All object metadata is also encrypted. ), monitoring usage, and ensuring only authorized parties can access them. This management mode is useful in scenarios where there is a need to encrypt the data at rest and manage the keys in a proprietary repository outside of Microsoft's control. Encryption at rest is implemented by using a number of security technologies, including secure key storage systems, encrypted networks, and cryptographic APIs. Azure Storage encryption cannot be disabled. Service-level encryption supports the use of either Microsoft-managed keys or customer-managed keys with Azure Key Vault. Microsoft-managed keys are rotated appropriately per compliance requirements. The following table compares key management options for Azure Storage encryption. 2 For information about creating an account that supports using customer-managed keys with Table storage, see Create an account that supports customer-managed keys for tables. Find the TDE settings under your user database. The protection technology uses Azure Rights Management (Azure RMS). It also provides comprehensive facility and physical security, data access control, and auditing. Configuring Encryption for Data at Rest in Microsoft Azure. Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support. We explicitly deny any connection over all legacy versions of SSL including SSL 3.0 and 2.0. Best practice: Grant access to users, groups, and applications at a specific scope. The keys need to be highly secured but manageable by specified users and available to specific services. Gets the encryption result for a database. Additionally, since the service does have access to the DEK during the encryption and decryption operations the overall security guarantees of this model are similar to when the keys are customer-managed in Azure Key Vault. Proper key management is essential. Only an entity with access to the Key Encryption Key can decrypt these Data Encryption Keys. By encrypting data, you help protect against tampering and eavesdropping attacks. This attack is much more complex and resource consuming than accessing unencrypted data on a hard drive. Each page is decrypted when it's read into memory and then encrypted before being written to disk. Detail: Azure Resource Manager can securely deploy certificates stored in Azure Key Vault to Azure VMs when the VMs are deployed. Organizations that don't enforce data encryption are more exposed to data-confidentiality issues. In this model, the service must use the key from an external site to decrypt the Data Encryption Key (DEK). Azure Cosmos DB is Microsoft's globally distributed, multi-model database. Double encryption of data at rest mitigates threats with two, separate layers of encryption to protect against compromises of any single layer. Data Lake Store supports "on by default," transparent encryption of data at rest, which is set up during the creation of your account. Without proper protection and management of the keys, encryption is rendered useless. You can configure a point-to-site VPN connection to a virtual network by using the Azure portal with certificate authentication or PowerShell. The arguments for the commands in the Az module and in the AzureRm modules are substantially identical. However, this model might not be sufficient for organizations that have requirements to control the creation or lifecycle of the encryption keys or to have different personnel manage a service's encryption keys than those managing the service (that is, segregation of key management from the overall management model for the service). You can use an Azure VPN gateway to send encrypted traffic between your virtual network and your on-premises location across a public connection, or to send traffic between virtual networks. Encryption at rest is designed to prevent the attacker from accessing the unencrypted data by ensuring the data is encrypted when on disk. Most endpoint attacks take advantage of the fact that users are administrators in their local workstations. For more information about how to create a storage account that enables infrastructure encryption, see Create a storage account with infrastructure encryption enabled for double encryption of data. For example, if you want to grant an application access to use keys in a key vault, you only need to grant data plane access permissions by using key vault access policies, and no management plane access is needed for this application. You can also import or generate keys in HSMs. Customer-managed keys: Gives you control over the keys, including Bring Your Own Keys (BYOK) support, or allows you to generate new ones. For Azure SQL Managed Instance use Transact-SQL (T-SQL) to turn TDE on and off on a database. Best practice: Ensure endpoint protection. Consider using the service-side encryption features provided by Azure Storage to protect your data, instead of client-side encryption. In this scenario, the additional layer of encryption continues to protect your data. Azure Synapse Analytics. In some circumstances, you might want to isolate the entire communication channel between your on-premises and cloud infrastructures by using a VPN. When sending encrypted traffic between an Azure virtual network and an on-premises location over the public internet, use Azure VPN Gateway. Site-to-site VPNs use IPsec for transport encryption. When server-side encryption using customer-managed keys in customer-controlled hardware is used, the key encryption keys are maintained on a system configured by the customer. The Blob Storage and Queue Storage client libraries uses AES in order to encrypt user data. Server-side encryption using service-managed keys therefore quickly addresses the need to have encryption at rest with low overhead to the customer. Data at rest Microsoft's approach to enabling two layers of encryption for data at rest is: Encryption at rest using customer-managed keys. This library also supports integration with Key Vault for storage account key management. by Ned Bellavance. In this article, we will explore Azure Windows VM Disk Encryption. More info about Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge, Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-2, Data encryption models: supporting services table, Azure Storage Service Encryption for Data at Rest, Storage Service Encryption using customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault, Client-Side Encryption and Azure Key Vault for Microsoft Azure Storage, Transparent Data Encryption with Bring Your Own Key support for Azure SQL Database and Data Warehouse, How data is protected at rest across Microsoft Azure. These vaults are backed by HSMs. Platform services in which customers use the cloud for things like storage, analytics, and service bus functionality in their applications. There are multiple Azure encryption models. If a user has contributor permissions (Azure RBAC) to a key vault management plane, they can grant themselves access to the data plane by setting a key vault access policy. 