Secrets management refers to the practice of securely storing, accessing, and controlling digital authentication credentials, also known as secrets. These credentials are used by applications and systems to authenticate and establish secure communication with each other.

Secrets management is crucial for protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access and ensuring that only authorized users can access protected data, applications, services, tools, containers, and cloud-native environments. It involves the use of tools and techniques to manage these secrets throughout their lifecycle, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations and maintaining the integrity of systems and applications.