager dominates native AWS environments, CyberArk Conjur excels in enterprise security governance, while modern solutions like Doppler and Infisical prioritize developer experience with team-based workflows. ...