Overview of Azure Key Vault
Azure Key Vault is a cloud-based service by Microsoft Azure that allows users to securely store and manage sensitive information such as keys, secrets, and certificates in a centralized repository. It acts as a secure key management and storage solution, which helps in safeguarding the cryptographic keys and other secrets used by cloud applications and services.
One of the main reasons for Azure Key Vault’s importance is its ability to help organizations manage and control access to their sensitive data. Many organizations store sensitive information, such as passwords, certificates, and API keys, in plain text or in unsecured formats, making them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This is where Azure Key Vault provides a secure alternative by storing the sensitive information in an encrypted format within its vaults.
Another key benefit of using Azure Key Vault is its integration with other Azure services and applications. It provides a single point of access to the stored secrets and keys, allowing developers to easily integrate them into their applications. This eliminates the need for developers to hardcode sensitive credentials into their code or store them in configuration files, which can be easily compromised.
Azure Key Vault also offers access control and permissions management features, allowing organizations to restrict access to specific users or applications. This ensures that only authorized personnel can retrieve the sensitive information from the vault, further enhancing the security and confidentiality of the stored data.
Furthermore, Azure Key Vault has built-in support for automatic rotation of credentials, making it easier to manage and update sensitive information without disrupting the functioning of applications and services that are using these credentials. This helps in protecting the sensitive data from misuse or unauthorized access.
Getting Started with Azure Key Vault
Step 1: Login to the Azure Portal
Navigate to portal.azure.com and use your Azure account credentials to login.
Step 2: Access Key Vault
From the Azure Portal dashboard, click on ‘Key Vaults’ from the main menu on the left side of the screen.
Step 3: Create a new Key Vault
Click on ‘Add’ from the Key Vaults screen.
Step 4: Configure Key Vault settings
Enter the following details in the ‘Create key vault’ form:
Subscription: Select the subscription you want to use for the Key Vault.
Resource group: Select an existing resource group or create a new one for the key vault.
Key vault name: Enter a unique name for your Key Vault.
Region: Select the region where you want to create the Key Vault.
Pricing tier: Select the desired pricing tier for your Key Vault.
Access policy: This section allows you to set permissions for accessing and managing the Key Vault. Choose the relevant permissions for yourself and any other users or applications that will need access to the Key Vault.
Step 5: Configure Advanced options (optional)
You can also configure advanced options such as enabling soft-delete, setting up network access control, configure advanced access policies, and more. Once you’ve made any necessary changes, click ‘Review + create’ to create the Key Vault.
Step 6: Review and create the Key Vault
Review the Key Vault settings to ensure everything is correct, then click on ‘Create’ to create the Key Vault.
Step 7: Access the newly created Key Vault
Once the Key Vault has been created, you will see a notification on the top right side of the Azure portal with the message ‘Your deployment is complete’. Click on the notification or navigate back to the Key Vaults screen to access your newly created Key Vault.
That’s it! You have now successfully created an Azure Key Vault in the Azure portal. You can now add secrets, keys, and certificates to the Key Vault and manage access to them based on the access policies you have set up.
Managing Keys and Secrets in Azure Key Vault
Adding Keys and Secrets in Azure Key Vault:
Log into the Azure Portal and navigate to your Key Vault resource.
In the left navigation menu, click on “Keys” or “Secrets” depending on which you want to add.
Click on the “Generate/Import” button at the top of the screen.
Enter a name for your key or secret and select the key type or secret value.
Click “Create” to add the key or secret to your Key Vault.
Rotating Keys and Secrets in Azure Key Vault:
Log into the Azure Portal and navigate to your Key Vault resource.
In the left navigation menu, click on “Keys” or “Secrets” depending on which you want to rotate.
Select the key or secret you want to rotate and click on the “Rotate” button at the top of the screen.
Enter a new key or secret value and click on the “Update” button.
Make sure to update any applications or services that use this key or secret with the new value.
Deleting Keys and Secrets in Azure Key Vault:
Log into the Azure Portal and navigate to your Key Vault resource.
In the left navigation menu, click on “Keys” or “Secrets” depending on which you want to delete.
Select the key or secret you want to delete and click on the “Delete” button at the top of the screen.
Confirm the deletion by clicking on “Yes” in the pop-up window.
Best Practices for Managing Keys and Secrets in Azure Key Vault:
Keep a record of all your keys and secrets stored in Azure Key Vault, including their names and values.
Use different keys and secrets for different applications and services to limit the impact of a potential breach.
Use strong and unique names for your keys and secrets to make them harder to guess.
Use key rotation to regularly change your keys and secrets, reducing the chances of them being compromised.
Use Azure Key Vault’s access policies to limit access to keys and secrets, only giving access to those who need it.
Enable and monitor auditing in Azure Key Vault to track any changes made to keys and secrets.
Enable soft-delete for keys and secrets to prevent accidental deletion.
Regularly monitor your Key Vault for any unusual activity or potential breaches.
Keep your Azure account and Key Vault up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates.
Follow general security best practices, such as implementing multi-factor authentication and regularly changing passwords, to further secure your Azure account and Key Vault.
Using Azure Key Vault with Azure services
1. Integrating Azure Key Vault with Azure App Service:
Azure App Service can be integrated with Key Vault to securely store and access app settings, connection strings, and other sensitive information.
To integrate, first create a new Azure Key Vault or use an existing one.
Enable the soft delete feature to backup and restore deleted secrets.
Grant the App Service with permissions to access the key vault by adding its application in the Access Policies.
To access the secrets in the key vault, use the Key Vault references syntax in the app settings or connection strings section in the App Service configuration.
App Service will automatically retrieve the secrets from Key Vault at runtime, without the need to store them in the application’s configuration file.
2. Integrating Azure Key Vault with Azure DevOps:
Azure DevOps can also be integrated with Key Vault to securely store build and release variables.
Create a new Key Vault or use an existing one for storing the sensitive variables.
Grant the Azure DevOps service principal with permissions to access the key vault by adding it in the Access Policies.
In a pipeline, use the AzureKeyVault task to fetch the secrets from the key vault at runtime and populate the pipeline variables.
These variables can then be used in the build and release tasks, without the need to store them in plain text in the pipeline.
3. Integrating Azure Key Vault with Azure Functions:
Azure Functions can also be integrated with Key Vault to securely store app settings, connection strings and other sensitive information.
Create a new key vault or use an existing one and grant the Azure Functions service principal with permissions to access the key vault by adding it in the Access Policies.
In the Function App code, use the Azure.Identity library to retrieve the secrets from the key vault at runtime.
These secrets can then be used in the Function App code without storing them in plain text in the configuration files.
4. Examples of using Azure Key Vault for secure access to sensitive information:
Storing database connection strings and app settings in Key Vault, and retrieving them in Azure App Service, Azure Functions or Azure DevOps pipelines.
Storing SSL certificates or encryption keys in Key Vault, and retrieving them at runtime for secure communication between services.
Storing API keys or access tokens in Key Vault, and retrieving them in Azure Logic Apps for secure integration with third-party services.
Storing SSH keys in Key Vault, and using them in Azure Virtual Machines for secure remote login.
Storing Azure Active Directory application secrets in Key Vault, and retrieving them at runtime for authentication and access to other Azure resources.
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