AWS Security Blog
Tag: AWS CloudHSM
How to run AWS CloudHSM workloads in container environments
January 25, 2023: We updated this post to reflect the fact that CloudHSM SDK3 does not support serverless environments and we strongly recommend deploying SDK5. AWS CloudHSM provides hardware security modules (HSMs) in the AWS Cloud. With CloudHSM, you can generate and use your own encryption keys in the AWS Cloud, and manage your keys […]
AWS CloudHSM is now PCI PIN certified
June 12, 2023: We updated this post to explain how CloudHSM meets the PCI PIN operational controls. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is pleased to announce that AWS CloudHSM is certified for Payment Card Industry Personal Identification Number (PCI PIN) version 3.1. With CloudHSM, you can manage and access your keys on FIPS 140-2 Level 3 […]
Migrate and secure your Windows PKI to AWS with AWS CloudHSM
AWS CloudHSM provides a cloud-based hardware security module (HSM) that enables you to easily generate and use your own encryption keys in AWS. Using CloudHSM as part of a Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) public key infrastructure (PKI) fortifies the security of your certificate authority (CA) private key and ensures the security of […]
Create a portable root CA using AWS CloudHSM and ACM Private CA
March 15, 2022: This post has been updated to correct typos. With AWS Certificate Manager Private Certificate Authority (ACM Private CA) you can create private certificate authority (CA) hierarchies, including root and subordinate CAs, without the investment and maintenance costs of operating an on-premises CA. In this post, I will explain how you can use […]
CloudHSM best practices to maximize performance and avoid common configuration pitfalls
August 31, 2021: AWS KMS is replacing the term customer master key (CMK) with AWS KMS key and KMS key. The concept has not changed. To prevent breaking changes, AWS KMS is keeping some variations of this term. More info. AWS CloudHSM provides fully-managed hardware security modules (HSMs) in the AWS Cloud. CloudHSM automates day-to-day […]
How to implement a hybrid PKI solution on AWS
As customers migrate workloads into Amazon Web Services (AWS) they may be running a combination of on-premises and cloud infrastructure. When certificates are issued to this infrastructure, having a common root of trust to the certificate hierarchy allows for consistency and interoperability of the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) solution. In this blog post, I am […]
Integrate CloudHSM PKCS #11 Library 5.0 with serverless workloads
Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently released PCKS #11 Library version 5.0 for AWS CloudHSM. This blog post describes the changes implemented in the new library. We also cover a simple encryption example with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm in Galois/Counter Mode (GCM), dockerized, running on AWS Fargate. The primary change from the previous SDK […]
Demystifying KMS keys operations, bring your own key (BYOK), custom key store, and ciphertext portability
As you prepare to build or migrate your workload on Amazon Web Services (AWS), designing your encryption scheme can be a challenging—and sometimes confusing—endeavor. This blog post gives you a framework to select the right AWS cryptographic services and tools for your application to help you with your journey. I share common repeatable cryptographic patterns, […]
Architecting for database encryption on AWS
In this post, I review the options you have to protect your customer data when migrating or building new databases in Amazon Web Services (AWS). I focus on how you can support sensitive workloads in ways that help you maintain compliance and regulatory obligations, and meet security objectives. Understanding transparent data encryption I commonly see […]
How to lower costs by automatically deleting and recreating HSMs
You can use AWS CloudHSM to help manage your encryption keys on FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated hardware security modules (HSMs). AWS recommends running a high-availability production architecture with at least two CloudHSM HSMs in different Availability Zones. Although many workloads must be available 24/7, quality assurance or development environments typically do not have this […]