Which of the following best describes the management of secrets in Vault?

The management of secrets in Vault is best described as secure, controlled, and monitored access. This reflects Vault's core purpose: to protect sensitive data by ensuring that only authorized entities can access it. Vault implements robust access control policies that allow administrators to define who can access what secrets, thereby enforcing a security model that prioritizes confidentiality and integrity.

Vault also monitors access and usage of secrets, enabling organizations to maintain an audit trail and detect any unauthorized access or anomalies. This combination of security measures not only protects the secrets but also provides transparency and accountability to the secret management process.

While automation, decentralization, and role-specific management may play a part in specific implementations of secret management, they do not encapsulate the fundamental principles of Vault’s design, which emphasize secure and controlled access at all times. This focus on governance and security is what makes option C the most accurate representation of how secrets are managed in Vault.