Key Management
Key Management is a fundamental security concept involving the generation, storage, distribution, rotation, and deletion of cryptographic keys used to protect sensitive data. It ensures that encryption keys are handled securely throughout their lifecycle to prevent unauthorized access and maintain data confidentiality and integrity. Effective key management is critical for implementing encryption, digital signatures, and secure communication protocols in applications and systems.
Developers should learn key management when building applications that handle sensitive data, such as financial transactions, healthcare records, or personal information, to comply with security standards like PCI DSS, HIPAA, or GDPR. It is essential for implementing secure authentication, encrypting data at rest and in transit, and preventing data breaches by ensuring keys are not exposed or misused. Use cases include securing API keys, managing database encryption keys, and enabling end-to-end encryption in messaging apps.