Manage Secrets and Protect Sensitive Data
Automation is an essential part of modern IT. In this blog I focus on Ansible credential plugins integration via Hashicorp Vault, an API addressable secrets engine which will make life easier for anyone wishing to handle secrets management and automation better. In order to automate effectively, modern systems require multiple secrets: certificates, database credentials, keys for external services, operating systems, networking. Understanding who is accessing secret credentials and when is difficult and often platform-specific and to manage key rotation, secure storage and detailed audit logging across a heterogeneous toolset is almost impossible. Red Hat Ansible Tower solves many of these issues on its own, but its integration with enterprise secret management solutions means it can utilize secrets on demand without human interaction.
In terms of secrets management, I will demonstrate how some of the risks associated with an automation service account can be mitigated by replacing password authentication with ssh certificate based authentication. In the context of automation, a service account is used to provide authorised access into endpoints from a central location. Best practices around security state that, shared accounts could pose a risk. While Red Hat Ansible Tower has the ability to obfuscate passwords, private keys, etc. Continue reading
