Secret Manager

AWS Secrets Manager Technical Overview

Introduction

AWS Secrets Manager is a security service designed to handle the secure storage and management of sensitive information such as passwords, access keys, and database credentials. This document outlines its core functionality, implementation details, and best practices for usage.

Core Functionality

Secrets Manager provides three primary functions:

1. Secret Encryption: Converts plaintext secrets into encrypted format

2. Access Management: Controls access to secrets through IAM roles

3. Automatic Rotation: Manages periodic rotation of encryption keys

Technical Implementation

Encryption Infrastructure

• Utilizes AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for encryption operations

• Maintains encryption for secrets both at rest and in transit

• Implements Lambda functions to handle automatic key rotation

Access Control Mechanisms

Secrets Manager supports two types of access policies:

1. Resource-Based Policies

• Attached directly to individual secrets

• Explicitly defines which entities can access specific secrets

• Provides granular control over secret access

1. Identity-Based Policies

• Implemented through IAM roles

• Can grant access to multiple secrets

• Allows for broader service-level access control

• Supports temporary credential management

Application Integration

Implementation Steps

1. Configure appropriate IAM permissions for the application

2. Integrate AWS SDK into the application

3. Implement the getSecretValue function to retrieve secrets

Security Features

• Encrypted secret transmission between services

• Automatic key rotation through Lambda

• Regular IAM role credential rotation

• Monitoring and auditing capabilities for key rotation events

Best Practices

Security Considerations

• Never store sensitive data in plaintext within applications

• Implement proper IAM roles with minimum required permissions

• Regularly monitor secret access and rotation logs

Implementation Guidelines

• Use the AWS SDK for secret retrieval

• Implement proper error handling for secret access

• Maintain static code while allowing for dynamic key rotation

Security Architecture Benefits

• Double-layered security through both KMS encryption and IAM access control

• Time-limited exposure through automatic key rotation

• Reduced risk from compromised credentials due to regular rotation

• Complete audit trail of secret access and usage

Monitoring and Auditing

• Built-in visualization of key rotation events

• Tracking capabilities for secret access

• Audit logs for security compliance

This technical overview provides a foundation for understanding and implementing AWS Secrets Manager in your infrastructure. For specific implementation details, consult the AWS documentation and your organization's security requirements.