Key Rotation

Key rotation replaces old keys with new ones at regular intervals or in response to specific events, such as a key compromise. This practice helps mitigate the risk of key compromise over time.

Implementing Rotation Policies

• Define a Cryptoperiod: Establish cryptoperiods for keys based on their usage, sensitivity of the data they protect, and compliance requirements.
• Automate rotation processes: Automate the rotation of keys using automated tools and services, such as Azure Key Vault or HashiCorp Vault. Automation ensures that rotations happen consistently and without delay, reducing the risk of human error.
• Use versioning and backward compatibility: When rotating keys, ensure that systems can support multiple versions of keys to maintain access to historical data. Implement backward compatibility where necessary to avoid disruption of services.

Setting Up Alerting

• Monitor key usage: Implement monitoring to track the usage of cryptographic keys. Anomalies in usage patterns can indicate a compromised key and trigger a rotation.
• Alerts for rotation events: It's important to configure alerts for upcoming rotation events and for when rotations are executed. This helps ensure that rotations are noticed and accounted for in security audits or when an investigation is needed when there is compromise or corruption.