Secure Credentials Management in Ansible

1. Introduction

In the realm of automation and configuration management, securely managing credentials is paramount. This lesson will guide you through the best practices for secure credentials management using Ansible, an open-source automation tool.

2. Key Concepts

• **Credentials:** Sensitive information like passwords, API keys, and tokens that are required for system access.
• **Encryption:** The process of encoding data to prevent unauthorized access.
• **Ansible Vault:** A feature of Ansible that allows you to encrypt sensitive data.

3. Ansible Vault

Ansible Vault allows you to securely store and manage sensitive variables. Below is a step-by-step guide to using Ansible Vault.

3.1 Creating a Vault

To create a vault file, use the following command:

ansible-vault create secrets.yml

You will be prompted to enter a password to encrypt the file. Once created, you can add your sensitive data in YAML format.

3.2 Editing a Vault

To edit an existing vault file:

ansible-vault edit secrets.yml

3.3 Encrypting Files

If you have an existing file that you want to encrypt, use:

ansible-vault encrypt my_credentials.yml

3.4 Using Vault in Playbooks

To use the vault in your playbooks, reference the encrypted variables:

---
            - hosts: all
              vars_files:
                - secrets.yml
              tasks:
                - name: Print secret
                  debug:
                    msg: "{{ my_secret_variable }}"
            

4. Best Practices

• Use Ansible Vault for all sensitive data.
• Regularly rotate your credentials to minimize risk.
• Implement strict access controls to vault files.
• Utilize version control for your playbooks while keeping sensitive files encrypted.
• Document your credential management processes for clarity and compliance.

5. FAQ