A secret-handling workflow is the process used to create, store, enter, rotate, and recover sensitive credentials such as recovery keys, API tokens, passwords, and backup codes. It covers the full life cycle of a secret, not just where it is kept. Good workflows reduce the chance that a secret is exposed, copied into the wrong place, or lost when it is needed for recovery.
In cyber security, this matters because many attacks target the human process around secrets rather than breaking encryption or other controls. Phishing, fake support pages, and malicious prompts often try to capture recovery material or one-time codes. Defenders strengthen the workflow by keeping secrets offline when possible, limiting who can access them, using secure password managers or hardware-backed storage, and treating any request to reveal a secret as suspicious. A strong system can still fail if the recovery path is weak.