Securing Apigee Hybrid with HashiCorp Vault
In this blog, we will learn how to secure Apigee Hybrid with Hashicorp Vault.
Description:
In enterprise-grade API platforms like Apigee Hybrid, managing sensitive infrastructure secrets—such as Google service account keys and Cassandra database credentials—is essential for ensuring security, compliance, and operational resilience.
Traditionally, secrets stored in Kubernetes manifests or static files pose risks of accidental exposure, especially in large-scale, hybrid deployments.
To address this, HashiCorp Vault provides a centralized, auditable, and secure secret management solution, enabling administrators and architects to protect sensitive data while meeting compliance requirements.
Implementation Steps
- Vault Integration with Kubernetes (CSI Driver)
- Use Secrets Store CSI Driver with Vault provider.
- Secrets are securely mounted into Apigee pods at runtime without embedding them in deployment configs.
- Secure Google Service Account Keys
- Store service account (SA) keys in Vault instead of plaintext configs.
- Apigee retrieves them securely at runtime, reducing the risk of leakage.
- Manage Cassandra Database Credentials
- Vault stores and rotates Cassandra DB credentials.
- Credentials are injected into Apigee services as ephemeral secrets, improving both security and auditability.
- Fine-Grained Authentication and Access Control
- Configure Vault with Kubernetes Auth Method or AppRole.
- Restrict access so only authorized Apigee service accounts can fetch secrets.
- Apply Vault policies to enforce least privilege access.
Benefits:
- Centralized Security: All secrets managed in one secure location.
- Reduced Exposure: Secrets are never hardcoded in YAMLs or files.
- Compliance Ready: Vault provides audit logs and supports regulatory requirements.
- Operational Efficiency: Automated secret rotation reduces manual admin overhead.
- Resilient API Platform: Stronger security posture for Apigee Hybrid in regulated or sensitive environments.
Conclusion:
Integrating HashiCorp Vault with Apigee Hybrid is a best-practice architecture for enterprises. It strengthens the security posture, ensures compliance, and simplifies secret lifecycle management. For administrators, this approach offloads sensitive credential handling to Vault, aligning secure API management with modern cloud-native and hybrid infrastructure practices.
