Kubernetes pods stuck in ImagePullBackOff for private registry with docker login unauthorized: authentication required and the secrets refresh that fixed deployments
In modern DevOps workflows, Kubernetes has become the de facto orchestration tool for managing containerized applications. Despite its robust ecosystem and automation capabilities, developers and system administrators often encounter cryptic issues that disrupt deployments. One such frustrating problem is when Kubernetes pods remain indefinitely in the ImagePullBackOff state — usually due to issues pulling container images from private registries using expired or misconfigured credentials.