Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) Practice Test 2026 - Free CKAD Practice Questions and Comprehensive Study Guide

Secrets are a Kubernetes feature specifically designed to manage and store sensitive information such as passwords, tokens, and SSH keys. By utilizing Secrets, you can keep sensitive data separate from the application code and configurations, providing an additional layer of security. Secrets are stored in such a way that they can only be accessed securely by authorized pods, and they are encoded (though not encrypted by default) to protect them from casual inspection.

This focus on security and the handling of sensitive data makes Secrets a crucial component in Kubernetes deployments where safeguarding information is a priority. In contrast, ConfigMaps are intended for non-sensitive configuration data, while Ingress and Services are primarily focused on routing and networking rather than direct handling of sensitive information. Hence, for managing passwords and similar sensitive data, relying on Secrets is the appropriate approach in Kubernetes.