Azure Key Vault

Securely manage secrets, keys, and certificates

What is Azure Key Vault?

Azure Key Vault is a cloud service for securely storing and accessing secrets. A secret is anything that you want to tightly control access to, such as API keys, passwords, certificates, or connection strings.

Key Vault allows you to encrypt keys and secrets with keys that are protected by a hardware security module (HSM). Key Vault also enables you to store and control cryptographic keys, such as AES, RSA, and EC keys, and run cryptographic operations using these keys. Applications can securely call Key Vault to use these keys without exposing them.

Key Concepts

Secrets

Store sensitive information like passwords, API keys, and connection strings. Access is controlled via policies.

Keys

Manage cryptographic keys (symmetric and asymmetric) and use them for encryption, decryption, signing, and verification.

Certificates

Manage your Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates. Key Vault can provision, import, renew, and manage certificates.

Vaults

The fundamental container for all secrets, keys, and certificates. Each vault is a unique resource.

Key Features and Benefits

Centralized Secret Management

Store all your secrets in one place, simplifying management and reducing the risk of hardcoding sensitive data.

Access Control

Granular access policies allow you to define who can access which secrets, keys, and certificates.

Auditing and Monitoring

Track all operations performed on Key Vault secrets and keys for compliance and security purposes.

HSM Protection

Optionally use Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) to protect cryptographic keys, offering the highest level of security.

Developer-Friendly APIs

Integrate Key Vault seamlessly into your applications using SDKs and REST APIs.

Lifecycle Management

Automate the lifecycle of certificates, including renewal, simplifying certificate management.

Getting Started with Azure Key Vault

To get started with Azure Key Vault, you'll need an Azure subscription. You can then create a Key Vault using the Azure portal, Azure CLI, or Azure PowerShell.

Example: Creating a secret using Azure CLI


az keyvault secret set --vault-name MyKeyVaultName --name MySecretName --value "MySecretValue"
        

Learn more about creating and managing your first Key Vault:

Explore Quickstart Guide View Documentation