EKPM: How to Find the Most Efficient Enterprise Key Management System for Your Business

According to a report by Mordor Intelligence [source], the global enterprise key management system market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.22% from 2024 to 2029, with the market size increasing from USD 2.81 billion in 2024 to USD 7.06 billion in 2029. Another report by Future Market Insights [source] predicts that the global enterprise key management market will be valued at USD 10.39 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 14.6% from 2023 to 2033.

Organizations are increasingly adopting enterprise key management solutions (EKM) to secure and protect their data from unauthorized access. The need for EKM arises due to the vast key sprawl that most data-driven companies face, with many organizations unsure about how many keys and digital certificates they have. The adoption of EKM is driven by the need to comply with industry-specific, national, and international standards, including PCI-DSS, GDPR, SOX, HIPAA, and many others.

However, organizations still face challenges in managing their keys effectively. Given the challenges, let us understand what organizations must consider for getting maximum efficiency from EKMs.

Pain Points in Hybrid Multicloud Environments

1) Incomplete Discovery and Disparate Visibility

High-value keys are distributed across disparate systems and geographies, generated and consumed on different devices, and have individual schedules for rotation and replacement. As a result, there is a pressing requirement for a centralized enterprise-level encryption key management system to simplify the management of cryptographic assets.

2) Operational Complexity

Data security siloes refer to the practice of using individual disparate security solutions to protect data in separate systems. This approach makes it difficult to access and share information across the organization, leading to disrupted operations, increased risk of data exposure, and ransomware attacks. The lack of visibility and monitoring further worsens these issues, making it difficult to detect and respond to security threats effectively.

3) Encryption Challenges

DSPM and CSPM Limitations: Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) and Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tools focus on data classification and cloud service configurations, respectively. They exhibit limitations when it comes to data encryption and Enterprise Key Management (EKM), which includes the secure generation, storage, distribution, and disposal of cryptographic keys.

Enterprise key management ensures data remains unreadable without the appropriate decryption key and is only accessible by authorized identities. Data can be secured across various locations, including databases, cloud services, and is stored securely in Hardware Security Modules (HSMs).

4) KMS Sprawl

Encryption leads to data and KMS silos due to different key management solutions that tether data and workloads to a specific region. A lack of centralized control makes it difficult for organizations to enforce uniform access control policies. Limited visibility into how data is encrypted may not be most effective in monitoring and auditing. For example, an organization may employ distinct encryption protocols for email communication and database storage, leading to challenges in effectively managing and maintaining consistent security measures across diverse datasets.

Adopt a More Intelligent Approach: Enterprise Key Posture Management (EKPM)

Enterprise Key Management (EKM) focuses on the fundamental task of securely generating, storing, and distributing cryptographic keys within an organization and managing the key lifecycle. On the other hand, Enterprise Key Posture Management (EKPM) is an advanced iteration that extends beyond basic key management functions.

Enterprise key posture management aka EKPM, as exemplified by innovative solutions like the Fortanix platform, introduces a more intelligent, data-centric approach. EKPM is more of EKM plus discovery and assessment.

While EKM focuses on the mechanics of key management, EKPM adds a layer of visibility and strategic insights, offering organizations a comprehensive understanding of their data security posture and the ability to proactively address encryption risks in modern, dynamic environments.

Key Features and Benefits of EKPM

1. Visibility into Data Security Risks

EKPM provides a consolidated view of encryption keys and related data services, simplifying discovery and visibility. A unique "heatmap" pinpoints significant data security risks.

2. Prioritizing and Remedying Risks

EKPM's data-driven insights enable organizations to quickly prioritize and remediate the most harmful risks, reducing the negative impact on security and compliance.

3. Optimizing Security Personnel Resources

EKPM optimizes security personnel resources by simplifying the process of devising corrective actions, allowing a more strategic allocation of personnel to high-impact security initiatives.

4. Streamlining Data Correlation and Analysis

EKPM streamlines the complex task of correlating and analyzing at-risk data and services, saving time and increasing efficiency through automated solutions.

5. Integration Capabilities

EKPM seamlessly integrates with existing security and compliance tools, leading SIEM solutions, and third-party IT ticketing systems. This ensures a cohesive and comprehensive approach to data security management within an organization's existing infrastructure.

6. Simplifying Compliance Reporting

EKPM helps organizations align with regulatory and data security policies and standards, offering an intelligent, scalable, data-centric approach to EKM. It enables organizations to demonstrate compliance through detailed reporting, aligning key rotation automation with standards such as NIST. This comprehensive view ensures a secure and compliant data environment.

Conclusion

Adopting Enterprise Key Posture Management (EKPM) is critical for organizations to upgrade their data security. EKPM is an advanced iteration that surpasses basic key management functions, driven by its intelligent, data-centric approach.

Importantly, this advanced approach translates into improved business operational efficiency by streamlining key management processes, automating corrective actions, and optimizing the allocation of security personnel resources.

EKPM is not merely a technological upgrade but a strategic investment that amplifies an organization's resilience, responsiveness, and overall effectiveness in protecting its most valuable asset – data.