Glossary

Scoped secrets are credentials with predefined limitations on where, when, and how they can be used. Unlike traditional secrets, which often have broad access across multiple environments, scoped secrets are tightly controlled to minimize exposure and reduce security risks. By assigning specific conditions to secrets—such as limiting access to a particular service, environment, or time window—organizations can prevent unauthorized use and mitigate the impact of potential leaks.

The primary benefit of scoped secrets is the principle of least privilege. Instead of granting applications or users unrestricted access to sensitive credentials, scoped secrets ensure that only necessary permissions are provided. For example, a database password might be scoped to a single production environment, preventing it from being used in staging or development. Similarly, an API key could be restricted to specific IP ranges or geographic locations, reducing the risk of misuse.

Scoped secrets also enhance auditing and compliance efforts. By defining explicit boundaries around secrets, teams can track access patterns more effectively, making it easier to detect anomalies. If a scoped secret is compromised, its impact is significantly reduced compared to a broadly accessible credential. Instead of an attacker gaining unrestricted access, they are limited to the predefined scope, giving security teams more time to respond and rotate the secret if needed.