Design Secrets Management for a Regulated GitOps Pipeline
Overview
What this challenge is about.
Design Vault and ESO secrets topology with auto-rotation for 6 services, deliver an audit-ready writeup, and earn your verifiable certificate.
The scenario
The healthtech (around GBP 12M ARR, contracted with 18 NHS trusts) failed an internal pre-audit because secrets handling did not meet DSPT Section 5 evidence requirements.
The Brief
What you'll do, and what you'll demonstrate.
Replace fragmented secrets management with External Secrets Operator + Vault for 6 services and produce DSPT-audit-ready evidence the compliance team will accept.
Earning criteria — what you'll demonstrate
- Design secrets topology that scales with team count + regulatory needs
- Integrate External Secrets Operator with Vault for GitOps-native flows
- Implement auto-rotation for secrets that support it (DB credentials)
- Produce compliance evidence in a form auditors will accept
Program Fit
Where this fits in your program.
Sharpens the same skills your degree expects you to demonstrate.
GitOps and Continuous Delivery
Master · Cloud And Devops
Strong alignment
This challenge maps to GitOps and Continuous Delivery at the Master level. It sharpens the same practical skills your coursework expects — but in a real industry context with actual constraints and deliverables.
Skills
Skills you'll demonstrate.
Each one shows up on your verified credential.
- External Secrets Operator
Apply external secrets operator to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Hashicorp Vault
Apply hashicorp vault to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Secrets Management
Apply secrets management to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Sealed Secrets
Apply sealed secrets to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Auto Rotation
Apply auto rotation to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Compliance Evidence
Apply compliance evidence to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
Careers
Career paths this challenge builds toward
Completing this challenge demonstrates skills that transfer directly to these roles: