Secure Notes

Overview

Secure Notes is a secure vault within the Nexus platform designed for storing sensitive information such as passwords, API keys, credentials, and other confidential data. This feature provides enterprise-level security for your organization's most critical information, functioning as an integrated credential management system within Nexus.

This guide provides comprehensive instructions for using Secure Notes effectively and securely.

Getting Started

How to Access Secure Notes

Log into Nexus
Navigate to the left-side navigation menu and hover over Settings
Click on Secure Notes from the submenu that appears

You will now see your Secure Notes dashboard.

Access Permissions

Access to Secure Notes is restricted to authorized users only. If the Secure Notes option does not appear in your Settings menu, contact your administrator to request access.

Updated Access Model

Initially, only Account Admin members will have access to Secure Notes. Admin members may grant these permissions to other roles as needed.

Secure Notes Permissions

The following permissions are used to control Secure Notes capabilities:

Permission	Description
View Secure Notes List	View the list of all Secure Notes
View Secure Note Details	View the contents of a specific Secure Note
Create Secure Note	Create new Secure Notes
Update Secure Note information	Edit existing Secure Notes
Delete Secure Note	Delete Secure Notes
Reveal Secure Note	Reveal the hidden credentials in a Secure Note

Understanding Your Secure Notes Dashboard

Upon opening Secure Notes, you will see an organized table view displaying all accessible notes. The following sections explain the dashboard components.

Filter Tools

Two filter options are available at the top of the Secure Notes page to help you locate specific notes efficiently:

Filter	Function	Usage
Search Box	Searches notes by name or description	Enter keywords to filter your list (e.g., AWS, database, production)
Ownership Filter	Filters by creator	Select All, Account Member (your organization), or Armor Support (Armor team)

Understanding the Ownership Filter

The Ownership filter is particularly useful when Armor Support creates secure notes on your behalf containing important credentials or configuration details. This filter enables you to distinguish between notes created by your team and those created by Armor Support.

Secure Notes Table Structure

Your secure notes are displayed in a table with five columns:

Column	Information Displayed	Guidelines and Details
Name	The title of the secure note	Use descriptive names such as Production Database Password or AWS Root Account Credentials
Description	A summary of the note's purpose	Critical: Never include sensitive data in this field. It is not encrypted and is visible to all users who can see the note list.
Owner	The creator of the note	Displays either Account Member (your organization) or Armor Support (Armor team)
Created On	Date and time of creation	Useful for tracking credential age and determining when rotation may be needed
Access	Users authorized to view the note's contents	Visibility in the list does not guarantee access to note details. Permissions are controlled individually

Description Field Guidelines

The description field should help identify notes without revealing sensitive information. Consider it a reference label rather than a secure storage location.

Appropriate Description Examples	Inappropriate Description Examples
Login credentials for the production environment	Password is Admin123!
API keys for the billing system integration	API key: sk_live_12345...
SSH keys for server access	Any actual passwords, keys, or sensitive data
Database connection string for reporting server	Username: admin, Password: secret

Viewing Secure Note Details

Step-by-Step: Accessing and Viewing Credentials

Click on any note in the table. A detailed view window will open displaying the note's information.
Click the Show Credentials button. The hidden sensitive information will become visible in the credentials field.
View or copy your credentials. You can also use the Copy All Credentials button to copy everything in the credentials field.

Updated Editing Behavior

Secure Notes cannot be edited unless you first choose Reveal Credentials.

When credentials are hidden, Secure Note fields are read-only.
After you click Reveal Credentials, and if you have the required permission, the Secure Note fields become editable.

This requirement ensures that any update to sensitive information is deliberate and performed with full awareness of the revealed data.

Key Features for Credential Management

Feature	Purpose	How It Helps
Auto Hide Security Feature	Automatically hides credentials after a short period	Reduces risk of exposure if you step away
Copy All Credentials	Copies all credential content in a single action	Ensures quick and accurate transfer into approved tools
Activity Logging	Records Create, Update, Delete, and Reveal actions	Provides an audit trail for compliance and security monitoring

Auto Hide Security Feature

Credentials auto hide after a short interval.
Click Show Credentials again to reveal them.

Using Copy All Credentials Safely

When you click Copy All Credentials, the entire contents of the credentials field are copied to your clipboard.

Best Practices	Security Risks to Avoid
Ensure you are in a secure environment before copying	Copying credentials in shared or public spaces
Paste immediately into the intended secure application	Leaving sensitive data in the clipboard for extended periods
Clear clipboard after use when possible	Accidentally pasting credentials into chats or documents
Be aware of screen visibility	Screen sharing or shoulder surfing

Best Practices

Creating and Organizing Notes

Best Practice	Rationale	Example
Use clear, descriptive names	Ensures easy identification over time	AWS Prod Root Account
Write descriptions without sensitive data	Allows users to identify notes safely	SSH keys for web servers
Review notes regularly	Identifies outdated or unnecessary credentials	Quarterly credential audits

Security Best Practices

Security Measure	Importance
Close notes immediately after use	Prevents unauthorized viewing
Never share Nexus login credentials	Ensures each user maintains accountability
Maintain situational awareness	Prevents visual exposure of credentials
Track credential age	Supports credential rotation schedules

Activity Tracking

Nexus logs Secure Notes activity under Settings > Activity.

Logged actions include:

Create
Update
Delete
Reveal

Each entry includes timestamp and user details to maintain strong oversight and security.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Explanation	Resolution
Cannot locate Secure Notes	Access not granted	Contact your administrator
Can see a note but cannot open it	Insufficient permissions	Contact the note owner for access
Credentials disappeared while viewing	Auto hide activated	Click Show Credentials again
Cannot filter or search notes	Active filter might be applied	Clear filter or refresh

User Roles and Access Levels

User Type	Visibility	Capabilities
Account Member (Your Organization)	Notes with granted access, plus list view of all notes	Create, view, and manage notes based on assigned permissions
Armor Support (Armor Team)	Internal view	Create notes on your behalf, provide support credentials and configurations

Support Contacts

For Assistance With	Contact
Access permissions and user roles	Your organization's Nexus administrator
Technical issues or feature questions	Armor Support
Adding users to Secure Notes	Your organization's Nexus administrator
Security concerns or suspicious activity	Armor Support immediately

Key Reminders

Important Considerations	Rationale
Never include sensitive data in the Description field	This field is not encrypted
Utilize auto hide	Protects credentials if left idle
Use Copy All Credentials with caution	Clipboard contains sensitive data until overwritten
Always close notes after use	Prevents unauthorized access
List visibility does not equal credential access	Permissions determine access to note contents