With the increasing dependence on cryptography to protect digital assets and communications, the ever-present vulnerabilities in modern computing systems, and the growing sophistication of cyber attacks, it has never been more important, nor more challenging, to keep your cryptographic keys safe and secure. A single compromised key could lead to a massive data breach with the consequential reputational damage, punitive regulatory fines and loss of investor and customer confidence.

“Quantum computing” is computation performed using a computing device based on the strange, counter-intuitive physical properties of matter at very small scale, known as quantum mechanics.

Part 3: Choosing the Right Key Management System

In this concluding part, we will examine the business case for introducing a new key management system and define 20 criteria to help you select the optimal solution for both your current and future needs.

Part 2: The Requirement for a Key Management System

In Part 1of this three-part article, we introduced the concept of key management and the functions and benefits of a key management system. In this part, we will consider how the requirement for a new key management system arises and then explore the underlying business drivers and benefits of such a system in each scenario.

Part 1: What is a Key Management System?

In this, the first part of a three-part article, we start off by looking at what key management is, the function of a key management system and the benefits it provides.

This article is intended as a primer on the classification of cryptographic keys used for securing digital applications.

This article looks at the problems associated with key management that are common in many businesses today, where there is no clear ownership; then it examines the benefits of a centralized key management system and offers advice on building the business case to demonstrate both operational cost savings and a reduction in corporate risk.

Part 2 – Accelerating Time-to-Market

 With the increase in e-commerce and electronic communications on the one hand, and the growing challenges of cybercrime and data protection regulation on the other hand, cryptography is becoming an increasingly important business enabler.

Part 1 – Increasing Efficiency & Resilience

This two-part article discusses how cryptography is employed within organizations today and examines some of the challenges it raises, both for large, established enterprises and for start-ups within emerging markets such as FinTech, Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain.