Secrets managers have long been a reliable solution for safeguarding sensitive credentials like API keys, certificates, and tokens. For many use cases – such as managing static credentials in stable environments or handling secrets within a single cloud provider – they perform well. Their ability to securely store and rotate secrets makes them indispensable in traditional infrastructure and smaller-scale deployments.

However, as organizations increasingly adopt distributed systems, multi-cloud architectures, and high-velocity DevOps pipelines, cracks in the armor of secrets managers begin to show. While they remain valuable tools, they often lack the flexibility to scale seamlessly in more dynamic environments.

When organizations treat secrets managers as a universal solution for every non-human identity security challenge, problems can arise. 

After all, when all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.

Where Secrets Managers Fall Short

Secrets managers are designed to do one thing exceptionally well: store and rotate secrets securely. But as companies grow and their infrastructure becomes more complex, not every security problem should be approached with this same tool. Treating secrets managers as a one-size-fits-all solution can lead to unintended consequences:

Increased Complexity

Applying secrets managers to manage identity in highly dynamic, distributed environments can add unnecessary layers of complexity. Static credentials need constant updates, and manual interventions can slow down development and increase the chance of misconfigurations.

Operational Bottlenecks

When secrets managers are forced to scale beyond their intended use, they can become performance bottlenecks, making it harder for teams to deploy updates quickly or manage access efficiently across multiple clouds.

Potential Security Gaps

When secrets managers are misused or overextended, gaps can emerge and risk can rise, especially in scenarios requiring real-time authentication or integration across hybrid environments.

Rising Costs

As organizations scale, the cost of using secrets managers can quickly escalate. Expenses related to licensing, additional infrastructure, and the operational overhead of managing secrets at scale can strain budgets, especially when these tools are extended beyond their original purpose.

The key takeaway is that while secrets managers are a crucial part of the security toolbox, they aren’t a universal answer. As infrastructure evolves, exploring complementary or alternative methods can provide more tailored and effective solutions for securing non-human identities (NHIs).

Here are five we suggest considering:

1) Cloud-Native IAM: Streamlined Security for Single-Cloud Setups

For organizations that primarily operate within a single cloud provider, native Identity and Access Management (IAM) services – like AWS IAM, Microsoft Entra ID or GCP IAM – offer integrated solutions for managing non-human identities. These services often come with built-in features like automatic credential rotation, fine-grained role-based access control (RBAC), and audit logs, which help maintain security without introducing unnecessary overhead.

While cloud-native IAM solutions are ideal for single-cloud environments, they can become cumbersome in multi-cloud setups, where federation or other external tools are needed to maintain consistency across platforms.

How to Implement:

• Use native IAM services for single-cloud deployments, taking advantage of their seamless integration with your cloud provider.
• In hybrid or multi-cloud environments, consider combining cloud-native IAM with federated identity solutions or workload IAM (see below) for cross-platform scalability.

2) Service Meshes: Network-Level Authentication for Kubernetes

If you’re leveraging Kubernetes – which is likely given its widespread adoption for managing containerized applications – service meshes like Istio and Linkerd provide built-in security mechanisms that can significantly reduce the need for secrets managers in some scenarios. Service meshes handle network-level authentication and encryption, securing communication between services inside the same cluster without requiring long-lived credentials.

By managing traffic between workloads at the network layer with mutual TLS (mTLS), service meshes may eliminate or reduce the need for external secrets managers to handle authentication between services within the same Kubernetes cluster. This approach can simplify credential management while improving security through automated encryption.

How to Implement:

• Deploy a service mesh to manage communication between workloads using mTLS.
• Leverage the service mesh for securing intra-cluster traffic, reducing the burden of managing credentials for services within the same environment.
• Leverage federated identity solutions or workload IAM (see below) for authentication to external services.

3) Built-In OIDC Federation: Simplifying Identity Across Multi-Cloud Environments

For organizations operating in multi-cloud or hybrid environments, managing non-human identities becomes increasingly complex. Secrets managers in one cloud provider may not integrate well with others, leading to credential duplication and mismanagement. OpenID Connect (OIDC) federation offers a more streamlined approach, allowing you to federate identity across multiple clouds through a centralized identity provider.

OIDC federation enables workloads in one environment to authenticate securely in another, without needing to manage static credentials across platforms. This roaming identity approach allows clients in one environment to securely authenticate to services in different environments with dynamic credentials, minimizing the risk of credential sprawl.

How to Implement:

• Use OIDC federation to centralize identity management across clouds.
• Implement 1:1 federation for simpler environments, or leverage a central identity provider to manage authentication in more complex, multi-cloud setups.

4) PKI with Mutual TLS: Certificate-Based Authentication at Scale

Public key infrastructure (PKI) combined with mutual TLS (mTLS) provides a robust alternative to traditional secrets management, especially for organizations requiring scalable, automated certificate handling. Modern PKI platforms can automate the issuance, renewal, and revocation of certificates, enabling secure, dynamic authentication that doesn’t depend on static credentials.

It’s worth noting that some advanced secrets managers now include built-in features for managing certificates and automating mTLS configurations. However, for organizations needing extensive multi-cloud or hybrid deployments, dedicated PKI solutions may offer greater flexibility and scalability.

With PKI, certificates can serve as federated credentials, simplifying cross-environment authentication and strengthening overall security. This approach is supported by most major cloud providers, making it particularly beneficial for authenticating hybrid and multi-cloud workloads.

How to Implement:

• Use PKI with automated certificate issuance and renewal protocols like ACME, EST, or API integration to streamline mTLS-based authentication.

• Leverage short-lived certificates for secure, cross-environment authentication, reducing the reliance on long-lived credentials and enabling seamless communication across distributed infrastructures.

5) Workload Identity: Dynamic, Real-Time Access Control for NHIs

How to Implement:

• As with any new security technology, it’s best to start in environments where any potential impact can be easily managed. Internal or non-customer-facing applications and services are excellent candidates, allowing you to evaluate the platform’s benefits while keeping the deployment impact limited to a well-contained scope.
• Use the platform to institute and enforce uniform security policies across distributed systems, ensuring consistent access controls and reducing the risk of unauthorized access

Conclusion

While secrets managers remain a fundamental tool for securing credentials, they are not always the best solution in today’s dynamic, distributed environments. 

But it’s important to note: There is no silver bullet that is ideal for all of your non-human access needs. It is helpful to experiment with different technologies in a low-criticality environment that represents the variety of workloads you need to protect and figure out what fits best in your environment. From there, a strategic, phased implementation plan can help you maximize security and operational benefits while minimizing potential business impact, ensuring each phase is aligned with core objectives.

Ultimately, by selecting the right tool for your specific needs, you can simplify identity management, reduce operational overhead, and better protect your organization’s digital assets.

For more information on how Aembit can help secure your non-human identities or to try it for free, visit aembit.io.