Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer Question 78
Select 3Google Cloud PlatformYou are managing a CI/CD pipeline for a microservices-based application hosted on Google Cloud. The pipeline requires access to a database password and an API key for third-party services. Which of the following are best practices for securely managing these secrets in the CI/CD workflow?
- A
Use Secret Manager to store secrets and grant least privilege access to the CI/CD pipeline.
- B
Embed the secrets directly in the CI/CD pipeline configuration files for ease of access.
- C
Encrypt secrets using a symmetric key and store the key in the source repository for automated decryption.
- D
Leverage environment variables to inject secrets securely at runtime rather than hardcoding them in the source code.
- E
Rotate secrets periodically and revoke access when no longer needed.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: A, D, E
Explanation
Managing secrets securely is critical in a CI/CD workflow. The correct options align with best practices for secret management, such as using dedicated tools like Secret Manager, limiting exposure of secrets, injecting them securely at runtime, and ensuring regular rotation and revocation to minimize risks.
- A. Correct.
Using Google Cloud Secret Manager is the recommended way to securely store and manage secrets. Granting least privilege access ensures that only the CI/CD pipeline can access the secrets it needs, reducing the attack surface.
- B. Incorrect.
Embedding secrets directly in configuration files is a poor practice as it increases the risk of accidental exposure, especially if the configuration files are stored in version control.
- C. Incorrect.
Storing the decryption key in the source repository defeats the purpose of encryption, as it makes the secrets easily accessible to anyone with repository access.
- D. Correct.
Using environment variables to inject secrets at runtime is a secure practice that avoids hardcoding sensitive information in the codebase.
- E. Correct.
Rotating secrets periodically and revoking unused access reduces the risk of unauthorized access, especially in case of credential leaks.