Vendor-neutral HSM, KMS, and Hybrid PKI consultancy. We integrate on-prem Root/Issuing CA HSMs with Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud KMS/HSMs underpinned by CP/CPS governance, crypto-agility, and FIPS 140-2 ,140-3 migration readiness.
Vendor-Neutral HSM & KMS Integration Services
• Design & operate Hybrid PKI with on-prem HSMs chained to cloud issuing CAs.
• Integrate Azure Key Vault / Managed HSM, AWS KMS / CloudHSM, and Google Cloud KMS / Cloud HSM.
• Governance-first: CP/CPS updates, key ceremonies, audit evidence, separation of duties.
• BYOK / HYOK / CMK patterns for customer-managed keys and regulatory mandates.
Cloud PKI Options & Platforms (First-Party & Partner)
Azure (Microsoft)
• Microsoft Intune Cloud PKI (cloud-hosted Root/Issuing for device/workload certs).
• Azure Key Vault Certificates (lifecycle & storage) + Managed HSM for CA private keys.
• Azure Dedicated HSM (Thales) for single-tenant FIPS modules.
• Partner CA in Azure: Keyfactor EJBCA, Entrust, DigiCert, Sectigo, Venafi/Jetstack automation.
AWS (Amazon Web Services)
• AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) — public certs; ACM Private CA — private issuing CAs.
• AWS KMS for CMK; AWS CloudHSM for dedicated HSM clusters and key custody.
• Integrations: EKS, EC2, IoT Core, App Mesh mTLS; ACME/EST/SCEP via partners.
Google Cloud (GCP)
• Google Cloud Certificate Authority Service (CAS) — Root/Issuing CAs.
• Cloud KMS / Cloud HSM for key storage and FIPS 140 validation.
• Integrations: GKE, Compute Engine, Anthos/Service Mesh; ACME/EST via CAS/partners.
On-Prem Governance & Policy Integrated with the Cloud
• Root Key Generation (RKG) ceremonies, M-of-N, tamper-evident logs, offline roots.
• Policy/Issuing CA split: on-prem for legacy templates; cloud issuing for modern workloads.
• Key wrapping & transfer (BYOK): RSA-OAEP/AES-KWP, DKEK procedures, chain-of-custody.
• CRL/OCSP design, AIA/CDP hygiene, revocation hooks into SIEM/SOAR.
Crypto Agility & FIPS 140-2 , FIPS 140-3 Migration
• Baselines: RSA-3072/4096, P-256/P-384; staged PQC-hybrid pilots where feasible.
• Template redesign, policy OIDs, short-lived certs for workloads.
• Module validation lifecycle tracking; replace end-of-life FIPS-2 modules with FIPS-3 where required.
BYOK / HYOK / CMK Patterns Across Clouds
Azure: Key Vault (Standard/Managed HSM) with BYOK/HYOK; Intune Cloud PKI anchored to corporate trust where applicable.
AWS: KMS CMKs with import (BYOK), CloudHSM for dedicated custody, ACM Private CA policy controls.
Google: Cloud KMS key import/wrapping; Cloud HSM for dedicated custody; CAS issuance governance.
Key rotation SLAs, dual-control approvals, escrow/backup strategies aligned to CP/CPS.
Secrets Management & Certificate Automation
Secret managers: Azure Key Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, Google Secret Manager with governance wrappers.
ACME/EST/SCEP/NDES enrollment, SPIFFE/SPIRE IDs for mesh mTLS, automated rotation.
SBOM/HBOM alignment for crypto dependencies; change control & attestation.
THE Cost of the Wrong HSM/KMS Choice
Compliance exposure: FIPS invalidation, audit findings, regulatory breach.
Operational downtime: revocation storms, CRL/OCSP failures, mesh mTLS breakage.
Lock-in & rework: if BYOK/HYOK not planned; key exfiltration risk.
Hidden costs: CA/KMS transactions, egress, and issuance volume not forecast.
Reference Architectures
Offline Root CA on HSM, On-prem Issuing CA, Cloud Subordinate Issuing CA (Azure/AWS/GCP).
Bridge/Policy CA for multi-forest, federated workload identity across clouds.
Service mesh anchored to corporate PKI via SPIFFE/SPIRE with short-lived certs.
Engagement Process: Assess, Design, Pilot, Cutover
1. Discovery & Assessment: inventory HSMs, keys, modules, policies, templates, consumers.
2. Target Architecture: platform choices, BYOK/HYOK, rotation SLOs, revocation design.
3. Pilot & Hardening: issuance flows, HSM/KMS policies, break-glass, monitoring.
4. Cutover & RunOps: staged migration, evidence packs, cost/usage dashboards, training.
FAQs: HSM, KMS & Cloud PKI
Do we need Dedicated HSM or can we use cloud KMS only?
Depends on key custody, FIPS requirements, and regulator stance. We evaluate Dedicated HSM vs Managed HSM/KMS per risk and cost.
How does BYOK/HYOK actually work?
Keys are generated or wrapped in approved HSMs and imported to cloud KMS with verifiable custody, using standard wrapping (e.g., RSA-OAEP/AES-KWP).
Can we keep our on-prem Root CA and move issuing to cloud?
Yes. We subordinate cloud issuing CAs to your Root/Policy CAs and phase consumers across.
What about post-quantum crypto?
We plan hybrid pilots where feasible and keep algorithm agility in templates and code paths.
Related Services
• Microsoft AD CS to Cloud PKI Migration
• Service Mesh mTLS & Workload Identity
• PKI & Certificate Management
• Post-Quantum Cryptography Readiness
Ready to unify HSMs, KMS, and Hybrid PKI under robust governance? We map a compliant, cost-aware architecture for your cloud(s) and on-prem PKI.