CryptographyHigh
Key Management
The process of generating, distributing, storing, and rotating cryptographic keys securely
Content
What is Key Management?
Key Management ensures the secure lifecycle of encryption keys. Poor key handling can make even the strongest encryption useless.
Lifecycle Steps
- Generate strong keys
- Securely distribute to systems
- Rotate and retire regularly
- Protect keys with hardware or dedicated services
- Audit key usage
Best Practices
- Use hardware-backed storage (HSMs)
- Isolate keys by environment (dev/prod)
- Use automatic key rotation
- Log and monitor all access
Quick Facts
Severity Level
8/10
Key Functions
Generation, distribution, storage, rotation
Tools
AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, HashiCorp Vault
Best Practice
Separate keys by purpose and system
Failure Risk
Key compromise = full data breach
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