Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) to Microsoft Azure
BYOK for Azure Key Vault with the BlackVault HSM enables you to maintain the security standards of an on-premises environment. It allows you to generate your tenant keys securely within your on-premises or cloud-based BlackVault HSM, adhering to your organization's IT policies. These keys can then be securely transferred to the Azure cloud, where they are protected within Microsoft-hosted BlackVault HSMs, ensuring robust security and control over your cryptographic assets.
How BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) with Azure Key Vault works!
1.Key Generation in Your Secure Environment
- You generate your cryptographic keys in a secure, trusted environment such as your on-premises HSM (Hardware Security Module) or a cloud-based HSM service that complies with your organization’s security policies.
- This ensures that the keys are created under your control and meet your specific requirements for security and compliance.
2.Key Export in a Secure Format
- The generated keys are exported in a secure, encrypted format that ensures their integrity and confidentiality during transfer.
- This step utilizes secure key-wrapping techniques to protect the keys from tampering or unauthorized access.
3.Secure Transfer to Azure Key Vault
- The encrypted keys are securely transferred to Azure Key Vault using industry-standard encryption protocols.
- Microsoft ensures that the keys are stored in its FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validated HSMs, maintaining the highest level of security.
4.Key Management in Azure Key Vault
- Once imported into Azure Key Vault, your keys remain under your control. You can:
- Define policies for their usage.
- Monitor and audit their access.
- Rotate or revoke them as needed.
- Despite being stored in Azure, the keys never leave the HSM’s secure boundary, ensuring they remain protected throughout their lifecycle.
5.Utilization Across Azure Services
- The keys can now be utilized by Azure services and applications for tasks such as:
- Encrypting sensitive data.
- Securing communication channels.
- Protecting applications and workloads.
- The integration with Azure Key Vault ensures seamless and secure use of the keys across the Azure ecosystem.
By following these steps, BYOK with Azure Key Vault provides organizations with enhanced security, full control over their cryptographic assets, and the flexibility to leverage Azure’s powerful cloud services.
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EngageBlack Products
Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) to Microsoft Azure
BYOK for Azure Key Vault with the BlackVault HSM enables you to maintain the security standards of an on-premises environment. It allows you to generate your tenant keys securely within your on-premises or cloud-based BlackVault HSM, adhering to your organization's IT policies. These keys can then be securely transferred to the Azure cloud, where they are protected within Microsoft-hosted BlackVault HSMs, ensuring robust security and control over your cryptographic assets.
How BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) with Azure Key Vault works!
1.Key Generation in Your Secure Environment
- You generate your cryptographic keys in a secure, trusted environment such as your on-premises HSM (Hardware Security Module) or a cloud-based HSM service that complies with your organization’s security policies.
- This ensures that the keys are created under your control and meet your specific requirements for security and compliance.
2.Key Export in a Secure Format
- The generated keys are exported in a secure, encrypted format that ensures their integrity and confidentiality during transfer.
- This step utilizes secure key-wrapping techniques to protect the keys from tampering or unauthorized access.
3.Secure Transfer to Azure Key Vault
- The encrypted keys are securely transferred to Azure Key Vault using industry-standard encryption protocols.
- Microsoft ensures that the keys are stored in its FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validated HSMs, maintaining the highest level of security.
4.Key Management in Azure Key Vault
- Once imported into Azure Key Vault, your keys remain under your control. You can:
- Define policies for their usage.
- Monitor and audit their access.
- Rotate or revoke them as needed.
- Despite being stored in Azure, the keys never leave the HSM’s secure boundary, ensuring they remain protected throughout their lifecycle.
5.Utilization Across Azure Services
- The keys can now be utilized by Azure services and applications for tasks such as:
- Encrypting sensitive data.
- Securing communication channels.
- Protecting applications and workloads.
- The integration with Azure Key Vault ensures seamless and secure use of the keys across the Azure ecosystem.
By following these steps, BYOK with Azure Key Vault provides organizations with enhanced security, full control over their cryptographic assets, and the flexibility to leverage Azure’s powerful cloud services.
1. Enhanced Security and Compliance
BYOK ensures your cryptographic keys are generated and managed in a secure environment, adhering to strict security and regulatory standards such as FIPS 140-2. This allows organizations to maintain a higher level of data security and compliance with industry and government regulations.
2. Full Control Over Keys
BYOK allows you to retain ownership and full control of your keys. Keys can be generated on-premises or within your own hardware security module (HSM), ensuring they meet your organization's security policies. This eliminates reliance on third parties for key generation.
3. Seamless Integration with Azure Services
BYOK integrates seamlessly with Azure Key Vault, enabling secure management and use of your keys across Azure services. It provides a unified solution for encryption, digital signing, and certificate management while leveraging Azure's scalability and performance.
4. Reduced Risk of Data Exposure
By managing and controlling your keys, you minimize the risk of unauthorized access or exposure. Keys never leave the secure boundary of your HSM and are only transferred securely to Azure Key Vault, ensuring that your sensitive data remains protected throughout its lifecycle.
Other BlackVault HSM BYOK Integrations
Integration Guides
Google Cloud Key Management (Google KMS) and Google Compute Engine BYOK Integration Guide
Amazon Web Services (AWS) BYOK Integration Guide
Google Cloud Key Management (Google KMS) and Google Compute Engine BYOK Integration Guide
Amazon Web Services (AWS) BYOK Integration Guide
Advantages of Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)
1. Full Control Over Encryption Keys
With BYOK, organizations retain complete ownership and management of their encryption keys. This ensures no third-party service provider can access or misuse the keys without explicit authorization.
2. Enhanced Security
Encryption keys are often generated and stored in tamper-resistant environments like HSMs. This protects them from unauthorized access, theft, or cyberattacks.
3. Data Sovereignty and Privacy Compliance
BYOK helps organizations comply with data privacy regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, and NIST SP 800-171 by allowing them to maintain jurisdiction over their encryption keys and data.
4. Cloud and SaaS Flexibility
BYOK ensures that even when data is hosted in a third-party cloud environment, organizations maintain control over the encryption process. This allows for secure data sharing and processing in the cloud without compromising ownership.
5. Key Revocation and Lifecycle Management
Organizations can revoke or rotate keys as needed, providing flexibility and control over their data's lifecycle in case of a security breach or policy change.
6. Protection Against Insider Threats
BYOK minimizes the risk of insider threats at service providers by ensuring encryption keys are never fully exposed to their infrastructure.
Common Use Cases of BYOK
Regulated Industries
Financial services, healthcare, and government agencies often adopt BYOK to meet compliance standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or FIPS.
Intellectual Property Protection
Businesses dealing with sensitive intellectual property use BYOK to protect trade secrets from unauthorized access.
Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Environments
Organizations operating in multiple cloud ecosystems or a mix of on-premises and cloud environments use BYOK for consistent encryption practices.
Legal and Professional Services
Encrypt client case files and correspondence.
How Engage Black Supports BYOK
Tamper-Resistant Security
Protects keys with hardware-based authentication and tamper-resistant design.
Compliance Enablement
Meets strict security standards like FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and NIST SP 800-171.
Cloud Compatibility
Facilitates secure key export to major cloud platforms while maintaining control.
Operational Efficiency
Simplifies key lifecycle management, including generation, rotation, and revocation.
