SEC08-BP01: Implement secure key management

Overview

Secure key management is fundamental to protecting data at rest. Encryption keys must be properly generated, stored, rotated, and managed throughout their lifecycle to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of encrypted data. Poor key management can render even the strongest encryption ineffective.

This best practice focuses on implementing comprehensive key management strategies using AWS Key Management Service (KMS) and other AWS services to ensure encryption keys are securely managed, properly rotated, and appropriately controlled throughout their lifecycle.

Implementation Guidance

1. Use AWS Key Management Service (KMS)

Leverage AWS KMS for centralized key management:

Customer Managed Keys: Create and manage your own KMS keys for full control
AWS Managed Keys: Use service-specific AWS managed keys for simplified management
Key Policies: Implement fine-grained access controls for key usage
Cross-Account Access: Enable secure key sharing across AWS accounts

2. Implement Key Rotation

Establish automated key rotation policies:

Automatic Rotation: Enable automatic annual rotation for customer managed keys
Manual Rotation: Implement manual rotation for specific compliance requirements
Rotation Monitoring: Track rotation status and compliance
Backward Compatibility: Ensure rotated keys maintain access to existing encrypted data

3. Establish Key Lifecycle Management

Manage keys throughout their entire lifecycle:

Key Creation: Secure key generation with proper entropy
Key Distribution: Secure key distribution and provisioning
Key Usage: Monitor and audit key usage patterns
Key Archival: Properly archive keys for compliance and recovery
Key Destruction: Securely destroy keys when no longer needed

4. Implement Access Controls

Control who can use and manage encryption keys:

Principle of Least Privilege: Grant minimum necessary key permissions
Role-Based Access: Use IAM roles for key access management
Multi-Factor Authentication: Require MFA for sensitive key operations
Cross-Service Access: Control key usage across different AWS services

5. Enable Monitoring and Auditing

Implement comprehensive key usage monitoring:

CloudTrail Integration: Log all key management operations
CloudWatch Metrics: Monitor key usage patterns and anomalies
AWS Config: Track key configuration compliance
Alerting: Set up alerts for unauthorized key usage attempts

6. Plan for Disaster Recovery

Ensure key availability for disaster recovery scenarios:

Multi-Region Keys: Use multi-region keys for global applications
Key Backup: Implement secure key backup strategies
Recovery Procedures: Establish key recovery procedures
Business Continuity: Ensure key availability doesn’t impact business operations

Implementation Examples

Example 1: Comprehensive KMS Key Management System

Example 2: Multi-Region Key Management with Disaster Recovery

Example 3: CloudFormation Template for Secure Key Infrastructure

Relevant AWS Services

Core Key Management Services

AWS Key Management Service (KMS): Centralized key management with hardware security modules
AWS CloudHSM: Dedicated hardware security modules for high-security requirements
AWS Certificate Manager: SSL/TLS certificate management and automatic renewal
AWS Secrets Manager: Secure storage and automatic rotation of secrets

Integration Services

AWS IAM: Identity and access management for key permissions
AWS CloudTrail: Audit logging for all key management operations
AWS Config: Configuration compliance monitoring for key policies
Amazon CloudWatch: Monitoring and alerting for key usage patterns

Application Integration

Amazon S3: Server-side encryption with KMS keys
Amazon RDS: Database encryption with customer managed keys
Amazon EBS: Volume encryption with KMS integration
AWS Lambda: Serverless functions with environment variable encryption

Benefits of Secure Key Management

Security Benefits

Centralized Control: Single point of control for all encryption keys
Hardware Protection: Keys protected by FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validated HSMs
Access Control: Fine-grained permissions for key usage and management
Audit Trail: Complete logging of all key operations

Operational Benefits

Automated Rotation: Automatic key rotation without application changes
Service Integration: Native integration with AWS services
Multi-Region Support: Global key availability for distributed applications
Disaster Recovery: Built-in redundancy and backup capabilities

Compliance Benefits

Regulatory Compliance: Meet requirements for key management standards
Data Sovereignty: Control over key location and access
Audit Readiness: Comprehensive audit trails for compliance reporting
Policy Enforcement: Automated enforcement of key usage policies