What's the difference between secrets and passwords?

Secrets and passwords. They may sound similar, but they are distinct concepts with different applications in the digital world. This article will explore password and secret definitions and recommendations on how to securely manage each. 

Passwords are all around — whether they are a four-digit code for credit card transactions, a classified phrase for a speakeasy, or a string of characters for your digital banking login. In today’s digital age, passwords are most well known as a string of characters to authenticate into an online service or computer system. Coupled with a username or email, passwords confirm to the system or service that you have permission to access the information and functionality offered.

For example, a password and associated username may look like this: 

Username: Rented2698

Password: #q2jRi$23%*33g

When using passwords, it is important to select one that is difficult to guess. Password generators are a great resource for creating a strong and unique password, ensuring that only authenticated users can access the system or service. 

In software development, secrets refer to developer credentials related to machines or software infrastructure. These secrets require special storage so developers can easily access them and use them to authenticate machines in code. Secrets are typically key/value pairs like SSH keys, database passwords, SSL or TLS certificates, private encryption keys, API keys, or other machine credentials. 

An example of how developer secrets are used is a developer building a mobile application that enables users to locate nearby restaurants that accommodate food allergies. After signing up for the application, the user’s email address is saved to a database owned by the developer. For the email to be passed to the database, the application needs to prove to the database that it is authorized to send information. The developer will use the database password to authenticate the application, enabling the user’s email address to be saved successfully. In this example, the database password is the secret. It needs to be stored securely so that malicious actors do not discover it and steal user emails from the database. 

Secrets are more specialized credentials specifically for software development and authentication of machines. In contract, passwords are credentials that authenticate individuals into systems and software. Secrets are typically handled by only DevOps and developer teams, while passwords are utilized by everyone!

Side note: In Europe, passwords are sometimes called secrets. It’s always good to clarify in communication which credential type someone is referring to.

Both  secrets and passwords need to be securely managed to ensure they are not compromised.

In the software marketplace, secrets management solutions are used for the secure storage, management, and deployment of machine and infrastructure secrets in code and are specific to software development and infrastructure engineering. Password management solutions are used by individuals, families, and businesses to securely store, share, and autofill passwords and other sensitive information. 

If you are still considering which solution is right for you, ask yourself the following, “Am I programming or interacting with code?” If the answer is “no,” you are probably looking for a password manager. 

Bitwarden Password Manager is trusted by million of businesses and users worldwide to secure their passwords and sensitive information. Protected with zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption, Bitwarden Password Manager offers unparalleled security to safeguard your online life.

For development and DevOps teams looking to secure machine and infrastructure secrets in their deployment pipelines, Bitwarden Secrets Manager uses the same zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption as Bitwarden Password Manager, protecting your secrets from unauthorized access. Ready to get started with secure secrets management? Give Bitwarden Secrets Manager test run and start a free 7-day trial today.