Featured resource
2025 Tech Upskilling Playbook
Tech Upskilling Playbook

Build future-ready tech teams and hit key business milestones with seven proven plays from industry leaders.

Check it out
  • Lab
    • Libraries: If you want this lab, consider one of these libraries.
    • Cloud
    • Security
Azure icon
Labs

Develop a Python App to Access Key Vault Using a Service Principal

Azure Active Directory (AD) can play a crucial role in not only user management, but also with application security for Azure-based solutions. When an application is registered in Azure AD and provided a service principal, it can be used to securely access other Azure resources that support Azure AD authentication. In this hands-on lab, we'll use an existing service principal and client secret to demonstrate how a registered application can use Azure AD authentication to access Key Vault.

Azure icon
Lab platform
Lab Info
Level
Intermediate
Last updated
Sep 23, 2025
Duration
1h 0m

Contact sales

By filling out this form and clicking submit, you acknowledge our privacy policy.
Table of Contents
  1. Challenge

    Create a Key Vault

    In the Azure portal, create a key vault.

    Ensure the service principal is granted full access to the key vault via an access policy (using the service principal ID provided for you on the lab details page).

  2. Challenge

    Set Up the Python Application

    Either on your own local development environment or within the Azure portal Cloud Shell (Bash), set up the Python application provided for you.

    You will need to download the Python application, and use pip to install the required Azure packages.

  3. Challenge

    Configure the Python Application

    Either on your own local development environment or within the Azure portal Cloud Shell (Bash), add the required Azure AD and key vault details for the Python application.

  4. Challenge

    Run the Python Application and Access Secrets in the Key Vault

    Either on your own local development environment or within the Azure portal Cloud Shell (Bash), run the Python application.

    You can test the creation and retrieval of secrets from the key vault.

About the author

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

Real skill practice before real-world application

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

Learn by doing

Engage hands-on with the tools and technologies you’re learning. You pick the skill, we provide the credentials and environment.

Follow your guide

All labs have detailed instructions and objectives, guiding you through the learning process and ensuring you understand every step.

Turn time into mastery

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you take time to practice. Hands-on labs set you up for success to make those skills stick.

Get started with Pluralsight