Secrets management glossary

Plain-English definitions of the secrets management and DevOps security concepts that come up when you store, share, and rotate sensitive values.

• Secrets in DevOps
  Credentials like API keys, passwords, and tokens that grant access and must stay confidential — and how they differ from config.
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• Environment Variables vs Secrets
  Why a delivery mechanism and a sensitive credential are not the same thing — and how to store each one safely.
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• Secret Rotation
  Replacing credentials on a schedule to cap their exposure — the patterns, the cutover problem, and how automation helps.
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• SAML for Secrets Management
  How single sign-on governs who can reach your secrets — and why identity is a separate guarantee from encryption.
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