RSA simplifies use of encryption with new Key Manager Suite

RSA announced enhancements to RSA Key Manager Suite (RKM), its enterprise encryption key management system designed to manage encryption keys at the application, database, and storage layer.

RSA Key Manager is designed to simplify the ongoing operational headache associated with encryption by providing enterprise key management across multiple encryption points in the enterprise including tape/virtual tape, disk, databases, and applications. The latest offering includes direct integrations with two new technology partners, Brocade and Sun. These integrations are built with a direct communication between the key management server and the devices performing encryption, eliminating the need for unnecessary software layers.

Encryption environments can often include many different application clients and devices performing cryptographic functions. Managing the permissions (i.e. the ability to encrypt, decrypt, generate keys, etc.) of these clients is often complex and time consuming, and can vastly increase the operational overhead associated with managing the encryption process. RKM 2.5 simplifies this as it is designed to allow granular control of permissions for each device or application in the system from a central location. This reduces overhead associated with multiple key management silos and gives greater control to administrators.

Key managers are also responsible for maintaining audit activities to ensure compliance. Compliance rules require that companies maintain a log when keys are generated, rotated, or expired, and administrators often bare the burden of ensuring these functions are performed. RKM 2.5 is now engineered to capture and logs more detail on encryption operations, leading to easier and less costly audits. In addition, server-side searching, and meta-data editing increases usability and allow for keys to be tagged for easy retrieval, which comes in handy when a specific piece of information needs to be decrypted.

RKM 2.5 is also designed to increase security by centralizing the vaulting and controlling of keys. Administrators can now rotate and delete keys centrally to ensure security requirements are met. This allows administrators to take action quickly if a key is compromised. RKM also includes a centralized key vault with automated replication and failover to ensure that keys are backed up and available at all times.

RSA Key Manager helps reduce the complexity of managing encryption by enabling a centralized policy-based approach to key management, governing access to keys, sharing of keys, expiration of keys, shredding of keys, and all other aspects of key life cycle management.