Securing Secrets in Modern Docker Compose Deployments

This guide explores best practices for managing secrets in Docker Compose, moving from basic to more secure approaches. It highlights the risks of using environment variables and .env files, demonstrating how secrets can be exposed. The article details three methods: using environment variables mounted as files, file-based secrets mounted from the host, and leveraging Docker Compose's secrets feature with granular access control. It emphasizes the importance of secure file management, avoiding hardcoding secrets, and using tools like Phase to streamline the process, ultimately aiming to enhance security and prevent incidents.