a3dfde5cec
* conversion stage 1 * correct image paths * add sidebar title to frontmatter * docs/concepts and docs/internals * configuration docs and multi-level nav corrections * commands docs, index file corrections, small item nav correction * secrets converted * auth * add enterprise and agent docs * add extra dividers * secret section, wip * correct sidebar nav title in front matter for apu section, start working on api items * auth and backend, a couple directory structure fixes * remove old docs * intro side nav converted * reset sidebar styles, add hashi-global-styles * basic styling for nav sidebar * folder collapse functionality * patch up border length on last list item * wip restructure for content component * taking middleman hacking to the extreme, but its working * small css fix * add new mega nav * fix a small mistake from the rebase * fix a content resolution issue with middleman * title a couple missing docs pages * update deps, remove temporary markup * community page * footer to layout, community page css adjustments * wip downloads page * deps updated, downloads page ready * fix community page * homepage progress * add components, adjust spacing * docs and api landing pages * a bunch of fixes, add docs and api landing pages * update deps, add deploy scripts * add readme note * update deploy command * overview page, index title * Update doc fields Note this still requires the link fields to be populated -- this is solely related to copy on the description fields * Update api_basic_categories.yml Updated API category descriptions. Like the document descriptions you'll still need to update the link headers to the proper target pages. * Add bottom hero, adjust CSS, responsive friendly * Add mega nav title * homepage adjustments, asset boosts * small fixes * docs page styling fixes * meganav title * some category link corrections * Update API categories page updated to reflect the second level headings for api categories * Update docs_detailed_categories.yml Updated to represent the existing docs structure * Update docs_detailed_categories.yml * docs page data fix, extra operator page remove * api data fix * fix makefile * update deps, add product subnav to docs and api landing pages * Rearrange non-hands-on guides to _docs_ Since there is no place for these on learn.hashicorp, we'll put them under _docs_. * WIP Redirects for guides to docs * content and component updates * font weight hotfix, redirects * fix guides and intro sidenavs * fix some redirects * small style tweaks * Redirects to learn and internally to docs * Remove redirect to `/vault` * Remove `.html` from destination on redirects * fix incorrect index redirect * final touchups * address feedback from michell for makefile and product downloads
47 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
47 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
---
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layout: "docs"
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page_title: "Vault vs. HSMs"
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sidebar_title: "HSMs"
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sidebar_current: "vs-other-hsm"
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description: |-
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Comparison between Vault and HSM systems.
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---
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# Vault vs. HSMs
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A [hardware security module
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(HSM)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardware_security_module) is a hardware
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device that is meant to secure various secrets using protections against access
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and tampering at both the software and hardware layers.
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The primary issue with HSMs is that they are expensive and not very cloud
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friendly. An exception to the latter is Amazon's CloudHSM service, which is
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friendly for AWS users but still costs more than $14k per year per instance,
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and not as useful for heterogenous cloud architectures.
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Once an HSM is up and running, configuring it is generally very tedious, and
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the API to request secrets is also difficult to use. Example: CloudHSM requires
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SSH and setting up various keypairs manually. It is difficult to automate. APIs
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tend to require the use of specific C libraries (e.g. PKCS#11) or
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vendor-specific libraries.
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However, although configuring and running an HSM can be a challenge, they come
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with a significant advantage in that they conform to government-mandated
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compliance requirements (e.g. FIPS 140), which often require specific hardware
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protections and security models in addition to software.
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Vault doesn't replace an HSM. Instead, they can be complementary; a compliant
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HSM can protect Vault's master key to help Vault comply with regulatory
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requirements, and Vault can provide easy client APIs for tasks such as
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encryption and decryption.
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Vault can also do many things that HSMs cannot currently do, such as generating
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_dynamic secrets_. Instead of storing AWS access keys directly within Vault,
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Vault can generate access keys according to a specific policy on the fly. Vault
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has the potential of doing this for any system through its mountable secret
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backend system.
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For many companies' security requirements, Vault alone is enough. For companies
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that can afford an HSM or with specific regulatory requirements, it can be used
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with Vault to get the best of both worlds.
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