Vault Secrets Engines Cheat Sheet

Dynamic secrets, AppRoles, and leases

Last Updated: November 21, 2025

Secrets Engines

Engine Use case
kv Store static secrets
database Mint DB credentials
pki Issue TLS certificates
aws Provision IAM creds

Commands

vault secrets enable database
Enable DB engine
vault write database/creds/webapp
Create dynamic creds
vault lease renew
Extend TTL
vault token create -policy=app
Issue app token

Access Patterns

Authenticate via AppRole, limit CIDRs, and rely on short-lived leases for rotation.

💡 Pro Tip: Use namespaced policies per app and rotate leases before expiry.
← Back to Security & Privacy | Browse all categories | View all cheat sheets