Could the Google Cloud Secretly Hide Sensitive Information?
April 7, 2021
It is odd seeing Google interested in protecting user information, but Alphabet Inc. follows dollar signs. The high demand for digital security is practically flashing bright neon dollar signs, so it is not surprising Google is investing its talents into security development. Tech Radar shares that simpler applications could lead to better security in the article, “Google Cloud Is Making It Easier For Developers To Smuggle ‘Secrets’ In Their Code.”
A big problem with application development is accidentally exposing sensitive information via the source code. Bad actors can hack applications’ code, then steal the sensitive information. Google Cloud fused its Secret Manager service (a secure method to store private information) with its Cloud Code IDE extensions that speed up cloud-based application development.
The benefits of the merged technologies are:
“The integration allows developers to replace hardcoded data with so-called Secrets, a type of global object available to applications at build or runtime. This way, cloud applications can make use of the sensitive data when needed, but without leaving it exposed in the codebase.
According to Google, the new integration will make it easier for developers to build secure applications, while also avoiding the complexities of securing sensitive data via alternative methods.”
In the past, developers hardcoded sensitive information into their codebase. It made it easier to recall data, but savvy bad actors could access it. Many applications know that hardcoding sensitive information is a security risk, so hey make users run the gambit with authentication services.
Secret Manager and Cloud Code IDE could eliminate the authentication hassle, while protecting sensitive information.
Whitney Grace, April 7, 2021
Comments
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
