Scoped critical exceptions

[stijnmoreels]

Right now, when we add an critical exception as failure that should halt the secret retrieval (instead of going to the next secret provider), this critical exception is added for all registered secret providers.
Meaning, when secret provider A fails with a critical exception type that secret provider B has registered, the secret store will still halt the secret retrieval process.

Should we introduce scopes for this? As in: critical exceptions that were registered for secret provider A only works with secret provider A instead of all secret providers?

[stijnmoreels]

Thoughts? @tomkerkhove , @mbraekman , @fgheysels ?

[fgheysels]

Can you elaborate ? Can you give an example of a critical exception ? In which situations do you want to halt the secret retrieval when a provider throws an exception ?

[stijnmoreels]

Currently we already support critical exceptions. They are specific exceptions that the secret store handles differently. (see docs for more info on this, https://security.arcus-azure.net/features/secret-store/create-new-secret-provider#adding-critical-exceptions)
The question here is to stricten the scope where this type of exception is considered critical.

An example of such an exception is the AuthenticationException. The authentication process with an external system is considered critical so it seems logical when your secret provider throws this, the secret retrieval will be halted (read: no other secret providers will be tried as a throwal of an critical exception is considered fatal and usually the result of misconfiguration).

Now, what I'm proposing is that we scope these critical exceptions. As in: when another secret provider also throws an AuthenticationException it has to be registered for that secret provider first, instead of using all registered critical exceptions.

[tomkerkhove]

Personally I would keep it as is until there is demand for it - What do you think?

[stijnmoreels]

@tomkerkhove , yeah, is ok of course 👍 , was thinking of possible scenario's where this could become an issue or when it's failing for the wrong reasons. But maybe I'm too paranoid 😄 .