# Secrets Reference Secret management operations using @azure/keyvault-secrets SDK. ## Overview The SecretClient provides operations for managing secrets in Azure Key Vault: - Create, update, and delete secrets - List secrets and versions - Soft-delete and purge operations - Backup and restore capabilities ## Core Types ```typescript import { SecretClient, KeyVaultSecret, SecretProperties, DeletedSecret, SetSecretOptions, GetSecretOptions, UpdateSecretPropertiesOptions, BeginDeleteSecretOptions, BeginRecoverDeletedSecretOptions, ListPropertiesOfSecretsOptions, ListPropertiesOfSecretVersionsOptions, ListDeletedSecretsOptions } from "@azure/keyvault-secrets"; ``` ## SecretClient Initialization ```typescript import { SecretClient } from "@azure/keyvault-secrets"; import { DefaultAzureCredential } from "@azure/identity"; const vaultUrl = `https://${process.env.AZURE_KEYVAULT_NAME}.vault.azure.net`; const credential = new DefaultAzureCredential(); const secretClient = new SecretClient(vaultUrl, credential); ``` ## Creating and Updating Secrets ### Set Secret (Create or Update) ```typescript // Basic secret const secret = await secretClient.setSecret("MySecret", "secret-value"); console.log(`Secret: ${secret.name}, Version: ${secret.properties.version}`); // Secret with options const secretWithOptions = await secretClient.setSecret("MySecret", "secret-value", { enabled: true, expiresOn: new Date("2025-12-31"), notBefore: new Date("2024-01-01"), contentType: "text/plain", tags: { environment: "production", application: "my-app", owner: "team-a" } }); ``` ### Content Types ```typescript // JSON content const jsonSecret = await secretClient.setSecret( "config-secret", JSON.stringify({ apiKey: "xyz", endpoint: "https://api.example.com" }), { contentType: "application/json" } ); // Connection string const connString = await secretClient.setSecret( "db-connection", "Server=tcp:myserver.database.windows.net;Database=mydb;...", { contentType: "text/plain; charset=utf-8" } ); // Base64 encoded binary const binarySecret = await secretClient.setSecret( "certificate-data", Buffer.from(certificateBytes).toString("base64"), { contentType: "application/x-pkcs12" } ); ``` ### Versioning Behavior ```typescript // Each setSecret creates a new version const v1 = await secretClient.setSecret("MySecret", "value-1"); console.log(`Version 1: ${v1.properties.version}`); const v2 = await secretClient.setSecret("MySecret", "value-2"); console.log(`Version 2: ${v2.properties.version}`); // v1 still exists and is accessible by version ID const v1Retrieved = await secretClient.getSecret("MySecret", { version: v1.properties.version }); ``` ## Retrieving Secrets ### Get Secret ```typescript // Get latest version const secret = await secretClient.getSecret("MySecret"); console.log(`Value: ${secret.value}`); console.log(`Version: ${secret.properties.version}`); console.log(`Created: ${secret.properties.createdOn}`); // Get specific version const specificVersion = await secretClient.getSecret("MySecret", { version: "abc123def456..." }); ``` ### KeyVaultSecret Structure ```typescript interface KeyVaultSecret { name: string; value?: string; // Only present when retrieved, not in list operations properties: SecretProperties; } interface SecretProperties { id?: string; // Full secret identifier URL name: string; version?: string; vaultUrl: string; enabled?: boolean; notBefore?: Date; expiresOn?: Date; createdOn?: Date; updatedOn?: Date; contentType?: string; tags?: { [key: string]: string }; managed?: boolean; // True if managed by Key Vault (e.g., storage account keys) recoverableDays?: number; recoveryLevel?: string; } ``` ## Listing Secrets ### List All Secrets ```typescript // List secret properties (not values - use getSecret for values) for await (const secretProperties of secretClient.listPropertiesOfSecrets()) { console.log(`Secret: ${secretProperties.name}`); console.log(` Enabled: ${secretProperties.enabled}`); console.log(` Content Type: ${secretProperties.contentType}`); console.log(` Tags: ${JSON.stringify(secretProperties.tags)}`); } ``` ### List Secret Versions ```typescript // List all versions of a specific secret for await (const version of secretClient.listPropertiesOfSecretVersions("MySecret")) { console.log(`Version: ${version.version}`); console.log(` Created: ${version.createdOn}`); console.log(` Enabled: ${version.enabled}`); console.log(` Expires: ${version.expiresOn}`); } ``` ### Collect to Array ```typescript // Collect all secrets to array const allSecrets: SecretProperties[] = []; for await (const secret of secretClient.listPropertiesOfSecrets()) { allSecrets.push(secret); } // Or use byPage for pagination control const pages = secretClient.listPropertiesOfSecrets().byPage({ maxPageSize: 25 }); for await (const page of pages) { console.log(`Page with ${page.length} secrets`); } ``` ### Filter by Tags ```typescript // SDK doesn't support server-side filtering, filter client-side const productionSecrets: SecretProperties[] = []; for await (const secret of secretClient.listPropertiesOfSecrets()) { if (secret.tags?.environment === "production") { productionSecrets.push(secret); } } ``` ## Updating Secret Properties ```typescript // Update properties without changing value const updated = await secretClient.updateSecretProperties("MySecret", "version-id", { enabled: false, expiresOn: new Date("2026-12-31"), tags: { status: "deprecated", deprecatedOn: new Date().toISOString() } }); // Update latest version (get version first) const current = await secretClient.getSecret("MySecret"); await secretClient.updateSecretProperties("MySecret", current.properties.version!, { enabled: true }); ``` ## Soft Delete Operations ### Delete Secret ```typescript // Begin delete (long-running operation) const deletePoller = await secretClient.beginDeleteSecret("MySecret"); // Option 1: Wait for completion const deletedSecret = await deletePoller.pollUntilDone(); console.log(`Deleted: ${deletedSecret.name}`); console.log(`Scheduled purge: ${deletedSecret.scheduledPurgeDate}`); console.log(`Deleted on: ${deletedSecret.deletedOn}`); // Option 2: Non-blocking with periodic checks const poller = await secretClient.beginDeleteSecret("MySecret"); while (!poller.isDone()) { await poller.poll(); const state = poller.getOperationState(); console.log(`Delete status: ${state.isStarted ? "in progress" : "pending"}`); await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000)); } ``` ### Get Deleted Secret ```typescript // Get info about a deleted secret const deleted = await secretClient.getDeletedSecret("MySecret"); console.log(`Recovery ID: ${deleted.recoveryId}`); console.log(`Scheduled purge: ${deleted.scheduledPurgeDate}`); ``` ### List Deleted Secrets ```typescript // List all deleted secrets in vault for await (const deletedSecret of secretClient.listDeletedSecrets()) { console.log(`Deleted secret: ${deletedSecret.name}`); console.log(` Deleted on: ${deletedSecret.deletedOn}`); console.log(` Purge date: ${deletedSecret.scheduledPurgeDate}`); } ``` ### Recover Deleted Secret ```typescript // Recover a soft-deleted secret const recoverPoller = await secretClient.beginRecoverDeletedSecret("MySecret"); const recoveredSecret = await recoverPoller.pollUntilDone(); console.log(`Recovered: ${recoveredSecret.name}`); ``` ### Purge Secret (Permanent Delete) ```typescript // Permanently delete - IRREVERSIBLE // Requires "purge" permission in RBAC await secretClient.purgeDeletedSecret("MySecret"); // Common pattern: delete then purge const deletePoller = await secretClient.beginDeleteSecret("MySecret"); await deletePoller.pollUntilDone(); await secretClient.purgeDeletedSecret("MySecret"); ``` ## Backup and Restore ### Backup Secret ```typescript // Backup returns encrypted blob containing all versions const backup = await secretClient.backupSecret("MySecret"); if (backup) { // Store backup securely (e.g., blob storage, local file) console.log(`Backup size: ${backup.length} bytes`); // Save to file import { writeFileSync } from "node:fs"; writeFileSync("secret-backup.bin", backup); } ``` ### Restore Secret ```typescript import { readFileSync } from "node:fs"; // Read backup from storage const backupData = readFileSync("secret-backup.bin"); // Restore to vault (can be different vault in same region/subscription) const restoredSecret = await secretClient.restoreSecretBackup(backupData); console.log(`Restored: ${restoredSecret.name}`); ``` ### Backup Constraints | Constraint | Description | |------------|-------------| | Same subscription | Backup can only be restored to vault in same Azure subscription | | Same geography | Target vault must be in same Azure geography | | All versions | Backup includes all versions of the secret | | Encrypted | Backup blob is encrypted with Microsoft-managed keys | ## Error Handling ```typescript import { RestError } from "@azure/core-rest-pipeline"; async function getSecretSafely(name: string): Promise { try { return await secretClient.getSecret(name); } catch (error) { if (error instanceof RestError) { switch (error.statusCode) { case 404: console.log(`Secret '${name}' not found`); return null; case 403: console.log("Access denied - check RBAC permissions"); throw error; case 409: console.log("Conflict - secret is being deleted or already exists"); throw error; default: console.log(`Error ${error.statusCode}: ${error.message}`); throw error; } } throw error; } } ``` ### Common Error Codes | Code | Meaning | |------|---------| | 404 | Secret not found (or deleted) | | 403 | Access denied (RBAC permission missing) | | 409 | Conflict (secret exists in deleted state) | | 429 | Rate limited (too many requests) | ## Common Patterns ### Secret Rotation ```typescript async function rotateSecret(name: string, newValue: string): Promise { // Get current secret to preserve metadata const current = await secretClient.getSecret(name); // Disable old version await secretClient.updateSecretProperties(name, current.properties.version!, { enabled: false, tags: { ...current.properties.tags, rotatedOn: new Date().toISOString(), status: "rotated" } }); // Create new version with same settings const newSecret = await secretClient.setSecret(name, newValue, { enabled: true, contentType: current.properties.contentType, expiresOn: new Date(Date.now() + 90 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000), // 90 days tags: { ...current.properties.tags, status: "active", createdOn: new Date().toISOString() } }); return newSecret; } ``` ### Bulk Secret Operations ```typescript async function exportAllSecrets(): Promise> { const secrets = new Map(); for await (const properties of secretClient.listPropertiesOfSecrets()) { if (properties.enabled) { const secret = await secretClient.getSecret(properties.name); if (secret.value) { secrets.set(properties.name, secret.value); } } } return secrets; } async function importSecrets(secrets: Map, tags?: Record): Promise { for (const [name, value] of secrets) { await secretClient.setSecret(name, value, { tags }); console.log(`Imported: ${name}`); } } ``` ### Check Secret Expiration ```typescript async function getExpiringSecrets(daysThreshold: number = 30): Promise { const expiringSecrets: SecretProperties[] = []; const thresholdDate = new Date(Date.now() + daysThreshold * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000); for await (const secret of secretClient.listPropertiesOfSecrets()) { if (secret.enabled && secret.expiresOn && secret.expiresOn <= thresholdDate) { expiringSecrets.push(secret); } } return expiringSecrets; } ``` ## Best Practices 1. **Use managed identity** - DefaultAzureCredential handles MI in Azure, dev credentials locally 2. **Set expiration dates** - Enforce secret rotation with `expiresOn` 3. **Use content types** - Helps consumers understand secret format 4. **Tag secrets** - Environment, application, owner for organization 5. **Enable soft-delete** - Required for production vaults (default for new vaults) 6. **Enable purge protection** - Prevents accidental permanent deletion 7. **Backup before rotation** - Backup secrets before making changes 8. **Least privilege** - Grant only needed permissions (Get vs List vs Set) 9. **Monitor expiration** - Alert on secrets expiring within threshold 10. **Avoid storing in code** - Use Key Vault references in App Service/Functions ## RBAC Permissions | Operation | Required Permission | |-----------|---------------------| | Get secret | `Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults/secrets/getSecret/action` | | List secrets | `Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults/secrets/readMetadata/action` | | Set secret | `Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults/secrets/setSecret/action` | | Delete secret | `Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults/secrets/delete` | | Purge secret | `Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults/secrets/purge/action` | | Backup | `Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults/secrets/backup/action` | | Restore | `Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults/secrets/restore/action` | ## See Also - [keys.md](./keys.md) - Cryptographic key management

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