Introduction
Protecting archived data is a cornerstone of compliance and information governance. With sensitive information often stored for years, enterprises must adopt strong encryption practices and robust key management strategies. This blog explains how encryption, KMS/BYOK, and key rotation safeguard archives against unauthorized access and regulatory risks.
Why Encryption Matters in Archives
Encryption ensures that archived data remains unreadable to unauthorized parties, even if the storage medium is compromised. In regulated industries, encryption is often mandated to meet privacy and security requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, SEC 17a-4).
Key Management Systems (KMS)
A Key Management System (KMS) centralizes the creation, storage, and lifecycle of encryption keys.
Benefits of KMS:
- Centralized control over encryption keys.
- Integration with cloud archiving solutions (AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, GCP KMS).
- Simplified auditing and compliance reporting.
Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)
BYOK allows organizations to generate and manage their own encryption keys, rather than relying solely on the vendor.
Advantages:
- Greater control over who can access data.
- Meets strict regulatory and sovereignty requirements.
- Reduces dependency on the vendor’s key lifecycle policies.
Challenges:
- Requires in-house expertise to manage keys securely.
- Adds complexity in multi-cloud environments.
Key Rotation
Key rotation is the process of periodically replacing encryption keys to reduce risk if a key is compromised.
Best Practices:
- Rotate keys regularly (e.g., annually or based on policy).
- Automate rotation through KMS or archiving platform integration.
- Ensure historical data remains decryptable while new data is encrypted with updated keys.
Best Practices for Encryption in Archiving
- Encrypt at Rest and in Transit: Protect data both in storage and during transfers.
- Use KMS with BYOK Support: Leverage cloud KMS while maintaining ownership of keys.
- Enable Automated Key Rotation: Reduce the risk of key compromise with routine rotations.
- Audit and Monitor: Maintain logs of key usage and rotation for compliance.
- Test Recovery Processes: Validate that encrypted archives remain accessible during rotations and key changes.
Conclusion
Encryption, KMS/BYOK, and key rotation are essential pillars of secure archiving. By combining strong encryption with centralized key management and proactive rotation policies, organizations can achieve compliance, protect sensitive data, and build trust in the resilience of their archiving programs.