evan.jarrett.net / hsm-secrets-operator
A Kubernetes operator that bridges Hardware Security Module (HSM) data storage with Kubernetes Secrets, providing true secret portability th
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advanced
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basic
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high-availability
README.md
README.md

HSM Secrets Operator Examples#

This directory contains practical examples demonstrating how to use the HSM Secrets Operator in various scenarios.

Directory Structure#

  • basic/ - Basic CRD resource examples for getting started
  • advanced/ - Advanced configurations and use cases
  • api/ - REST API usage examples and bulk operation scripts
  • deployment/ - Complete deployment configurations
  • high-availability/ - High availability and mirroring setups

Quick Start#

  1. Install the Operator

    # Install CRDs and deploy the operator
kubectl apply -f config/default/

  2. Install kubectl-hsm plugin

    cd kubectl-hsm && make install

  3. Create your first secret

    kubectl hsm create my-secret --from-literal=password=secret123

  4. List and get secrets

    kubectl hsm list
kubectl hsm get my-secret

Method 2: CRD Resources#

  1. Install the Operator

    kubectl apply -f config/default/

  2. Create your first HSM Device

    kubectl apply -f examples/basic/pico-hsm-device.yaml

  3. Create an HSM Secret

    kubectl apply -f examples/basic/database-secret.yaml

Method 3: REST API (Advanced)#

For automation and bulk operations:

# Port forward to API
kubectl port-forward -n hsm-secrets-operator-system svc/hsm-secrets-operator-api 8090:8090

# Check health
curl http://localhost:8090/api/v1/health

# Create a secret via API
curl -X POST http://localhost:8090/api/v1/hsm/secrets \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d @examples/api/create-secret.json

Prerequisites#

  • Kubernetes cluster (v1.20+)
  • Pico HSM or compatible PKCS#11 device
  • OpenSC libraries installed on nodes with HSM devices

Common Use Cases#

1. Database Credentials#

Store and rotate database credentials securely using HSM hardware protection. → See basic/database-secret.yaml

2. TLS Certificates#

Manage TLS certificates with automatic sync to Kubernetes Secrets. → See basic/tls-certificate.yaml

3. API Keys#

Store third-party API keys with hardware-based security. → See basic/api-keys.yaml

4. High Availability Setup#

Configure cross-node mirroring for fault tolerance. → See high-availability/

5. Import Existing Secrets#

Migrate existing Kubernetes Secrets to HSM storage. → See api/import-from-k8s.sh

Security Considerations#

  • HSM devices should be properly authenticated and configured
  • Use RBAC to control access to HSMSecret resources
  • Enable audit logging for secret operations
  • Regular backup of HSM configurations (not the secrets themselves)

Troubleshooting#

Common issues and solutions:

  1. HSM Device Not Found

    • Check USB connection and permissions
    • Verify OpenSC installation
    • Review HSMDevice status: kubectl describe hsmdevice

  2. Sync Failures

    • Check HSM connectivity
    • Verify PKCS#11 library path
    • Review controller logs: kubectl logs -n hsm-secrets-operator-system

  3. API Server Issues

    • Confirm API is enabled: --enable-api=true
    • Check port availability: --api-port=8090
    • Review API server logs

Contributing#

Found an issue or have a suggestion? Please open an issue or submit a pull request.

Additional Resources#