subject: Useful Tips for Key Management System [print this page] Useful Tips for Key Management System Useful Tips for Key Management System
It refers the keys at the user level, either between users or systems. This is in contrast to key scheduling, which typically refers to the internal handling of key material within the operation of a cipher. Successful key management is critical to the security of a cryptosystem. It is the most difficult aspect of cryptography because it involves system policy, user training, organizational and departmental interactions, and coordination between all these elements.
Due to the changing demands in business operations, the achievement of better performance, integrity and a far better accessibility of data for any organization's proprietary information are very vital. Cloud computing is very appealing considering its economic viability.
Cloud security, with specific focus on key management, is sure to be one of the main questions asked by any enterprise as it considers moving applications and storing data in the cloud. The concept of cloud computing is full of complex considerations as organizations first begin their journey.
Key management plays a big role in cloud security. It is assumed by cloud providers in a very critical view. There are multiple solutions which store credentials inside and outside the cloud within a secure infrastructure depending upon the purchasing organizations cloud security needs.
The Key Management System (KMS) is designed to configure and maintain key chains. A key chain is a set of keys with a timing mechanism for activating and deactivating individual keys. It provides specific instances of routing protocols with one or more Send or Accept keys which must be active at the time of request. A protocol instance is usually an interface on which the protocol is running.
Key Chain A key or set of keys assigned for use by KMS-enabled protocols. A key chain may optionally contain the time to activate and deactivate a particular key.
Time-Independent Key: A key that has no activate or deactivate time associated with it. This type of key does not expire, which eliminates the need for a key chain.
Time-Dependent Key: A key that hasan activate and deactivate time associated with the Accept and Send processes. Time-Dependent keys expire, which means a key chain is needed to keep the assigned protocols supplied with keys.
Key Management System Enabled Protocol: A protocol that uses KMS to store authentication key information.
The Key Management System has three configuration steps:
Create a key chain entry.
Assign a time-independent key or set of time-dependent keys to the Key Chain entry. The choice of key type is based on the level of security required for the protocol to which the key entry will be assigned.
