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Azure Key Vault

Azure Key Vault is a platform for securely storing and managing sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, certificates, and cryptographic keys. It provides centralized secret management for Azure services, on-premises systems, and third-party solutions.


Requirement

A global enterprise needs to securely store and manage sensitive information. The solution must ensure secure access, key rotation, and compliance with regulatory requirements, integrating with various systems.

Requirement Analysis

Challenges include: - Secure storage and access for sensitive information - Regular key rotation - Compliance with data security and privacy regulations - Integration with Azure, on-premises, and third-party systems - Access control for secrets, keys, and certificates

Solution

Azure Key Vault provides: 1. Vault Creation: Create a Key Vault in the Azure portal as a central repository. 2. Secret Storage: Store secrets (API keys, passwords) using the portal, CLI, or PowerShell. 3. Key Management: Manage cryptographic keys for encryption, including key rotation. 4. Certificate Management: Manage SSL/TLS certificates for Azure services and applications. 5. Access Control: Configure access policies with RBAC or Key Vault access policies. 6. Monitoring and Alerts: Use Azure Monitor to track usage and health, and set up alerts for security incidents.

Security

  • Encrypt data at rest and in transit
  • Use RBAC for access control
  • Integrate with Azure Active Directory (AAD) for authentication and authorization
  • Enable audit logs for tracking access and changes

Best Practices

  • Regularly rotate cryptographic keys
  • Monitor access to the Key Vault
  • Automate secret, key, and certificate management
  • Conduct regular security audits

Cost Optimization

  • Pay-as-you-go pricing
  • Free data ingestion for certain Microsoft sources

Azure Resources

  • Azure Key Vault
  • Azure Monitor
  • Azure Active Directory
  • Azure Storage

References