Kubernetes Secrets: How to Create, Use, and Secure Them

This blog provides an overview of Kubernetes secrets: what they are, how to create, view, and decode them using kubectl, and that they are stored in etcd by default. It outlines security weaknesses of relying solely on Kubernetes (e.g., admin access can decode secrets, potential etcd access, shell-history leaks) and recommends best practices — secret scanning, enabling etcd encryption, enforcing RBAC, and using an external secrets manager — and briefly mentions Aqua as a tool to help detect and manage insecure secrets.