AWS KMS
AWS Key Management Service (KMS) lets you create and control cryptographic keys. Integrated with CloudTrail for auditing and most AWS services for encryption.
What is KMS? (Simple Explanation)
Think of KMS like a safety deposit box at a bank. You create a key, lock your data with it, and only people you authorize can unlock and read that data.
When Would You Use This?
- Data encryption at rest (S3, EBS, RDS, etc.)
- Digital signing & verification
- Secrets encryption in applications
- Multi-region key management
Who Uses KMS?
From startups to enterprises, KMS powers:
What Makes KMS Powerful
Services That Work with KMS
KMS is rarely used alone. It's typically combined with:
Compliance & Security
How AWS KMS fits into major compliance standards:
KMS configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks 1.5–3.0 for secure cloud defaults.
KMS access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families.
KMS encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments.
KMS security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
KMS configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
Ready to secure your KMS configuration?
Pavora continuously monitors your AWS KMS for misconfigurations, compliance violations, and security risks.