NDA Studio > Scenarios > Software Dev > Credential Access NDA
High Security

Credential Access NDA Generator

Protect your system credentials, API keys, database passwords, and infrastructure access when sharing with contractors, vendors, or support personnel.

Types of Credentials Covered

Credential sharing is one of the highest-risk activities in software development. Each credential type requires specific protections in your NDA based on the potential damage from unauthorized access or disclosure.

Database Credentials

Production DB passwords, connection strings

CRITICAL

Admin Accounts

Root access, superuser credentials

CRITICAL

Cloud Provider Keys

AWS, GCP, Azure access keys

CRITICAL

API Keys

Third-party service tokens

HIGH

SSH Keys

Server access credentials

HIGH

Payment Credentials

Stripe, payment gateway keys

CRITICAL

Email/SMS Credentials

SendGrid, Twilio API keys

MEDIUM

Analytics Access

Dashboard and reporting logins

MEDIUM

Critical Security Warning

Sharing credentials without proper protections can lead to catastrophic breaches. Before sharing any credential:

Essential Credential NDA Clauses

Credential Handling Requirements

Specifies exactly how credentials must be stored, transmitted, and protected.

Receiving Party shall store all Credentials using industry-standard encryption (AES-256 or equivalent) at rest. Credentials shall never be stored in plaintext, committed to version control, or transmitted via unencrypted channels.

No Sharing Clause

Prohibits sharing credentials with anyone not explicitly authorized.

Credentials shall be accessed only by the specific individuals named in Schedule A. Receiving Party shall not share, disclose, or transfer Credentials to any other person, including employees not listed, subcontractors, or affiliated entities.

Usage Logging

Requires the receiving party to maintain logs of all credential usage.

Receiving Party shall maintain detailed logs of all Credential usage, including timestamp, user identity, IP address, and action performed. Logs shall be retained for 12 months and provided to Disclosing Party upon request.

Time-Limited Access

Sets automatic expiration on credential access.

Access to Credentials shall automatically expire on [DATE] or upon completion of the specified purpose, whichever occurs first. Receiving Party shall confirm deletion of all Credentials within 24 hours of expiration.

Breach Notification

Requires immediate notification of any suspected credential compromise.

Receiving Party shall notify Disclosing Party within 1 hour of discovering or suspecting any unauthorized access to, disclosure of, or compromise of Credentials. Notification shall include all known details of the incident.

Secure Deletion

Specifies how credentials must be destroyed after use.

Upon termination, Receiving Party shall securely delete all Credentials using methods that prevent recovery, including: secure erasure of storage media, deletion from all backup systems, and removal from any password managers or vaults.

Credential Access Matrix

Use this matrix to determine appropriate access levels for different credential types:

Credential Type Contractor Vendor Auditor Investor
Production Database Never Never Read-Only Never
Cloud Admin (Root) Never Never View Only Never
Staging Environment Allowed Limited Allowed Never
API Keys (Scoped) Allowed Allowed Allowed Never
Analytics Dashboard Limited Limited Allowed Allowed

Pre-Sharing Checklist

Related Resources

Source Code NDA API Access NDA Security Requirements Access Revocation Checklist Breach Response Guide

Protect Your Credentials with a Proper NDA

Generate a comprehensive credential access NDA with all necessary security provisions.

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