Added blog post on .env security issues and Polykey solution

xrissoula · xrissoula · commit 4859bf3bd2dd · 2025-03-05T23:03:36.000-07:00
diff --git a/docs/how-to-guides/companies-and-teams/the-problem-with-env b/docs/how-to-guides/companies-and-teams/the-problem-with-env
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+---
+slug: problem-with-env-files-polykey-future  
+title: The Problem with .env Files & Why Polykey Is the Future  
+authors:  
+tags: ['secrets-management', 'security', 'devops', 'cloud', 'software-engineering']  
+---
+
+# The Problem with .env Files & Why Polykey Is the Future  
+
+For decades, devs have leaned on `.env` files to stash API keys, database credentials, and other sensitive config settings. And for decades, we’ve just accepted the risk, even though `.env` files are one of the worst security practices still kicking around.  
+
+They’re plaintext. They’re a pain to share securely. They’re constantly getting leaked. But here we are, still using them.  
+
+## Why .env Files Are a Security Dumpster Fire  
+
+### One bad git commit and it’s game over  
+Even if you throw `.env` into `.gitignore`, mistakes happen. One `git add -A`, and boom—your secrets are public.  
+
+### Plaintext storage is a disaster waiting to happen  
+`.env` files sit unencrypted on disk. A malware infection, a rogue employee, or just someone getting access to a developer laptop, and your secrets are wide open.  
+
+### Sharing secrets shouldn’t be this messy  
+How do most teams share `.env` files?  
+
+- Slack messages  
+- Email attachments  
+- Pasting them into a Google Doc  
+
+None of this is secure. But it’s still what people do.  
+
+### No version control, no audit trail, no accountability  
+If someone changes an API key, how do you know who did it or when? You don’t. `.env` files give you zero visibility.  
+
+### Impossible to manage at scale  
+When your team grows, how do you handle secret rotation? How do you make sure everyone has the latest version? `.env` files don’t scale past a handful of devs hacking on a side project.  
+
+## The "Fixes" That Are Just as Bad  
+
+Some teams try to move away from `.env` files but just end up in different security nightmares:  
+
+- **Hardcoding secrets in source code** (seriously?)  
+- **Storing them in a database** (better, but still risky)  
+- **Using cloud secret managers** like AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault (okay, but you’re still handing your secrets to a third party)  
+
+## Polykey: A Secure, Decentralized Alternative  
+
+Polykey kills `.env` files entirely. Instead of shoving secrets into plaintext files, it gives you:  
+
+- **Encrypted local vaults** so secrets never sit exposed  
+- **Peer-to-peer secret sharing** so you’re not passing creds over Slack or email  
+- **A zero-trust architecture** that doesn’t rely on any cloud provider  
+- **A CLI-first design** that fits straight into DevOps workflows  
+
+## How It Works  
+
+Instead of dumping creds into `.env`, you:  
+
+1. **Create an encrypted vault**  
+
+   ```sh
+   polykey vault create my-vault
+   ```
+
+2. **Add secrets securely**  
+
+   ```sh
+   polykey secrets add my-vault API_KEY my-secret-key
+   ```
+
+3. **Inject secrets dynamically into your environment**  
+
+   ```sh
+   polykey secrets env my-vault API_KEY
+   ```
+
+
+## Why This Changes Everything
+   * You keep full control over your secrets—no third-party trust required
+   * Enterprises can securely distribute API keys without exposing them to the cloud
+   * No single point of failure—secrets stay decentralized and encrypted
+
+## Get Rid of .env Files for Good
+
+.env files were never built for modern security. It’s time to move on.
+
+Try Polykey today and take control of your security the right way.
diff --git a/docs/how-to-guides/companies-and-teams/the-problem-with-env.md b/docs/how-to-guides/companies-and-teams/the-problem-with-env.md
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+---
+slug: problem-with-env-files-polykey-future  
+title: The Problem with .env Files & Why Polykey Is the Future  
+authors:  
+tags: ['secrets-management', 'security', 'devops', 'cloud', 'software-engineering']  
+---
+
+# The Problem with .env Files & Why Polykey Is the Future  
+
+For decades, devs have leaned on `.env` files to stash API keys, database credentials, and other sensitive config settings. And for decades, we’ve just accepted the risk, even though `.env` files are one of the worst security practices still kicking around.  
+
+They’re plaintext. They’re a pain to share securely. They’re constantly getting leaked. But here we are, still using them.  
+
+## Why .env Files Are a Security Dumpster Fire  
+
+### One bad git commit and it’s game over  
+Even if you throw `.env` into `.gitignore`, mistakes happen. One `git add -A`, and boom—your secrets are public.  
+
+### Plaintext storage is a disaster waiting to happen  
+`.env` files sit unencrypted on disk. A malware infection, a rogue employee, or just someone getting access to a developer laptop, and your secrets are wide open.  
+
+### Sharing secrets shouldn’t be this messy  
+How do most teams share `.env` files?  
+
+- Slack messages  
+- Email attachments  
+- Pasting them into a Google Doc  
+
+None of this is secure. But it’s still what people do.  
+
+### No version control, no audit trail, no accountability  
+If someone changes an API key, how do you know who did it or when? You don’t. `.env` files give you zero visibility.  
+
+### Impossible to manage at scale  
+When your team grows, how do you handle secret rotation? How do you make sure everyone has the latest version? `.env` files don’t scale past a handful of devs hacking on a side project.  
+
+## The "Fixes" That Are Just as Bad  
+
+Some teams try to move away from `.env` files but just end up in different security nightmares:  
+
+- **Hardcoding secrets in source code** (seriously?)  
+- **Storing them in a database** (better, but still risky)  
+- **Using cloud secret managers** like AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault (okay, but you’re still handing your secrets to a third party)  
+
+## Polykey: A Secure, Decentralized Alternative  
+
+Polykey kills `.env` files entirely. Instead of shoving secrets into plaintext files, it gives you:  
+
+- **Encrypted local vaults** so secrets never sit exposed  
+- **Peer-to-peer secret sharing** so you’re not passing creds over Slack or email  
+- **A zero-trust architecture** that doesn’t rely on any cloud provider  
+- **A CLI-first design** that fits straight into DevOps workflows  
+
+## How It Works  
+
+Instead of dumping creds into `.env`, you:  
+
+1. **Create an encrypted vault**  
+
+   ```sh
+   polykey vault create my-vault
+   ```
+
+2. **Add secrets securely**  
+
+   ```sh
+   polykey secrets add my-vault API_KEY my-secret-key
+   ```
+
+3. **Inject secrets dynamically into your environment**  
+
+   ```sh
+   polykey secrets env my-vault API_KEY
+   ```
+
+
+## Why This Changes Everything
+   * You keep full control over your secrets—no third-party trust required
+   * Enterprises can securely distribute API keys without exposing them to the cloud
+   * No single point of failure—secrets stay decentralized and encrypted
+
+## Get Rid of .env Files for Good
+
+.env files were never built for modern security. It’s time to move on.
+
+Try Polykey today and take control of your security the right way.
