Connecting and disconnecting a custom key store - AWS Key Management Service
Connect a custom key store (console)Connect a custom key store (API)Disconnect a custom key store (console)Disconnect a custom key store (API)

Connecting and disconnecting a custom key store

New custom key stores are not connected. Before you can create and use customer master keys (CMKs) in your custom key store, you need to connect it to its associated AWS CloudHSM cluster. You can connect and disconnect your custom key store at any time, and view its connection status.

You are not required to connect your custom key store. You can leave a custom key store in a disconnected state indefinitely and connect it only when you need to use it. However, you might want to test the connection periodically to verify that the settings are correct and it can be connected.

Note

Custom key stores have a DISCONNECTED status only when the key store has never been connected or you explicitly disconnect it. If your custom key store status is CONNECTED but you are having trouble using it, make sure that its associated AWS CloudHSM cluster is active and contains at least one active HSMs. For help with connection failures, see Troubleshooting a custom key store.

Connecting a custom key store

When you connect a custom key store, AWS KMS finds the associated AWS CloudHSM cluster, connects to it, logs into the AWS CloudHSM client as the kmsuser crypto user (CU), and then rotates the kmsuser password. AWS KMS remains logged into the AWS CloudHSM client as long as the custom key store is connected.

To establish the connection, AWS KMS creates a security group named kms-<custom key store ID> in the virtual private cloud (VPC) of the cluster. The security group has a single rule that allows inbound traffic from the cluster security group. AWS KMS also creates an elastic network interface (ENI) in each Availability Zone of the private subnet for the cluster. AWS KMS adds the ENIs to the kms-<cluster ID> security group and the security group for the cluster. The description of each ENI is KMS managed ENI for cluster <cluster-ID>.

The connection process can take an extended amount of time to complete; up to 20 minutes.

Before you connect the custom key store, verify that it meets the requirements.

  • Its associated AWS CloudHSM cluster must contain at least one active HSM. To find the number of HSMs in the cluster, view the cluster in the AWS CloudHSM console or use the DescribeClusters operation. If necessary, you can add an HSM.

  • The cluster must have a kmsuser crypto user (CU) account, but that CU cannot be logged into the cluster when you connect the custom key store. For help with logging out, see How to log out and reconnect.

  • The connection status of the custom key store cannot be DISCONNECTING or FAILED. You can view the connection status in the console or by using the DescribeCustomKeyStores operation. If the connection status is FAILED, disconnect the custom key store, and then connect it.

When your custom key store is connected, you can create CMKs in it and use existing CMKs in cryptographic operations.

Disconnecting a custom key store

When you disconnect a custom key store, AWS KMS logs out of the AWS CloudHSM client, disconnects from the associated AWS CloudHSM cluster, and removes the network infrastructure that it created to support the connection.

While a custom key store is disconnected, you can manage the custom key store and its customer master keys (CMKs), but you cannot create or use CMKs in the custom key store. The status of the key store is DISCONNECTED and the key state of CMKs in the custom key store is Unavailable, unless they are PendingDeletion. You can reconnect the custom key store at any time.

Note

While a custom key store is disconnected, all attempts to create customer master keys (CMKs) in the custom key store or to use existing CMKs in cryptographic operations will fail. This action can prevent users from storing and accessing sensitive data.

To better estimate the effect of disconnecting your key store, identify the CMKs in the custom key store and determine their past use.

You might disconnect the custom key store for reasons such as the following:

  • To rotate of the kmsuser password. AWS KMS changes the kmsuser password each time that it connects to the AWS CloudHSM cluster. To force a password rotation, just disconnect and reconnect.

  • To audit the key material for the CMKs in the AWS CloudHSM cluster. When you disconnect the custom key store, AWS KMS logs out of the kmsuser crypto user account in the AWS CloudHSM client. This allows you to log into the cluster as the kmsuser CU and audit and manage the key material for the CMK.

  • To immediately disable all CMKs in the custom key store. You can disable and re-enable CMKs in a custom key store by using the AWS Management Console or the DisableKey operation. These operations complete quickly, but they act on one CMK at a time. Disconnecting immediately changes the key state of all CMKs in the custom key to Unavailable, which prevents them from being used in any cryptographic operation.

  • To repair a failed connection attempt. If an attempt to connect a custom key store fails (the connection status of the custom key store is FAILED), you must disconnect the custom key store before you try to connect it again.

Connect a custom key store (console)

To connect a custom key store in the AWS Management Console, begin by selecting the custom key store from the Custom key stores page. The process can take up to 20 minutes to complete.

  1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the AWS Key Management Service (AWS KMS) console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/kms.

  2. To change the AWS Region, use the Region selector in the upper-right corner of the page.

  3. In the navigation pane, choose Custom key stores.

  4. Choose the custom key store you want to connect.

  5. If the status of the custom key store is FAILED, you must disconnect the custom key store before you connect it.

  6. From the Key store actions menu, select Connect custom key store.

AWS KMS begins the process of connecting your custom key store. It finds the associated AWS CloudHSM cluster, builds the required network infrastructure, connects to it, logs into the AWS CloudHSM cluster as the kmsuser CU, and rotates the kmsuser password. When the operation completes, the connection state changes to CONNECTED.

