Credentials

Meshery uses one or more Credentials when authenticating to a managed or unmanaged Connection. Credentials are based on the Meshery’s Credential Schema with defined attributes.

Understanding Credentials in Meshery

Credentials in Meshery provide secure authentication to your infrastructure and cloud native services. They are a foundational component that enables Meshery to establish and maintain secure connections with your resources.

Types of Credentials

Meshery supports several types of credentials:

  • API Keys/Tokens - For services that use token-based authentication
  • Username/Password - Basic authentication credentials
  • Certificates - TLS/SSL certificates for secure connections
  • Cloud Provider Credentials - Authentication for various cloud platforms
  • Service Account Tokens - For Kubernetes authentication

Managing Credentials

Credentials can be:

  1. Created and managed through the Meshery UI
  2. Imported from existing configuration
  3. Auto-discovered from your environment
  4. Associated with one or more Connections
  5. Shared across team members (with appropriate permissions)

Credential Security

Meshery takes several measures to protect your credentials:

  • Credentials are encrypted at rest
  • Access is controlled through fine-grained permissions
  • Credentials are never exposed in logs or API responses
  • Support for secret management integration

Using Credentials with Connections

When setting up a new Connection in Meshery:

  1. Select from existing credentials or create new ones
  2. Credentials are automatically validated before use
  3. Multiple credentials can be associated with a single Connection
  4. Credential status is monitored and alerts are generated if they become invalid

For detailed instructions on managing credentials, see the Credential Management Guide.