What are secrets management tools?
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Quick Answer
Tools that securely store, distribute, rotate, and audit sensitive values like passwords, API keys, and certificates — for example HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, and (with care) Kubernetes Secrets.
Detailed Answer
They replace secrets hard-coded in code or config with short-lived, access-controlled, audited credentials, ideally dynamically generated and auto-rotated. Vault can issue dynamic database credentials on demand; cloud managers integrate with IAM. Kubernetes Secrets are base64, not encrypted by default, so enable encryption at rest and tight RBAC.
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Interview Tip
Mention rotation and dynamic secrets, and the caveat that Kubernetes Secrets are only base64 unless you enable encryption at rest.
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