Everything You Need to Know About Hardware Security Modules (HSM)
What Is A Hardware Security Module (HSM)?
Encrypted data isn’t secure if the keys you use to encrypt it end up exposed. Hardware security modules solve this issue by being tamper and intrusion resistant, supporting organizations in protecting and storing their cryptographic keys while ensuring they remain available for use by authorized users.
A hardware security module is a physical device designed to manage and protect cryptographic keys. These tools perform encryption and decryption functions for authentication, digital signatures, and other cryptographic functions. The primary objective of HSM security is to control who is granted access to the organization’s digital security keys, thereby helping to reduce attack surface and provide better protect against intrusion.
HSMs are important because they act as trusted anchors that protect the cryptographic infrastructure of some of the most security-conscious organizations in the world. This level of security is necessary to protect high-value data like identities, secrets, and digital keys from being lost or stolen.
How Do Hardware Security Modules (HSM) Work?
Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) typically include security cryptographic processor, dedicated secure storage, and interfaces for connecting to external systems. These work to ensure enhanced security by keeping cryptographic keys segregated from the host system in a tamper-resistant hardware device. When an application needs to perform an operation like data signing, encryption, or decryption, it sends a request to the HSM.
To illustrate this process, picture a vending machine. A vending machine stores its items in an isolated environment, releasing them only when given the right command. It is designed to receive user inputs (the code indicating their selection, and the payment) and to generate the appropriate output (releasing the selected items), but these functions are carried out within the machine itself and cannot be altered from the outside.
In a similar way, the HSM carries out the operations inside its secure environment and returns the result to the application, ensuring the cryptographic keys never leave the protected hardware boundaries. Performing these operations within this secure bubble helps to keep your sensitive data from becoming compromised.
What Features Should You Look For When Choosing Hardware Security Modules (HSM)?
A HSM is a highly useful device for handling the cryptographic aspects of your security infrastructure, so your choice of HSM can greatly affect your organization’s overall security posture.
When considering Hardware Security Modules (HSM), it’s essential to look for:
- Robust Security – An HSM should have industry certifications like FIPS 140-2 Level 3, that certify their ability to protect cryptographic keys against tampering and unauthorized access. They should enforce strict access controls to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to sensitive cryptographic material, such as roll-based access mechanisms and authentication.
- Isolated Environment – HSMs operate within an environment that is separate and isolated from the host system or network. This separation and isolation help to ensure that sensitive cryptographic keys and operations are kept secure, even if the host environment were compromised. This distinct boundary provides an additional layer of protection against unauthorized access, thereby helping to mitigate the risk of an attack.
- Scalability – The ability to handle increasing demand without compromising performance or security. Considering an HSM that can be managed and deployed as a clustered unit can ensure increased availability and load balancing.
- Broad Cryptographic Algorithm Support – The HSM should support a wide array of cryptographic algorithms, including RSA, ECC, and AES. Having support for a diverse set of cryptographic algorithms allows HSMs to cater to a variety of security requirements and use cases across different applications and industries. Different algorithms may deliver differences in performance, security level, compliance regulations, and interoperability with other systems and protocols.
- Interoperability – This refers to the solution’s ability to integrate seamlessly and communicate with various systems, applications, and cryptographic protocols across the network infrastructure. The HSM should work seamlessly with a broad range of applications and platforms, as offering API support with PKCS#11, Java JCE, Microsoft CAPI, and CNG is important for integration.
- Ease of Management – It is important to look for user-friendly administration and management features. This can include remote management capabilities, software updates, backup, and recovery operations, as well as practical concerns such as ensuring the HSM is unobtrusive and easy to use.
- Tamper Resistance– HSMs should have physical and logical mechanisms to detect and respond to any attempt to tamper or modify the device, such as opening the casing or tampering with internal components. Tamper-evident seals or self-destruction of keys upon tamper detection are key features as they help to maintain the integrity of the HDM and protect against unauthorized access to cryptographic keys.
