k8s-unused-secret-detector

Detect unused secrets

$ k8s-unused-secret-detector

$ k8s-unused-secret-detector [[-n|--namespace]] [namespace]

$ k8s-unused-secret-detector [[-n|--namespace]] [namespace] | kubectl delete secret [[-n|--namespace]] [namespace]

k8s-unused-secret-detector [OPTIONS]
or
k8s-unused-secret-detector --all-namespaces
or
k8s-unused-secret-detector --namespace my-app-ns

-n, --namespace <name>
    Specifies a particular Kubernetes namespace to scan for unused secrets. Only secrets within this namespace will be analyzed.

-A, --all-namespaces
    Instructs the detector to scan all available namespaces in the cluster. This is often the default behavior if no namespace is specified.

-c, --context <context>
    Uses a specific Kubernetes context from your kubeconfig file to connect to the cluster. This allows targeting different clusters.

-o, --output <format>
    Defines the output format for the identified unused secrets. Common formats include text (default), json, or yaml.

--kubeconfig <path>
    Specifies an alternative path to the kubeconfig file, overriding the default location (~/.kube/config).

--exclude-namespace <name>
    Excludes one or more specific namespaces from the scan, even when --all-namespaces is used. Can be specified multiple times.

--ignore-secret <name>
    Prevents the detector from reporting specific secrets by name, even if they are found to be unused. Useful for known exceptions.

--verbose
    Enables verbose output, providing more detailed information about the scanning process and the analysis performed.

The k8s-unused-secret-detector command is a specialized utility designed to identify Kubernetes secrets that are no longer referenced or utilized by active workloads (such as Pods, Deployments, StatefulSets, DaemonSets, Jobs, or CronJobs) within your cluster. It operates by querying the Kubernetes API to gather a comprehensive list of all existing secrets and then cross-references them against resource definitions to determine active usage. This tool is invaluable for maintaining a secure and tidy Kubernetes environment by pinpointing credentials that could pose a security risk if left unmanaged. Regularly identifying and cleaning up unused secrets helps reduce the attack surface, improves operational hygiene, and simplifies compliance efforts by ensuring only necessary secrets persist. It provides actionable insights, helping administrators prioritize the removal or investigation of dormant secret resources.

RBAC Permissions: The command requires appropriate Read permissions (get, list, watch) for Secrets and all relevant workload resources (Pods, Deployments, etc.) across the targeted namespaces. Insufficient permissions will lead to incomplete or failed scans.
Dynamic Secret Usage: This tool primarily detects secrets referenced statically within Kubernetes resource definitions. It may not identify usage patterns where applications dynamically fetch secrets using client libraries or custom operators that do not explicitly link secrets in standard ways.
False Positives/Negatives: While robust, edge cases or non-standard configurations might lead to false positives (reporting a used secret as unused) or false negatives (missing an unused secret). Always verify findings manually before taking action.
System Secrets: Many secrets in kube-system or other system namespaces are automatically managed (e.g., service account tokens). The tool typically filters these, but exercise caution when analyzing system namespaces.

Regularly running k8s-unused-secret-detector is a critical component of a comprehensive Kubernetes security strategy. Removing unused secrets reduces the attack surface, minimizes potential exposure in case of a breach, and helps ensure compliance with security policies.

Identifying and cleaning up unused secrets contributes to a cleaner, more manageable Kubernetes environment. It reduces clutter in API responses, speeds up audits, and simplifies troubleshooting by eliminating irrelevant resources.

As Kubernetes adoption soared, the complexity of managing resources, especially sensitive ones like secrets, increased significantly. The need for robust tools to maintain cluster hygiene and security became apparent. k8s-unused-secret-detector emerged from the necessity to automate the identification of dormant secrets, a common issue in dynamic environments where applications are frequently deployed, updated, and decommissioned, leaving behind unreferenced artifacts. This tool reflects a broader trend in the Kubernetes ecosystem towards automated security auditing and resource optimization.

kubectl(1): The primary command-line tool for interacting with Kubernetes clusters. Essential for managing secrets and workloads., grep(1): A powerful utility for searching plain-text data sets for lines that match a regular expression. Useful for manual verification of secret usage within manifest files., jq(1): A lightweight and flexible command-line JSON processor. Ideal for parsing and filtering the output of k8s-unused-secret-detector when using json output format.