5.4.1 Secrets Manager - AWS Secrets Manager is a fully managed service that provides secure storage, management, and rotation of credentials, API keys, and other sensitive secrets in AWS environments. By enabling centralized secret management and automated rotation, it helps engineers avoid embedding sensitive data in application code, reducing security risks and supporting compliance with industry standards. The service integrates with AWS Key Management Service KMS for encryption, relies on IAM for granular access control, and logs activity through AWS CloudTrail for auditing and alerting. Recent enhancements, like the 2024 AWSSecretsManager-2024-09-16 transform, automate security updates and patching for Lambda rotation functions, further strengthening security posture and reducing manual effort. In comparison to AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store, Secrets Manager is preferred for workloads that require advanced secret rotation, while Parameter Store is better suited for configuration parameters and cost-sensitive scenarios. Candidates for the AWS Certified Security - Specialty exam must demonstrate the ability to configure, integrate, and monitor Secrets Manager, craft secure key and access policies, and select the right tool for different use cases, following best practices like least privilege, tagging, and automated monitoring.