1 For information about creating an account that supports using customer-managed keys with Queue storage, see Create an account that supports customer-managed keys for queues. The labels include visual markings such as a header, footer, or watermark. Microsoft datacenters negotiate a TLS connection with client systems that connect to Azure services. The encrypted data is then uploaded to Azure Storage. While processing the data on a virtual machine, data can be persisted to the Windows page file or Linux swap file, a crash dump, or to an application log. This means that the service has full access to the keys and the service has full control over the credential lifecycle management. creating, revoking, etc. Attacks against data at-rest include attempts to obtain physical access to the hardware on which the data is stored, and then compromise the contained data. Data encryption at rest is a mandatory step toward data privacy, compliance, and data sovereignty. Limiting the use of a single encryption key decreases the risk that the key will be compromised and the cost of re-encryption when a key must be replaced. You maintain complete control of the keys. Azure Storage and Azure SQL Database encrypt data at rest by default, and many services offer encryption as an option. Gets a specific Key Vault key from a server. (used to grant access to Key Vault). User data that's stored in Azure Cosmos DB in non-volatile storage (solid-state drives) is encrypted by default. Best practices for Azure data security and encryption relate to the following states: Data at rest: This includes all information storage objects, types, and containers that exist statically on physical media. The Queue Storage client libraries for .NET and Python also support client-side encryption. Enable platform encryption services. For client-side encryption, consider the following: The supported encryption models in Azure split into two main groups: "Client Encryption" and "Server-side Encryption" as mentioned previously. SQL Managed Instance databases created through restore inherit encryption status from the source. For Azure SQL Managed Instance, the TDE protector is set at the instance level and it is inherited by all encrypted databases on that instance. Microsoft is committed to encryption at rest options across cloud services and giving customers control of encryption keys and logs of key use. The one exception is when you export a database to and from SQL Database. You can enforce the use of HTTPS when you call the REST APIs to access objects in storage accounts by enabling the secure transfer that's required for the storage account. Performance and availability guarantees are impacted, and configuration is more complex. Be sure to protect the BACPAC files appropriately and enable TDE after import of the new database is finished. Enable the soft delete and purge protection features of Key Vault, particularly for keys that are used to encrypt data at rest. See, Table Storage client library for .NET, Java, and Python. You can't switch the TDE protector to a key from Key Vault by using Transact-SQL. The configuration steps are different from using an asymmetric key in SQL Database and SQL Managed Instance. SSH uses a public/private key pair (asymmetric encryption) for authentication. For remote management, you can use Secure Shell (SSH) to connect to Linux VMs running in Azure. Microsoft recommends using service-side encryption to protect your data for most scenarios. Microsoft also provides encryption to protect Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Data Lake. Existing SQL databases created before May 2017 and SQL databases created through restore, geo-replication, and database copy are not encrypted by default. See Azure resource providers encryption model support to learn more. Data at rest in Azure Blob storage and Azure file shares can be encrypted in both server-side and client-side scenarios. Azure Disk Encryption : This is not enabled by default, but can be enabled on Windows and Linux Azure VMs. Azure Storage encryption is similar to BitLocker encryption on Windows. The service can perform Azure Active Directory authentication and receive an authentication token identifying itself as that service acting on behalf of the subscription. Azure services are broadly enhancing Encryption at Rest availability and new options are planned for preview and general availability in the upcoming months. For more information about the cryptographic modules underlying Azure Storage encryption, see Cryptography API: Next Generation. In the wrong hands, your application's security or the security of your data can be compromised. Azure services that support this model provide a means of establishing a secure connection to a customer supplied key store. Keys are stored and managed in key vaults, and access to a key vault can be given to users or services. ** This service supports storing data in your own Key Vault, Storage Account, or other data persisting service that already supports Server-Side Encryption with Customer-Managed Key. In this scenario, the TDE Protector that encrypts the DEK is a customer-managed asymmetric key, which is stored in a customer-owned and managed Azure Key Vault (Azure's cloud-based external key management system) and never leaves the key vault. Additionally, organizations have various options to closely manage encryption or encryption keys. Instead of deleting a key, it is recommended to set enabled to false on the key encryption key. Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support. When you use client-side encryption with Key Vault, your data is encrypted using a one-time symmetric Content Encryption Key (CEK) that is generated by the Azure Storage client SDK. TDE is enabled on the new database, but the BACPAC file itself still isn't encrypted. Microsoft Cloud services are used in all three cloud models: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS. To start using TDE with Azure Key Vault integration, see the how-to guide Turn on transparent data encryption by using your own key from Key Vault. This configuration enforces that SSL is always enabled for accessing your database server. Azure Storage Service Encryption (SSE) can automatically encrypt data before it is stored, and it automatically decrypts the data when you retrieve it. For example: Apply a label named "highly confidential" to all documents and emails that contain top-secret data, to classify and protect this data. You can use the Azure Storage Client Library for .NET NuGet package to encrypt data within your client applications prior to uploading it to your Azure storage. Vaults help reduce the chances of accidental loss of security information by centralizing the storage of application secrets. Best practice: Move larger data sets over a dedicated high-speed WAN link. Use the following cmdlets for Azure SQL Database and Azure Synapse: For Azure SQL Managed Instance, use the T-SQL ALTER DATABASE command to turn TDE on and off on a database level, and check sample PowerShell script to manage TDE on an instance level. It is recommended that whenever possible, IaaS applications leverage Azure Disk Encryption and Encryption at Rest options provided by any consumed Azure services. Data at rest includes information that resides in persistent storage on physical media, in any digital format. Organizations that fail to protect data in transit are more susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks, eavesdropping, and session hijacking. Using SQL Server Management Studio, SQL users choose what key they'd like to use to encrypt which column. Keys are not available to Azure services, Microsoft manages key rotation, backup, and redundancy. You can also enable delegation of on-premises database administration to third parties and maintain separation between those who own and can view the data and those who manage it but should not have access to it. Companies also must prove that they are diligent and using correct security controls to enhance their data security in order to comply with industry regulations. Ability to encrypt multiple services to one master, Can segregate key management from overall management model for the service, Can define service and key location across regions, Customer has full responsibility for key access management, Customer has full responsibility for key lifecycle management, Additional Setup & configuration overhead, Full control over the root key used encryption keys are managed by a customer provided store, Full responsibility for key storage, security, performance, and availability, Full responsibility for key access management, Full responsibility for key lifecycle management, Significant setup, configuration, and ongoing maintenance costs. In these cases, you can enable the Encryption at Rest support as provided by each consumed Azure service. See Azure security best practices and patterns for more security best practices to use when you're designing, deploying, and managing your cloud solutions by using Azure. Azure Disk Encryption helps protect and safeguard your data to meet your organizational security and compliance commitments. Enable and disable TDE on the database level. It performs real-time encryption and decryption of the database, associated backups, and transaction log files at rest without requiring changes to the application. For scenarios where the requirement is to encrypt the data at rest and control the encryption keys customers can use server-side encryption using customer-managed Keys in Key Vault. The scope in this case would be a subscription, a resource group, or just a specific key vault. For this reason, keys should not be deleted. Encrypt your data at rest and manage the encryption keys' lifecycle (i.e. Following are security best practices for using Key Vault. The server-side encryption model with customer-managed keys in Azure Key Vault involves the service accessing the keys to encrypt and decrypt as needed. This article describes best practices for data security and encryption. Discusses the various components taking part in the data protection implementation. For this reason, encryption at rest is highly recommended and is a high priority requirement for many organizations. Encryption of data at rest A complete Encryption-at-Rest solution ensures the data is never persisted in unencrypted form. All Azure hosted services are committed to providing Encryption at Rest options. Keys must be stored in a secure location with identity-based access control and audit policies. Double encryption of Azure Storage data protects against a scenario where one of the encryption algorithms or keys may be compromised. Azure Key Vault can handle requesting and renewing Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates. To learn more about and download the Azure Storage Client Library for .NET NuGet package, see Windows Azure Storage 8.3.0. As a result, this model is not appropriate for most organizations unless they have specific key management requirements. Examples are transfer over the network, across a service bus (from on-premises to cloud and vice-versa, including hybrid connections such as ExpressRoute), or during an input/output process. More than one encryption key is used in an encryption at rest implementation. You want to control and secure email, documents, and sensitive data that you share outside your company. This section describes the encryption at rest support at the time of this writing for each of the major Azure data storage services. For more information on Azure Disk encryption, see Azure Disk Encryption for Linux VMs or Azure Disk Encryption for Windows VMs. Server-side: All Azure Storage Services enable server-side encryption by default using service-managed keys, which is transparent to the