What is the main purpose of the Authenticate stage in Vault?

The main purpose of the Authenticate stage in HashiCorp Vault is to confirm client identity. During this stage, various authentication methods are employed to ensure that the entity attempting to access the Vault is indeed who it claims to be. This is crucial for maintaining security, as it sets the groundwork for subsequent steps in the process, such as token issuance and policy application.

Once a client is authenticated, Vault can then issue access tokens that represent the authenticated identity and enforce policies that govern what resources the client can access. While issuing access tokens and matching clients against policies are essential functions that follow authentication, they are secondary to the primary goal of establishing the client's identity securely. This foundational step ensures that only legitimate users and applications gain access to the secrets and capabilities provided by Vault.