AWS Key Management Service vs Hashicorp Vault

Developers should use AWS KMS when building secure applications on AWS that require encryption, such as storing sensitive data in S3, encrypting database volumes in RDS, or securing API keys meets developers should use vault when building applications that require secure handling of sensitive data, especially in cloud-native or microservices architectures where secrets management becomes complex. Here's our take.

AWS Key Management Service

Nice Pick

Developers should use AWS KMS when building secure applications on AWS that require encryption, such as storing sensitive data in S3, encrypting database volumes in RDS, or securing API keys

Pros

• It's essential for compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA, as it simplifies key lifecycle management and provides audit trails
• Related to: aws-encryption-sdk, aws-cloudtrail

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Hashicorp Vault

Developers should use Vault when building applications that require secure handling of sensitive data, especially in cloud-native or microservices architectures where secrets management becomes complex

Pros

• It is essential for compliance with security standards (e
• Related to: terraform, consul

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. AWS Key Management Service is a platform while Hashicorp Vault is a tool. We picked AWS Key Management Service based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

AWS Key Management Service wins

Based on overall popularity. AWS Key Management Service is more widely used, but Hashicorp Vault excels in its own space.