Implementing Azure Key Vault

#azure #cloud #devops #cloudcomputing

What is a Key Vault

Azure key vault enables you to securely store secrets such as tokens, passwords, certificates, cryptographic keys and API keys.

Azure key vault also provides a centralized, cloud-based service for creating, storing and managing keys and certificates. By storing secrets in key vault you gain the capability to easily monitor and audit access and also gain the capability to easily use these secrets among many Azure services.

In this guide we will be creating a key vault and then store a secret password within it.

Creating a Key Vault

Step 1:
Visit portal.azure.com, login or sign up if you don't have an account, you can get a free account at azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/

Step 2:
On the Azure portal page click the search box and enter key vault, then click key vault

Step 3:
On the Key vault page click create button

Step 4:
Select a resource group or create a new one by clicking create new option shown below the input bar, enter a key vault name of your choice, choose a Region of your choice and leave pricing tier as standard

Step 5:
Leave days to retain deleted vaults at 90, then tick disable purge protection, lastly click review + create

Step 6:
After validation has passed click create button

Step 7:
After deployment is completed click go to resource

Storing a secret password in our Key Vault

Step 1:
On the key vault page click secret on the left hand side

Step 2:
When the secret page opens click Generate/Import

Step 3:
Leave upload options as default, enter a secret name of your choice, enter any secret value of your choice you want to keep in Azure key vault, then set activation date and set expiration date, leave the rest the settings as default