Step-by-Step Guide: How to Securely Manage Secrets in Azure Key Vault Using Azure CLI

Hey there, tech enthusiasts! 🌟 Have you ever worked with Azure Key Vault and needed to peek at a secret? Or maybe you wanted to stash a new secret away securely? Well, I’ve got you covered with a quick and casual intro to using the Azure CLI to manage those secrets!

Showing a Secret

First up, if you want to retrieve a secret from your Azure Key Vault, you’re going to use the az keyvault secret show command. Here’s how it looks:

az keyvault secret show --vault-name <keyvault-name> --name <secret-name>

Break it down:

• az keyvault secret show: This is your go-to command for fishing out that secret.

• --vault-name <keyvault-name>: Just pop in the name of your Key Vault.

• --name <secret-name>: And here, you’ll need the name of the secret you’re eager to retrieve.

When you run this command, if you’ve got the right permissions (don't forget those access policies!), you’ll get all the juicy details about your secret—including, yes, its value.

Setting a Secret

Now, if you're in the mood to create or update a secret, you’ll want to use the az keyvault secret set command. Here’s the command you need:

az keyvault secret set --vault-name <keyvault-name> --name <secret-name> --value <secret-value>

Easy to follow:

• az keyvault secret set: The command for creating or updating a secret.

• --vault-name <keyvault-name>: Again, just your Key Vault’s name goes here.

• --name <secret-name>: This will be the name you assign to your secret.

• --value <secret-value>: Finally, here’s where you enter what the secret actually is.

And voila! You’ve got your secret stored away safely.

Remember

Keep in mind that managing secrets securely is super important. Always double-check your access policies in the Key Vault to ensure your Azure CLI sessions can access the secrets you need.

So there you have it! A quick guide to showing and setting secrets in Azure Key Vault using the Azure CLI. Now you can impress your friends (or keep your secrets safe) like a pro! Happy coding! 🚀