200-901 Question 123
Select 3Your team is developing a cloud-native application that stores sensitive API keys in environment variables. During a security review, it is suggested that this approach may expose the application to risks. Which actions should you take to address this security issue?
- A
Use a secrets management tool to securely store and retrieve the API keys.
- B
Encrypt the API keys before storing them in the environment variables.
- C
Restrict access to the environment variables at the operating system level.
- D
Hardcode the API keys directly into the application to prevent unauthorized access.
- E
Use a version control system to track changes to the environment variables.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: A, B, C
Explanation
Protecting sensitive information like API keys is critical in application security. Using a secrets management tool is the best practice for securely storing and managing secrets. Encrypting API keys provides an additional layer of security, and restricting access to environment variables minimizes unauthorized access. Hardcoding secrets or storing them in version control systems should always be avoided as they significantly increase the risk of exposure.
- A. Correct.
Using a secrets management tool ensures that sensitive information such as API keys is securely stored and accessed, reducing the risk of accidental exposure.
- B. Correct.
Encrypting the API keys adds an additional layer of security, making it harder for attackers to misuse the keys even if they are exposed.
- C. Correct.
Restricting access to environment variables at the operating system level limits unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- D. Incorrect.
Hardcoding API keys directly into the application is insecure because it exposes the keys to anyone who has access to the source code.
- E. Incorrect.
Using a version control system to track changes to environment variables is risky because it can lead to exposure of sensitive information in code repositories.