UNIFIED SECRET MANAGEMENT ACROSS CLOUD PLATFORMS: A STRATEGY FOR SECURE CREDENTIAL STORAGE AND ACCESS
Keywords:
Automated Secret Rotation, Cloud Computing, Cloud Platforms, HashiCorp Vault Cloud, Compliance And Regulations, Encryption Standards, Operational Efficiency, Secret Management, Workload FederationAbstract
In the dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape of cloud computing, managing the security of sensitive information is a paramount challenge for organizations worldwide. Secret management, the practice of safeguarding critical data such as passwords, tokens, keys, and certificates, is fundamental to securing cloud environments and ensuring secure access to applications, services, and IT resources. This paper presents a comprehensive, unified secret management approach designed to address the complexities of managing secrets across diverse cloud platforms, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and HashiCorp Vault Cloud. By integrating centralized management, workload federation for secure access, automated secret rotation, and robust encryption protocols, the proposed strategy offers a streamlined, secure, and efficient approach to secret management. This approach mitigates common risks associated with secret management and aligns with critical industry standards and regulations, enhancing an organization's security posture, operational efficiency, and compliance. The paper explores the limitations of traditional secret management practices and articulates the benefits of a unified approach, providing a blueprint for organizations aiming to secure their cloud computing ecosystems in a multi-cloud environment. Through this strategy, organizations can achieve improved security, reduce operational complexities, and ensure compliance, thereby protecting their critical assets in the cloud.
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