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Using Docker Secrets to Manage Sensitive Data

In order to secure a MySQL database, we’ve decided to redeploy the container it sits in as a Swarm service, using secrets. We'll use OpenSSL to generate secure passwords for both the MySQL users `root` and `user`. Then, we'll save them to separate files. Next, we'll create secrets for these passwords and finally create the MySQL service using these secrets.

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Lab Info
Level
Advanced
Last updated
Sep 23, 2025
Duration
1h 0m

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Table of Contents
  1. Challenge

    Create Secrets

    Note: Please allow the lab extra time to fully spin up.

    Create the MySQL root password:

    openssl rand -base64 20 > mysql_root_password.txt
    docker secret create mysql_root_password mysql_root_password.txt
    

    Create a MySQL user password:

    openssl rand -base64 20 > mysql_password.txt
    docker secret create mysql_password mysql_password.txt
    
  2. Challenge

    Create an Overlay Network for the Service

    Create an overlay network:

    docker network create -d overlay mysql_private
    
  3. Challenge

    Create the MySQL Service

    Create a MySQL service:

    docker service create 
         --name mysql_secrets 
         --replicas 1 
         --network mysql_private 
         --mount type=volume,destination=/var/lib/mysql 
         --secret mysql_root_password 
         --secret mysql_password 
         -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD_FILE="/run/secrets/mysql_root_password" 
         -e MYSQL_PASSWORD_FILE="/run/secrets/mysql_password" 
         -e MYSQL_USER="myUser" 
         -e MYSQL_DATABASE="myDB" 
         mysql:5.7
    
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