How do you manage encryption keys and certificates in your organization? (2024)

FAQs

How should you manage encryption keys? ›

How are encryption keys managed? Encryption keys are managed using key management facilities (KMFs) and key fill devices (KFDs). KMFs are secure devices that generate encryption keys, maintain secure databases of keys and securely transmit keys to KFDs.

Encryption key management includes two main aspects: lifecycle management and access management. Lifecycle management involves the generation, use, storage, update, archive, and destruction of critical cryptographic keys.

If you need more control over key operations than what the standard Cloud Storage encryption allows, you can use customer-managed encryption keys (CMEKs). These keys are created and managed using Cloud Key Management Service (Cloud KMS), and you store the keys as software keys, in an HSM cluster, or externally.

When using Microsoft-managed keys, Microsoft online services automatically generate and securely store the root keys used for service encryption. Customers with requirements to control their own root encryption keys can use service encryption with Microsoft Purview Customer Key.

There are different types of encryption techniques, but the following three are the most common and widely used: Symmetric Encryption, Asymmetric Encryption, and Hashing.

Key management follows a lifecycle of operations which are needed to ensure the key is created, stored, used, and rotated securely. Most cryptographic keys follow a lifecycle which involves key. Generation. Distribution. Use.

Key management refers to management of cryptographic keys in a cryptosystem. This includes dealing with the generation, exchange, storage, use, crypto-shredding (destruction) and replacement of keys. It includes cryptographic protocol design, key servers, user procedures, and other relevant protocols.

NIST SP 800-57 Part 1 recognizes three basic classes of approved cryptographic algorithms: hash functions, symmetric- key algorithms and asymmetric-key algorithms. The classes are defined by the number of cryptographic keys that are used in conjunction with the algorithm.

Customer-managed encryption keys are encryption keys that you own. This capability lets you have greater control over the keys used to encrypt data at rest within supported Google Cloud services, and provides a cryptographic boundary around your data.

"The data owner himself, herself or itself should always handle encryption keys."

How do you store encryption keys safely? ›

Where possible, encryption keys should themselves be stored in an encrypted form. At least two separate keys are required for this: The Data Encryption Key (DEK) is used to encrypt the data. The Key Encryption Key (KEK) is used to encrypt the DEK.

Use a centralized key management system

A centralized key management system is essential for effective key management in an enterprise setting. This system should be secure and allow easy management of keys across the organization.

Credentials are stored in the Blue Prism database but are encrypted in such a way that only those who are authorized can retrieve them. The encryption key is stored separately on the Blue Prism application server and is used to provide credentials to validated clients.

BitLocker is a Windows security feature that provides encryption for entire volumes, addressing the threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen, or inappropriately decommissioned devices.

You should store your keys in a place that is isolated from the data they protect, and that has restricted access and strong encryption. Some options are hardware security modules (HSMs), cloud key management services (KMSs), or encrypted files or databases.

Where possible, encryption keys should be stored in a separate location from encrypted data. For example, if the data is stored in a database, the keys should be stored in the filesystem.

The ideal frequency for rotating encryption keys depends on several factors, such as: Key type: Data-at-rest encryption keys: typically rotated every 3 to 5 years. Data-in-transit encryption keys: typically rotated every 1 to 2 years. Authentication encryption keys: typically rotated every 6 months to 1 year.