If the operation fails, an error message appears that describes the reason for the failure. Before you try to connect again, view the connection status of your custom key store. If it is FAILED, you must disconnect the custom key store before you connect it again. If you need help, see Troubleshooting a custom key store.

Next: Create CMKs in a custom key store.

Connect a custom key store (API)

To connect a disconnected custom key store, use the ConnectCustomKeyStore operation. The associated AWS CloudHSM cluster must contain at least one active HSM and the connection status cannot be FAILED.

The connection process takes an extended amount of time to complete; up to 20 minutes. Unless it fails quickly, the operation returns an HTTP 200 response and a JSON object with no properties. However, this initial response does not indicate that the connection was successful. To determine the connection status of the custom key store, use the DescribeCustomKeyStores operation.

The examples in this section use the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI), but you can use any supported programming language.

To identify the custom key store, use the custom key store ID. You can find the ID on the Custom key stores page in the console or by using the DescribeCustomKeyStores operation. Before running this example, replace the example ID with a valid one. 

$ aws kms connect-custom-key-store --custom-key-store-id cks-1234567890abcdef0

To verify that the custom key store is connected, use the DescribeCustomKeyStores operation. By default, this operation returns all custom keys stores in your account and Region. But you can use either the CustomKeyStoreId or CustomKeyStoreName parameter (but not both) to limit the response to particular custom key stores. The ConnectionState value of CONNECTED indicates that the custom key store is connected to its AWS CloudHSM cluster. 

$ aws kms describe-custom-key-stores --custom-key-store-id cks-1234567890abcdef0
{
   "CustomKeyStores": [
      "CustomKeyStoreId": "cks-1234567890abcdef0",
      "CustomKeyStoreName": "ExampleKeyStore",
      "CloudHsmClusterId": "cluster-1a23b4cdefg",
      "TrustAnchorCertificate": "<certificate string appears here>",
      "CreationDate": "1.499288695918E9",
      "ConnectionState": "CONNECTED"
   ],
}

If the ConnectionState value is failed, the ConnectionErrorCode element indicates the reason for the failure. In this case, AWS KMS could not find an AWS CloudHSM cluster in your account with the cluster ID cluster-1a23b4cdefg. If you deleted the cluster, you can restore it from a backup of the original cluster and then edit the cluster ID for the custom key store. 

$ aws kms describe-custom-key-stores --custom-key-store-id cks-1234567890abcdef0
{
   "CustomKeyStores": [
      "CustomKeyStoreId": "cks-1234567890abcdef0",
      "CustomKeyStoreName": "ExampleKeyStore",
      "CloudHsmClusterId": "cluster-1a23b4cdefg",
      "TrustAnchorCertificate": "<certificate string appears here>",
      "CreationDate": "1.499288695918E9",
      "ConnectionState": "FAILED"
      "ConnectionErrorCode": "CLUSTER_NOT_FOUND"
   ],
}

Next: Create CMKs in a custom key store.

Disconnect a custom key store (console)

To disconnect a connected custom key store in the AWS Management Console, begin by selecting the custom key store from the Custom Key Stores page.

  1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the AWS Key Management Service (AWS KMS) console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/kms.

  2. To change the AWS Region, use the Region selector in the upper-right corner of the page.

  3. In the navigation pane, choose Custom key stores.

  4. Choose the custom key store you want to disconnect.

  5. From the Key store actions menu, select Disconnect custom key store.

When the operation completes, the connection state changes from DISCONNECTING to DISCONNECTED. If the operation fails, an error message appears that describes the problem and provides help on how to fix it. If you need more help, see Troubleshooting a custom key store.

Disconnect a custom key store (API)

To disconnect a connected custom key store, use the DisconnectCustomKeyStore operation. If the operation is successful, AWS KMS returns an HTTP 200 response and a JSON object with no properties.

The examples in this section use the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI), but you can use any supported programming language.

This example disconnects a custom key store. Before running this example, replace the example ID with a valid one. 

$ aws kms disconnect-custom-key-store --custom-key-store-id cks-1234567890abcdef0

To verify that the custom key store is disconnected, use the DescribeCustomKeyStores operation. By default, this operation returns all custom keys stores in your account and Region. But you can use either the CustomKeyStoreId and CustomKeyStoreName parameter (but not both) to limit the response to particular custom key stores. The ConnectionState value of DISCONNECTED indicates that the custom key store is not connected to its AWS CloudHSM cluster. 

$ aws kms describe-custom-key-stores --custom-key-store-id cks-1234567890abcdef0
{
   "CustomKeyStores": [
      "CloudHsmClusterId": "cluster-1a23b4cdefg",
      "ConnectionState": "DISCONNECTED",
      "CreationDate": "1.499288695918E9",
      "CustomKeyStoreId": "cks-1234567890abcdef0",
      "CustomKeyStoreName": "ExampleKeyStore",
      "TrustAnchorCertificate": "<certificate string appears here>"
   ],
}