How to Use the Command 'secrethub' (with examples)
SecretHub is a solution designed to securely manage and use secrets within various applications, keeping sensitive data out of plain view. By employing a command-line interface, SecretHub helps automate secret management in a secure manner, ensuring that secrets such as API keys, passwords, and certificates are not exposed in configuration files. This powerful CLI tool offers various options for managing secrets efficiently and safely.
Use case 1: Print a Secret to stdout
Code:
secrethub read path/to/secret
Motivation: When debugging an application or verifying a secret, it becomes essential to view the stored value securely and quickly. This is critical in ensuring that the correct data is stored and used by applications, enabling developers or operators to ensure confidence in their configurations.
Explanation:
secrethub
: The main command that initiates the SecretHub CLI tool.read
: An action command that retrieves and displays the value of the specified secret.path/to/secret
: The repository path indicating the exact location of the secret to be accessed.
Example Output:
mysecret123
This indicates that the secret stored at path/to/secret
is successfully read and displayed.
Use case 2: Generate a Random Value and Store it as a New or Updated Secret
Code:
secrethub generate path/to/secret
Motivation: A common security best practice is to use unpredictable and strong secrets. The generate
command is utilized to create such high-quality random values without human error, reducing vulnerabilities linked to weak passwords or keys. This is particularly useful for setting passwords, tokens, or encryption keys.
Explanation:
secrethub
: Starts the SecretHub CLI tool.generate
: Instructs SecretHub to create a new random value.path/to/secret
: Destination path in the repository where the new secret will be stored.
Example Output:
New secret created at path: path/to/secret with value: a1b2c3d4e5
This output confirms that a randomly generated secret is successfully stored at the indicated path.
Use case 3: Store a Value from the Clipboard as a New or Updated Secret
Code:
secrethub write --clip path/to/secret
Motivation: Transferring sensitive data like encryption keys or API tokens from your clipboard to SecretHub minimizes the risk of exposure when managing multiple applications. This command seamlessly fetches data from the clipboard and stores it securely, ensuring the swift integration of new data into your secret management workflow.
Explanation:
secrethub
: Runs the SecretHub CLI tool.write
: Command to store a new or update an existing secret.--clip
: Option specifying that the secret should be retrieved from the clipboard.path/to/secret
: The target location within the repository for the secret.
Example Output:
Secret from clipboard stored at path: path/to/secret
This output indicates successful retrieval from the clipboard and storage of the secret.
Use case 4: Store a Value Supplied on stdin
as a New or Updated Secret
Code:
echo "secret_value" | secrethub write path/to/secret
Motivation: Sometimes, secrets need to be fed directly through scripting pipelines. Storing secrets via standard input can seamlessly integrate secret management into automated scripts or manual commands, ensuring continuity and security without embedding sensitive data directly into scripts.
Explanation:
echo "secret_value"
: Pushes the desired secret value to the stream of data (stdin
).|
: The pipe operator, which transfers the output from one command into another as an input.secrethub
: Activates the SecretHub CLI.write
: Instruction to store or update a secret.path/to/secret
: The target location for the secret in the repository.
Example Output:
Secret stored at path: path/to/secret
This confirms that the specific value has been safely stored as a secret.
Use case 5: Audit a Repository or Secret
Code:
secrethub audit path/to/repo_or_secret
Motivation: Security and compliance often require audits to ensure that secret usage and storage adhere to organizational policies. This command provides a comprehensive history of modifications and actions performed on a secret or repository, ensuring all activities are traceable and documented.
Explanation:
secrethub
: Engages the SecretHub CLI.audit
: Directive to access the audit logs.path/to/repo_or_secret
: Path for the specific repository or secret that needs auditing.
Example Output:
2023-10-18T12:34:56Z user123 read path/to/secret
2023-10-19T09:00:00Z user456 wrote path/to/secret
The output lists all actions performed on the secret, complete with timestamps and user details, for thorough traceability and reporting.
Conclusion:
The secrethub
command-line tool offers a robust set of functionality for managing secrets securely and efficiently. Understanding each use case enables you to leverage this tool effectively, ensuring sensitive data remains protected and out of reach from unauthorized access while easing the integration with various application workflows.