KMS-AWS

AWS managed HSM-backed key service.

Definition

KMS handles Customer Master Keys (CMK): AWS-managed, customer-managed, multi-region, asymmetric. Cost $1/CMK/month + $0.03/10K calls. Integrates with S3, EBS, RDS, Secrets Manager via envelope encryption. KMS Key Policy + IAM Policy control access.

Origin

Launched by AWS November 2014 ; CloudHSM in 2013 ; KMS Multi-Region Keys in June 2021.

Example in context

A company encrypts all its S3 buckets with a customer-managed KMS CMK and audits use via CloudTrail.

Related terms

• GCP KMS — Google twin.