The Contractor Dilemma

You hire a brilliant freelancer to help with your backend. They need access to AWS, Stripe, and your database. You want to move fast, but handing over the "keys to the kingdom" feels risky.

Step 1: Principle of Least Privilege

Before you share anything, ensure you're sharing the right thing. Don't share the root API key. Create a specific key with limited scopes (e.g., "Read Only" or "Staging Access").

Step 2: The Handoff

Do NOT:

• Paste the key in a Upwork/Fiverr chat.
• Email the key.
• Put the key in a Google Doc.

DO:

1. Generate the key.
2. Paste it into CipherSend.
3. Set a passphrase (optional, but recommended).
4. Send the link to the contractor.

Step 3: Verification

Ask the contractor to confirm immediately when they have received and stored the key. Since CipherSend links are one-time use, if they click it and it says "404 Not Found" or "Already Viewed," you know something went wrong (or someone else intercepted it). This gives you immediate feedback to revoke the key.

Step 4: Revocation

Remember, when the contract ends, rotate the keys! Even if you shared them securely, the contractor still has them. Security is a lifecycle, not a one-time event.