Data security is paramount in today’s digital landscape especially for businesses that handle sensitive information. With the rise of cloud computing, companies are leveraging Amazon Web Services (AWS) to store, manage, and secure their data. Among AWS’ tools to bolster security is the AWS Secret Manager and AWS Key Management Service (KMS). In this article, we will explore the integration between these two services to gain a deeper understanding of their functionality.

AWS KMS – Building the Foundation of Security

AWS KMS is a managed encryption service that allows businesses to create and control encryption keys used to encrypt their data. By employing AWS KMS, organizations can ensure that their data remains confidential, secure, and compliant with regulations. It simplifies the process of key management, allowing seamless encryption of data across various AWS services and applications.

AWS Secret Manager – Strengthening the Security Framework

AWS Secret Manager is another vital AWS service that assists businesses in securely storing, retrieving, and managing sensitive information such as API keys, database passwords, and other credentials. By centralizing these “secrets” and enabling secure access, AWS Secret Manager simplifies the management of sensitive data, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

How does it work?

The secrets that are stored and encrypted using AWS Secret Manager are securely decrypted and provided in plaintext. Secrets such as login credentials should not be hardcoded or saved in plaintext within the application due to their frequent changes, thus the application utilizes the Secret Manager.

AWS KMS and AWS Secret Manager Integration – Ensuring Ironclad Protection

Integrating AWS Secret Manager with AWS KMS forms a powerful alliance that significantly enhances data security. When secrets are stored in AWS Secret Manager, they can be encrypted using AWS KMS keys. This integration ensures that the secrets are not only stored securely but are also protected with strong encryption, adding another layer of defense against potential security threats.

It follows this framework:

• Each secret value is encrypted using a different data key secured by an AWS KMS key.
• Secrets Manager integrates with AWS Key Management Service (AWS KMS) to ensure security.
• The secret value is protected by Secret Manager using envelope encryption with AWS KMS keys and data keys.
• When a secret's value changes, Secret Manager requests a new data key from AWS KMS to secure it.
• The metadata of the secret contains the encrypted data key, which is decrypted using an AWS KMS key.
• Secret Manager does not directly encrypt the secret value with the AWS KMS key. Instead, it creates and encrypts a 256-bit AES symmetric data key using the AWS KMS key, and then encrypts the secret value using the data key. Outside of AWS KMS, Secret Manager encrypts the secret value using the plaintext data key before deleting it from memory. The metadata of the secret includes an encrypted duplicate of the data key.
  
  

Why Teleperformance is a Case Study in Secure Data Management

Teleperformance, a global leader in digital business services, providing advanced technology and empathetic customer care to the world's biggest brands and their customers, relies on AWS Secret Manager integrated with AWS KMS to safeguard sensitive customer data. Using best practices, we ensure that customer information is encrypted using robust encryption keys managed by AWS KMS. This approach not only meets industry compliance standards but also instills confidence in our clients, reinforcing our reputation as a trusted partner and service provider. In an era where data breaches and their devastating consequences abound, integrating AWS Secret Manager and with AWS KMS emerges as a strategic imperative for businesses seeking to bolster their data security practices.