Secrets sprawl, a situation where API keys, tokens, and credentials are scattered across multiple storage locations like .env files, Slack, and cloud consoles, poses both security risks and productivity challenges for software development teams. This dispersion leads to a manual and error-prone process of updating secrets, causing delays in onboarding, deployment failures, and wasted time searching for necessary credentials. To combat this issue, it is recommended to centralize secrets storage, define clear access controls, automate secret distribution, and regularly rotate and audit secrets. By implementing these strategies, teams can streamline workflows, enhance security, and improve overall efficiency.