Worked on the snowflakedb/snowflake-connector-python repository to enhance secure key management by adding support for base64-encoded DER private keys. Developed functionality in Python that allows the AuthByKeyPair authentication method to decode base64 DER private keys and accept them as strings within the connection configuration, streamlining the provisioning process. Updated integration tests to validate the new workflow and ensure robust key decoding. This backend development effort focused on authentication and key management, aligning with security best practices while improving deployment flexibility for users who rely on DER keys. No bugs were fixed during this period, with work centered on new feature delivery.