What Does Encryption Key Management Mean?

Encryption key management is a strategic approach to protecting an organization’s cryptographic keys from unauthorized modification or disclosure.

An effective strategy requires policies and documented procedures for how an organization intends to generate, store, distribute and eventually destroy the encryption keys they use to encode and decode data and voice transmissions.

The time period during which a key can be used (crypto-period) is determined by the sensitivity of the information that is being transmitted and the risk of a key being compromised.

Techopedia Explains Encryption Key Management

Encryption key management software provides IT administrators with a centralized point of view for managing key lifecycles and making distribution more reliable, secure and easier.

Encryption key management is critical to the success and security of a cryptosystem and is arguably the most difficult and complex aspect of a cryptosystem since it involves the creation of best practices for user training, interactions between different departments within the organization and the proper coordination between all of these entities.

Encryption key management software

Encryption key management is a necessity for effective data protection, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution for it; that is why organizations have to either tailor their own system or select from a handful of vendors.

Popular vendors for encryption key management software solutions include:

Keyfactor — according to their website, Keyfactor’s cloud encryption software allows IT administrators to manage the encryption key lifecycle for symmetric and asymmetric keys through one cloud platform.

Primefactors — according to their website, PrimeFactors offers key management solutions for both hardware-based and software-based cryptography.

Thales — according to their website, Thales provides centralized key management for home-grown encryption, as well as third-party applications.