Cloud Key Management | Google Security

Introduction

Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) on Google Cloud is a managed service that allows you to manage cryptographic keys for your cloud services the same way you do on-premises. The service provides a secure and convenient method to create, use, rotate, and destroy cryptographic keys.

Key Concepts

Before diving into Cloud KMS, it is essential to understand some key concepts:

Key Rings: Containers that organize keys in a specific location.
Keys: Cryptographic keys that are used to encrypt and decrypt data.
Key Versions: Different versions of a key, which allow for key rotation and management.

Setting Up Cloud KMS

To start using Cloud KMS, follow these steps:

Step 1: Enable the Cloud KMS API

First, enable the Cloud KMS API for your project in the Google Cloud Console.

Navigate to the API Library and enable the Cloud KMS API.

Step 2: Create a Key Ring

Use the following command to create a key ring:

gcloud kms keyrings create my-key-ring --location global

Step 3: Create a Key

Now, create a key within the key ring:

gcloud kms keys create my-key --location global --keyring my-key-ring --purpose encryption

Using Cloud KMS

Once the keys are created, you can use them to encrypt and decrypt data.

Encrypt Data

To encrypt data, use the following command:

echo "my secret data" | gcloud kms encrypt --location global --keyring my-key-ring --key my-key --plaintext-file - --ciphertext-file my-data.enc

This command takes the text "my secret data", encrypts it using the specified key, and outputs the encrypted data to the file my-data.enc.

Decrypt Data

To decrypt the data, use the following command:

gcloud kms decrypt --location global --keyring my-key-ring --key my-key --ciphertext-file my-data.enc --plaintext-file -

This command decrypts the data in my-data.enc using the specified key and prints the original plaintext.

Key Rotation

Key rotation is the process of periodically changing the cryptographic keys used to encrypt data. Cloud KMS supports automatic key rotation:

Enable Automatic Rotation

To enable automatic rotation, use the following command:

gcloud kms keys update my-key --location global --keyring my-key-ring --rotation-period 30d

This command sets the rotation period to 30 days for the key my-key.

Access Control

It is crucial to control access to your cryptographic keys. Cloud KMS integrates with Google Cloud's IAM to provide fine-grained control over permissions.

Granting Permissions

To grant a user permission to use a key, use the following command:

gcloud kms keys add-iam-policy-binding my-key --location global --keyring my-key-ring --member user:example@example.com --role roles/cloudkms.cryptoKeyEncrypterDecrypter

This command grants the user example@example.com the role of roles/cloudkms.cryptoKeyEncrypterDecrypter, allowing them to encrypt and decrypt data with the key.

Conclusion

Cloud KMS in Google Cloud provides a secure and manageable way to handle your cryptographic keys. With key management, encryption, decryption, key rotation, and access control, you can ensure the security of your data in the cloud.

Cloud Key Management - Google Cloud