Risks

Secrets in Kubernetes, which are used to store sensitive information like tokens or credentials, are vulnerable to unauthorized modification if not properly managed. Modifications to secrets, especially those in critical namespaces like kube-system, can lead to significant damage within the cluster. Accidental or malicious changes to a secret can cause application malfunctions or even paralyze the entire cluster.

Since secrets are stored in base64-encoded format, they are not inherently secure. If secrets are modified without traceability or control, it becomes difficult to detect unauthorized changes, posing a risk of data breaches or operational failures.

To mitigate these risks, it is essential to implement immutable secrets and follow strict access control measures.