Dev.to
6/19/2026
Dev teams store API keys
Original: Where Are You Storing Your API Keys? (And Why Slack Isn't It)
Short summary
Most dev teams store API keys insecurely via Slack, email, or .env files despite knowing better. Existing solutions are expensive or overly complex: Vault needs ops expertise, 1Password costs $840+/year, AWS adds cross-cloud overhead. A practical framework needs encryption at rest, role-based access with read-only masking, audit logs, and affordability for small teams.
- •Most teams store API keys insecurely via Slack, email, or .env files, creating significant breach risk
- •Traditional solutions (Vault, 1Password, AWS Secrets Manager) are too expensive or complex for small dev teams
- •Ideal solution requires encryption, role-based access, read-only masking, audit logs, and team-friendly pricing
Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.
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