Implement Secure Secrets Management (Suggestion from OG) #2458

Description

Improve how sensitive configuration and credentials are stored, accessed, and managed across application environments.

Secrets should not be committed to the repository or unnecessarily exposed through application configuration, logs, or deployment files.

Tasks

• Identify sensitive credentials and configuration currently used by the application.
• Remove any secrets accidentally committed to the repository.
• Ensure secrets are provided through environment-specific secure configuration.
• Evaluate a suitable secrets management solution for production.
• Separate development, staging, and production secrets.
• Restrict access to production secrets based on the principle of least privilege.
• Prevent secrets from being exposed in application logs.
• Review CI/CD workflows for accidental secret exposure.
• Rotate credentials where required.
• Document the secrets management process without exposing sensitive values.

Acceptance Criteria

• No sensitive credentials are stored directly in the repository.
• Production secrets are managed through an appropriate secure mechanism.
• Secrets are not exposed in logs or CI/CD output.
• Access to production secrets is properly restricted.
• Credential rotation process is documented.
• Development and production secrets are properly separated.

Expected Benefits

• Improved security
• Reduced risk of credential leakage
• Safer deployments
• Better environment separation
• Easier credential rotation and management

Related

• Production Monitoring and Alerting
• CI/CD Improvements
• Infrastructure Security