DevOps Interview DropBeginner TierScenario+10 XP on read
You accidentally committed a .env file containing API keys. What do you do?
Core Summary
Rotate the credentials first. That's the only step that actually makes you safe, since the secret is already in every clone, fork and CI cache that pulled before you noticed. Cleaning up Git history is a second, separate job that comes after.
Hints
Hint 1: Deleting the file in a new commit does not remove it from history
Hint 2: Assume the secret is stolen the moment it is pushed
Hint 3: There are two separate jobs: the credential, and the repository
Reported in interviews at Atlassian, GitLab