Most credential leaks are not sophisticated attacks. They are an API key committed to a public repository. Fixing the basics removes most of the risk.
Get secrets out of code
Inject secrets through environment variables or a dedicated secrets manager. Add a pre-commit hook and a scanner in CI so a stray key never reaches your history.
Rotate and least-privilege
- Give each service its own credentials, scoped to what it actually needs.
- Rotate keys on a schedule and immediately after anyone leaves.
- Audit who and what can read each secret.
You do not need a large budget to be responsible with secrets. You need a couple of habits enforced automatically.