Table of Contents
Azure Key Vault provides a centralized cloud service for storing application secrets and enabling controlled access to these credentials.
To create a Key Vault, you first need to have an Azure subscription and sign in to the Azure portal.
On the Azure portal, navigate to ‘Create a resource’ > ‘Security + Identity’ > ‘Key Vault’. Fill out the basic settings:
After configuring the basic settings, click ‘Review + create’ and then ‘Create’ to provision the Key Vault.
Access policies determine who can manage keys, secrets, and certificates, and what kind of access they have.
The following table illustrates an example of how access policy permissions are categorized:
Permission Type | Operations |
---|---|
Key Management | create, import, update, delete, etc. |
Secret Management | set, delete, backup, restore, etc. |
Certificate Management | create, import, update, delete, etc. |
Storage Account Management | get, list, update, delete, etc. |
Secrets are often used to store sensitive data like passwords, API keys, or connection strings.
Keys can be cryptographic keys used for encryption and decryption operations, securing communication, and more.
Monitoring and logging are crucial for securing your Key Vault and ensuring compliance.
These logs can be analyzed with Azure Monitor logs or integrated with Azure Sentinel for a comprehensive security information and event management (SIEM) solution.
Backing up keys and secrets is vital to prevent data loss and support recovery scenarios.
Managing an Azure Key Vault involves setting it up, configuring access policies, managing secrets and keys, enabling monitoring and logging, and ensuring that backups are in place. Understanding how to create and configure a Key Vault is vital for passing the AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Technologies exam and for implementing secure and compliant management of cryptographic materials in Azure.
Explanation: Azure Key Vault can manage keys that are either software-protected or hardware-protected (HSMs). HSMs are an option for greater protection, but not a requirement for all operations.
Answer: B) To define who has access to the Key Vault
Explanation: Access policies in Azure Key Vault define permissions for users and applications to perform operations within the Key Vault.
Explanation: The soft-delete feature, when enabled, allows recovery of deleted keys, secrets, and certificates for a retention period before they are permanently deleted.
Answer: A) Encryption keys, B) Passwords, C) Connection strings
Explanation: Azure Key Vault is designed to store encryption keys, secrets (such as passwords and connection strings), and certificates.
Explanation: Enabling purge protection means that items cannot be purged until the protection period has passed; it prevents immediate and irreversible deletion.
Answer: D) Azure Automation or Azure Logic Apps
Explanation: There isn’t a native feature within Azure Key Vault for secret rotation. Automated rotation needs to be handled by external services like Azure Automation or Logic Apps.
Answer: A) Encrypt data stored in the Vault by default
Explanation: Azure Key Vault encrypts data such as secrets, keys, and certificates at rest by default to minimize the risk of data leakage.
Explanation: Azure Key Vault allows the import of keys in multiple formats, including JWK, to ensure that users can bring their keys from other systems.
Answer: C) 90 days
Explanation: With the soft-delete feature enabled, Azure retains the deleted Key Vault data for a default retention period of 90 days.
Answer: A) Key management operations, B) Secret management operations, C) Certificate management operations
Explanation: Access policies in a Key Vault can grant permissions to perform key, secret, and certificate management operations, not network configurations.
Explanation: By default, there are no network restrictions on accessing Azure Key Vault. However, it is best practice to configure network rules such as firewalls and virtual network service endpoints to restrict access.
Answer: A) Azure Monitor
Explanation: Integrating Azure Key Vault with Azure Monitor allows you to capture logs and events for access monitoring, along with metric data for analysis and alerting.
Azure Key Vault is a cloud-based service that allows customers to safeguard and manage cryptographic keys, secrets, and certificates.
Azure Key Vault enables customers to control and manage the keys and secrets used by their cloud applications and services.
Azure Key Vault provides a centralized location to store and manage cryptographic keys, secrets, and certificates. It helps customers comply with regulatory and compliance requirements. Azure Key Vault enables customers to manage their keys and secrets consistently across different cloud services and applications.
Azure Key Vault provides robust security and encryption features to protect the keys and secrets stored in the vault. Customers can control access to the keys and secrets using RBAC and Azure AD authentication. Azure Key Vault also provides auditing and logging features to monitor access and activity.
Defender for Key Vault is a security service provided by Azure Security Center that enables customers to detect and respond to security threats targeting their Key Vault resources.
Defender for Key Vault can help protect against a variety of threats, including malicious access, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation.
Defender for Key Vault uses machine learning and behavioral analysis to detect anomalous activity and potential threats in real-time. Customers can set up alert rules and automated responses to potential threats detected by Defender for Key Vault.
To enable Defender for Key Vault, customers need to first enable Azure Security Center for their subscription. After enabling Azure Security Center, customers can then enable Defender for Key Vault in the Security Center portal.
Azure Key Vault integrates with many Azure services, including Azure Virtual Machines, Azure App Service, and Azure Functions. Customers can use Azure Key Vault to securely store and manage the keys and secrets used by these services.
Yes, Azure Key Vault can be used with non-Azure services and applications. Customers can access the keys and secrets stored in Azure Key Vault through APIs and SDKs.
Soft-delete is a feature in Azure Key Vault that allows customers to recover deleted keys and secrets for a limited time period. Soft-delete is disabled by default and can be enabled in the Key Vault settings.
Key rotation is the process of periodically generating new cryptographic keys to replace old ones. Key rotation helps maintain the security and integrity of the data and applications that use the keys.
Secret versioning is the process of creating multiple versions of the same secret in Azure Key Vault. Secret versioning allows customers to manage and track changes to their secrets over time.
Customers can monitor access to Azure Key Vault using the Azure Key Vault diagnostic logs. The diagnostic logs provide information on who accessed the Key Vault, what actions they performed, and when the actions occurred.
Customers can ensure the availability and durability of their keys and secrets by using Azure Key Vault in conjunction with Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery.
If this material is helpful, please leave a comment and support us to continue.