No. Kubernetes stores Secret data unencrypted in etcd by default. Base64 in a Secret manifest only changes how the value is represented; it does not protect the value. To encrypt Secrets at rest, the cluster must be configured to do so, and existing stored Secrets may need to be rewritten before they are encrypted.
What Kubernetes Secret encryption does—and does not—mean
Kubernetes’ Secret documentation says Secrets are stored unencrypted in the API server’s underlying data store, etcd, by default. Anyone who can access the relevant etcd data can read those values. Access through the Kubernetes API is also governed by permissions, so protecting etcd alone does not secure Secret access.
Secret values often appear base64-encoded in YAML or JSON. That is not encryption: Kubernetes explains that base64 provides no additional confidentiality over plaintext in its good practices for Secrets. A manifest committed to a repository may therefore reveal the value to people who can read that repository.
How to check whether a cluster encrypts Secrets at rest
The setting to inspect is the API server’s --encryption-provider-config flag, which points to an EncryptionConfiguration. Kubernetes’ encrypting data at rest guide documents the configuration and verification process.
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- Check the API-server configuration. If
--encryption-provider-configis absent, at-rest encryption is not enabled through this mechanism. Managed Kubernetes services may configure the control plane differently, so check the provider’s cluster configuration and documentation rather than assuming a particular setting. - Check that Secrets are covered. In the
EncryptionConfiguration, inspect the resources list forsecrets. A configured provider does not establish that Secret resources are included. - Inspect provider order. The first provider listed is used for newly written data. If it is
identity, data is stored without encryption. Confirm that the first provider is an actual encryption provider appropriate to the cluster. - Verify stored data and API access. Follow Kubernetes’ provider-specific verification instructions: inspect a test object’s stored representation for the applicable encryption prefix, such as
k8s:enc:aescbc:v1:, and confirm that the Kubernetes API still returns the Secret correctly. A Secret appearing in the API does not prove that its etcd representation is encrypted.
Why enabling encryption may not protect older Secrets immediately
Changing the configuration controls writes, but existing etcd objects may remain in their previous, unencrypted form until they are rewritten. Use the migration procedure in the Kubernetes encryption guide to rewrite existing Secrets and verify their stored representation before treating them as encrypted.
Retain old decryption keys while objects encrypted with them may still exist. If the API server no longer has a usable key for stored data, it may be unable to read those resources. Key removal should follow a verified migration, not simply a configuration change.
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What at-rest encryption protects, and what it does not
Encryption at rest helps protect stored API data, including etcd contents and backups, from someone who obtains that stored data. It does not control who can request a Secret through the Kubernetes API, secure an exposed etcd endpoint, or prevent an application from mishandling a value after it has been read.
- Restrict API access: Use least-privilege RBAC so users and service accounts can read only the Secrets they need.
- Limit Pod exposure: Make Secrets available only to the containers that need them, rather than exposing them broadly within a workload.
- Protect application use: Treat values as sensitive after retrieval; encryption in etcd does not keep them encrypted while an application uses them.
- Consider external Secret stores: Kubernetes documents integration options such as the Secrets Store CSI Driver, which lets kubelet retrieve data from external stores for specifically authorized Pods.
Choosing an encryption setup
Kubernetes’ encryption guide describes provider and key-management approaches, including local key storage and managed KMS envelope encryption. The right choice depends on who controls the keys, which systems an attacker could access, and how the organization will rotate and recover keys. Encryption is only useful if authorized components can use the keys when needed, and key custody remains an operational responsibility.
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