application. This new feature provides complete control over data security, making it easier than ever to meet compliance and regulatory requirements. This ensures that your data is secure and protected at all times. SMB 3.0, which used to access Azure Files shares, supports encryption, and it's available in Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. The Azure resource provider creates the keys, places them in secure storage, and retrieves them when needed. Microsoft Azure includes tools to safeguard data according to your company's security and compliance needs. Client-Side Encryption for Microsoft Azure Storage enables you to encrypt data contained in Azure Storage accounts including Azure Table storage, Azure Blob storage and Azure Queues. To ensure this data is encrypted at rest, IaaS applications can use Azure Disk Encryption on an Azure IaaS virtual machine (Windows or Linux) and virtual disk. This article uses the Azure Az PowerShell module, which is the recommended PowerShell module for interacting with Azure. For more information, see Transparent Data Encryption with Bring Your Own Key support for Azure SQL Database and Data Warehouse. For these cmdlets, see AzureRM.Sql. ), No ability to segregate key management from overall management model for the service. By default, TDE is enabled for all newly deployed Azure SQL Databases and must be manually enabled for older databases of Azure SQL Database. By default, TDE is enabled for all newly deployed Azure SQL Databases and must be manually enabled for older databases of Azure SQL Database. Additionally, services may release support for these scenarios and key types at different schedules. Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) protects connections between customers client systems and Microsoft cloud services by unique keys. By using Key Vault, you can encrypt keys and secrets by using keys that are protected by . If permissions of the server to the key vault are revoked, a database will be inaccessible, and all data is encrypted. Below you have examples of how they fit on each model: Software as a Service (SaaS) customers typically have encryption at rest enabled or available in each service. For Azure SQL Database and Azure Synapse, the TDE protector is set at the server level and is inherited by all databases associated with that server. You can configure a site-to-site VPN connection to a virtual network by using the Azure portal, PowerShell, or Azure CLI. May 1, 2023. With the Always Encrypted feature in Azure SQL you can encrypt data within client applications prior to storing it in Azure SQL Database. This combination makes it difficult for someone to intercept and access data that is in transit. The term server refers both to server and instance throughout this document, unless stated differently. More info about Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption, Tutorial: Encrypt and decrypt blobs in Azure Storage by using Key Vault, cell-level encryption or column-level encryption (CLE), The Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP), Data security and encryption best practices. There is no additional cost for Azure Storage encryption. The best practices are based on a consensus of opinion, and they work with current Azure platform capabilities and feature sets. Data in transit (also known as data in motion) is also always encrypted in Data Lake Store. The exception is tempdb, which is always encrypted with TDE to protect the data stored there. Best practices: Use encryption to help mitigate risks related to unauthorized data access. Client-side encryption encrypts the data before its sent to your Azure Storage instance, so that its encrypted as it travels across the network. By using the Azure Backup service, you can back up and restore encrypted virtual machines (VMs) that use Key Encryption Key (KEK) configuration. All Managed Disks, Snapshots, and Images are encrypted using Storage Service Encryption using a service-managed key. A TDE certificate is automatically generated for the server that contains the database. The Encryption at Rest designs in Azure use symmetric encryption to encrypt and decrypt large amounts of data quickly according to a simple conceptual model: In practice, key management and control scenarios, as well as scale and availability assurances, require additional constructs. Specifically, developers should use the Azure Key Vault service to provide secure key storage as well as provide their customers with consistent key management options with that of most Azure platform services. However, the Azure Storage client libraries for Blob Storage and Queue Storage also provide client-side encryption for customers who need to encrypt data on the client. DEK is protected by the TDE protector. For a more detailed discussion of how data at rest is encrypted in Azure, see Azure Data Encryption-at-Rest. For documentation on Transparent Data Encryption for dedicated SQL pools inside Synapse workspaces, see Azure Synapse Analytics encryption. Azure SQL Database Encryption at rest provides data protection for stored data (at rest). Shared Access Signatures (SAS), which can be used to delegate access to Azure Storage objects, include an option to specify that only the HTTPS protocol can be used when you use Shared Access Signatures. TDE encrypts the storage of an entire database by using a symmetric key called the Database Encryption Key (DEK). This exported content is stored in unencrypted BACPAC files. When you interact with Azure Storage through the Azure portal, all transactions take place over HTTPS. For many customers, the essential requirement is to ensure that the data is encrypted whenever it is at rest. Azure VPN gateways use a set of default proposals. While Google Cloud Storage always encrypts your data before it's written to disk, you can use BlueXP APIs to create a Cloud Volumes ONTAP system that uses customer-managed encryption keys. Azure SQL Managed Instance For more information on Microsoft's approach to FIPS 140-2 validation, see Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-2. Use PowerShell or the Azure portal. The TDE Protector can be generated by the key vault or transferred to the key vault from an on-premises hardware security module (HSM) device.