Rotating credentials associated with Oracle Cloud, SSO (Single Sign-On), or LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) systems typically involves a secure and procedural update of authentication elements such as passwords, keys, certificates, or tokens to reduce the risk of credential theft or misuse.
This document provides a customer-ready knowledgebase guide for credential rotation best practices across Oracle Cloud, SSO, and LDAP environments, including password changes.
General Credential Rotation Process
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Inventory & Classification
- Identify all systems, applications, services, and users that use the credential.
- Classify credentials by type (e.g., API keys, service account passwords, user passwords, SSH keys, certificates).
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Rotation Planning
- Determine if the credential supports zero-downtime rotation or if it causes service interruption.
- Schedule rotation during low-impact windows for systems that don’t support seamless change.
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Backup and Rollback Plan
- Always back up current credentials in a secure vault (e.g., HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager).
- Define rollback steps if the new credential fails.
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Update the Credential
- Generate and set a new password/key/token.
- Replace old credentials wherever they are stored: environment variables, config files, secrets managers.
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Change passwords associated with service accounts, administrator accounts, and user accounts.
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Propagate & Validate
- Restart services if necessary.
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Validate that dependent systems can still authenticate and authorize as expected.
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Ensure all users update their passwords if required.
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Decommission Old Credential
- Revoke or delete old credentials as soon as the new ones are verified working.
- Log and audit the operation for compliance.
Oracle Cloud (OCI) Credential Rotation
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API Signing Keys: Rotate OCI API key pairs used by IAM users or federated users.
- Update the public key in OCI Console → IAM → User → API Keys.
- Replace the private key in scripts/tools.
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Auth Tokens: Used for third-party integrations (e.g., Git clients).
- Recreate in OCI Console → IAM → User → Auth Tokens.
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Federation Trusts (for IDCS / AD integration):
- Rotate SAML certificates or metadata used for federation.
- Update metadata in both Oracle IDCS and your Identity Provider.
- Passwords: Change passwords for service accounts, IAM users, and all user accounts where applicable.
SSO Credential Rotation
Depends on the SSO architecture (e.g., SAML, OIDC, SSO vendors like Okta, Azure AD, Oracle IDCS):
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SAML Certificates:
- Rotate the X.509 signing certificate used by the IdP or SP.
- Update metadata on both IdP and SP sides.
- Validate trust chain and expiration.
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OIDC Client Secrets:
- Rotate the client secret used by applications to authenticate with the IdP.
- Update app configurations securely.
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SSO Service Accounts & User Passwords:
- Rotate credentials used by services that query the IdP (e.g., for JIT provisioning or sync).
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Change passwords for administrative accounts and all user accounts as needed.
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Ensure that users update their SSO passwords regularly.
SSO credential rotation is especially sensitive if it's tied to employee login systems—failure can lock out users.
LDAP Credential Rotation
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Bind DN Passwords:
- Reset the password in the LDAP server (Active Directory or OpenLDAP).
- Update all dependent services/tools.
- Validate binding using tools like ldapsearch.
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TLS Certificates:
- Rotate certificates used in LDAPS.
- Validate using openssl s_client or similar tools.
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Kerberos Keytabs:
- If integrated with Kerberos, regenerate service principals and update keytabs.
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User & Service Account Passwords:
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Enforce password changes for all user and service accounts with access to LDAP services.
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Advanced/Proactive Considerations
- Use automation: Tools like HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, CyberArk, or Thycotic.
- Auditing: Ensure credential usage and rotation are logged.
- Monitoring: Set up alerting for failed auth attempts or anomalous access.
- Expiration policies: Enforce 30/60/90-day rotation depending on credential sensitivity.
- Just-in-time (JIT) credentials: Limit window of exposure by issuing time-bound credentials.
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Regular Password Updates: Ensure all user and service account passwords are updated per security policies.
- Refer to: NIST SP 800-63b for digital identity best practices.
Summary Table
| System | Credential Types | Tools/Areas to Update |
| Oracle Cloud | API keys, tokens, federation, passwords | OCI Console (IAM), CLI, SDKs, Federation setup |
| SSO (e.g., Okta) | SAML certs, OIDC secrets, user passwords | IdP/SP metadata, client apps |
| LDAP | Bind passwords, TLS certs, Kerberos keytabs, user passwords |
Directory service, connected apps |
Please note: This Knowledgebase article is provided for informational purposes only. We do not offer automation, policy templates, or implementation support for credential rotation. Customers should consult with their internal IT security teams or trusted providers to validate and implement any practices referenced here.