Azure Key Vault is a cloud service that provides a secure store for secrets. You can securely store and tightly control access to tokens, passwords, certificates, API keys, and other secrets. Azure Key Vault helps enhance data protection and compliance by providing a secure location to store sensitive information.

• Secrets: Store and manage sensitive information such as passwords, connection strings, and API keys.
• Certificates: Manage and deploy SSL/TLS certificates for your applications.
• Keys: Store and manage cryptographic keys used for encryption and decryption.

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Define who has access to the Key Vault and what operations they can perform.
• Access Policies: Set policies to control access to specific secrets, keys, and certificates.

• Azure Services: Integrate with other Azure services like Azure Functions, Azure App Service, and Azure Virtual Machines.
• Third-Party Services: Use Key Vault with third-party services and applications.

1. Navigate to the Azure Portal: Azure Portal
2. Create a Resource: Click on "Create a resource" and search for "Key Vault".
3. Configure Key Vault:
   • Name: Provide a unique name for your Key Vault.
   • Subscription: Select your Azure subscription.
   • Resource Group: Choose an existing resource group or create a new one.
   • Location: Select the Azure region where you want to create the Key Vault.
4. Review and Create: Review the settings and click "Create".

1. Navigate to Your Key Vault: Go to the Key Vault you created.
2. Add a Secret:
   • Click on "Secrets" in the left-hand menu.
   • Click on "Generate/Import".
   • Provide a name and value for the secret.
   • Click "Create".

You can access secrets stored in Azure Key Vault using various programming languages. Below is an example using Python.

Example: Accessing Secrets with Python

1. Install Azure Key Vault Libraries:

   pip install azure-identity azure-keyvault-secrets
   

2. Python Code to Access Secrets:

   from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
   from azure.keyvault.secrets import SecretClient
   
   # Replace with your Key Vault URL
   key_vault_url = "https://<your-key-vault-name>.vault.azure.net/"
   
   # Create a SecretClient using DefaultAzureCredential
   credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
   client = SecretClient(vault_url=key_vault_url, credential=credential)
   
   # Retrieve a secret
   secret_name = "mySecret"
   retrieved_secret = client.get_secret(secret_name)
   
   print(f"Secret Value: {retrieved_secret.value}")
   

1. Create a Key Vault: Follow the steps to create a Key Vault in the Azure Portal.
2. Add a Secret: Add a secret named DatabasePassword with the value P@ssw0rd123.
3. Retrieve the Secret Using Python:
   • Use the provided Python code to retrieve the DatabasePassword secret.
   • Print the value of the secret.

Solution:

• Incorrect Key Vault URL: Ensure the Key Vault URL is correct and includes the full path (e.g., https://<your-key-vault-name>.vault.azure.net/).
• Access Permissions: Ensure that the application or user has the necessary permissions to access the Key Vault.
• Environment Configuration: When using DefaultAzureCredential, ensure your environment is configured correctly (e.g., Azure CLI logged in, managed identity enabled).

Azure Key Vault is a powerful tool for managing secrets, keys, and certificates securely. By integrating Key Vault with your applications, you can enhance security and simplify the management of sensitive information. In the next module, we will explore Azure DDoS Protection and how it helps safeguard your applications from distributed denial-of-service attacks.