Workload Identity
Cryptographic identity for software workloads (containers, services, functions) rather than humans. Workload identity replaces long-lived API keys with short-lived, attested credentials. SPIFFE is the standard; cloud providers offer proprietary equivalents.
Workload identity is the shift from "here is a secret that proves you are the service" to "the platform attests what you are", which removes the credential an attacker would otherwise steal. Cloud providers implement it through federation with the workload's runtime, Kubernetes through projected service account tokens, and SPIFFE as a vendor-neutral abstraction across both.
See also: SPIFFE, what is machine identity, service account, machine identity vendors, instance metadata service, WIMSE
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