AWS KMS vs Azure Key Vault vs Google Cloud KMS

AWS KMS vs Azure Key Vault vs Google Cloud KMS
AWS KMS vs Azure Key Vault vs Google Cloud KMS | Image credit: Pexel

Key management is a cornerstone of cloud security, enabling encryption, access control, and compliance. AWS Key Management Service (KMS), Azure Key Vault, and Google Cloud Key Management Service provide managed solutions for creating, storing, and managing cryptographic keys. This article examines their core features, similarities, and differences to help you choose the best key management solution for your cloud environment.

Key features of AWS Key Management Service (KMS)

  • Centralized management of symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic keys
  • Seamless integration with AWS services like S3, EBS, RDS for encryption
  • Support for customer-managed and AWS-managed keys
  • Automatic key rotation and key policies for granular access control
  • Audit capabilities via AWS CloudTrail
  • FIPS 140-2 validated hardware security modules (HSMs)
  • AWS KMS Documentation

Key features of Azure Key Vault

  • Secure storage of keys, secrets, and certificates
  • Support for hardware security modules (HSM) backed keys
  • Integration with Azure services like Storage, SQL Database, and Azure Disk Encryption
  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and access policies for security
  • Key rotation and versioning capabilities
  • Logging and monitoring via Azure Monitor and Azure Security Center
  • Azure Key Vault Documentation

Key features of Google Cloud Key Management Service

  • Management of cryptographic keys for symmetric and asymmetric encryption
  • Integration with Google Cloud Storage, BigQuery, Compute Engine for encryption
  • Support for HSM-backed keys with Cloud HSM
  • Granular IAM policies for key access control
  • Automatic key rotation and audit logging
  • FIPS 140-2 compliant key management
  • Google Cloud KMS Documentation

What is similar in AWS KMS vs Azure Key Vault vs Google Cloud KMS

  • All offer centralized cloud-based key management with strong security controls
  • Support symmetric and asymmetric keys with automated key rotation
  • Integrate natively with their respective cloud services for seamless encryption
  • Provide role-based access control and auditing capabilities
  • Use FIPS 140-2 validated HSMs for key protection

What is different in AWS KMS vs Azure Key Vault vs Google Cloud KMS

  • Scope: Azure Key Vault manages keys, secrets, and certificates, whereas AWS KMS and Google Cloud KMS primarily focus on keys
  • Access Control: AWS uses key policies combined with IAM, Azure employs RBAC and access policies, Google Cloud uses IAM roles and permissions
  • Key Types: Azure Key Vault supports a wider variety of secrets including certificates; AWS KMS supports integrated encryption for specific AWS services
  • Multi-region Replication: AWS and Google Cloud support multi-region key replication, Azure supports geo-redundancy with specific configurations
  • Pricing: Variations in key management, API calls, and HSM usage pricing across providers

Conclusion

Choosing between AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, and Google Cloud KMS depends on your cloud infrastructure, required integrations, and security policies. Each offers robust, compliant key management but differs in scope and access control models.

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