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For the latest version, please use Key Management System 3.9.2! |
Business Processes
This page describes the processes and tasks performed by the KMS-Tenant operator via the KMS-Tenant.
The KMS-Tenant provides methods for the following tasks:
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Manage or add KMS-Tenant users
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Manage the own KMS-Admin account
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Manage or add KMS-Tenant-Clients
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Manage or add KEK
The necessary identification and authentication against the KMS-Tenant application is outlined in the following process steps:
| Process steps | |||
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01 |
Call the URL of the KMS-Tenant application with the browser, e.g. and log in with username and password provided by the KMS-Tenant (e.g. in a sealed envelope or in an encrypted e-mail):
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02 |
When logging in for the first time, the user is automatically prompted to change his initial password:
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03 |
After a successful login, the start page is displayed. If there are any open proposals, they will be listed:
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04 |
It is recommended to change the randomly assigned user name into a meaningful name at the initial login:
The workspace is shown in the image below. The page is divided into different areas, which are highlighted in color. The partitioning is typical for most pages of the KMS-Tenant.
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05 |
From any page (see step 04), the desired functionality can be selected at any time. The following steps must be performed:
The functions offered in the sidebar depend on the selected submenu item. A functionality can also be selected via the sidebar.
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P-KMS-TNT-01 – KMS-Tenant User Account (create, modify, delete)
| Profile | |
|---|---|
Designation |
P-KMS-TNT-01 – Tenant user account (create, modify, delete) |
Purpose |
Only KMS-Tenant operators may use the KMS-Tenant, which provides methods for managing and configuring the tenant’s working area e.g. managing KMS-Tenant user accounts, KMS-Client-Users, KMS-Tenant-KEKs. With the creation and setup of a tenant on the KMS platform, at least 2 tenant operator accounts have already been created (to enable the 4-eye principle, see chapter [managing-dual-control-orders]).The access data was transferred to the persons responsible for the tenant’s area.This gives the tenant access to the KMS-Tenant and the opportunity to perform tenant-specific tasks (tenant self-management). The description of the management of KMS-Tenant user accounts is the subject of P-KMS-TNT-01. This includes in particular the management of the own account as well as the creation of further KMS-Tenant user accounts. |
Responsibility |
KMS-Tenant operator |
Working tool(s) |
Browser, KMS web application for KMS-Tenant operator (KMS-Tenant) |
Precondition/input |
The KMS platform is up and running. The KMS-Tenant user is logged in the KMS-Tenant. |
Postcondition/output |
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Remarks |
After creating a new KMS-Tenant user account, the initial password should be sent securely to the responsible person (e.g. via encrypted email). The current operator should not be able to use and reset this initial password without the new operator noticing (e.g. to avoid abusing the new account by the approving operator). Therefore, when logging in for the first time with a newly created Tenant user account, the tenant operator is prompted to change his initial password. Creating a new user account as well as deleting an account are treated as dual-control orders. This means that the order remains in an open state until a second administrator finally unlocks the order (see chapter [managing-dual-control-orders]). |
| Process steps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
01 |
Display the list of KMS-Tenant user:
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02 |
Create KMS-Tenant user account – Step 1: Create creation request (proposal):
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03 |
Create KMS-Tenant user account – Step 2: Vote for creation request (proposal):
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04 |
Modify own KMS-Tenant user account:
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05 |
Change own password:
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06 |
Reset an account:
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07 |
Delete KMS-Tenant user account: Create deletion request (proposal):
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08 |
Delete KMS-Tenant user account – Step 2: Confirm deletion request by a second administrator:
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P-KMS-TNT-02 – KEKS (create, activate, delete)
| Profile | |
|---|---|
Designation |
P-KMS-TNT-02 – KEKS (create, activate, delete) |
Purpose |
For security reasons, key material of a tenant may not be stored unencrypted in the KMS database. For this purpose, each tenant uses a so-called KEK (Key-Encryption-Key), which acts as the master key for encrypting the tenant’s own key material. The tenant himself is responsible for the production and administration of the KEK. The description of the management of KEKS is the subject of P-KMS-ADM-01. |
Responsibility |
KMS-Tenant operator |
Working tool(s) |
Browser, KMS web application for KMS-Tenant operator (KMS-Tenant) |
Precondition/input |
The KMS platform is up and running. The KMS-Tenant user is logged into KMS-Tenant. Tenants and HSMs are set up. At least 1 HSM-Profile was set up for the tenant by the KMS-Admin. |
Postcondition/output |
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Remarks |
Since the KEK is stored in the safe environment of an HSM, the KMS-Tenant operator can only access a KEK by using the “key management" credentials stored within a tenant’s HSM-Profile (see chapter [tenant-hsm-profiles]). This calls for a dual control order, which requires using the voting system to restore the credentials of the "key management" HSM user. It should be noted that each tenant can create several KEKs but only one KEK is active at a time. Only the active KEK is used to encrypt the key material. The KMS does not re-encrypt existings object when generating a new KEK as this would be very time-consuming. Only new objects added to the KMS will be encrypted using the new KEK. |
| Process steps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
01 |
Display the list of KEKs:
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02 |
Create KEK – Step 1: Create creation request (proposal):
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Create KEK – Step 2: Vote for creation request (proposal):
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03 |
Activate the newly created KEK:
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04 |
Delete a KEK – Step 1: Create deletion request (proposal):
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05 |
Delete a KEK – Step 2: Confirm deletion request by a second administrator:
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P-KMS-TNT-03A – PROTECTED KEKS (create, activate, add HSM-Profile, remove HSM-Profile, delete, restore)
| Profile | |
|---|---|
Designation |
P-KMS-TNT-03A – PROTECTED KEKS (create, activate, delete, …) |
Purpose |
While using traditional HSM KEKs for each cryptographic operation is simple and safe, it might not be best solution in all cases. The KMS offers an alternative to the traditional KEKs, called “KEK-protection mode”. In this mode, the actual encryption/decryption is done in-memory (using software KEKs), while the HSM is only used to initially derive and occasionally renew the said KEKs. This has the following advantages:
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Responsibility |
KMS-Tenant operator |
Working tool(s) |
Browser, KMS web application for KMS-Tenant operator (KMS-Tenant) |
Precondition/input |
The KMS platform is up and running. The KMS-Tenant user is logged into KMS-Tenant. Tenants and HSMs are set up. At least 1 HSM-Profile was set up for the tenant by the KMS-Admin. |
Postcondition/output |
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Remarks |
While the protected KEK itself is stored in-memory, the key pair that is required to derive it is stored inside an HSM, which means the KMS-Tenant operator can only access a KEK by using the “key management" credentials stored within a tenant’s HSM-Profile (see chapter [tenant-hsm-profiles]). This calls for a dual control order, which requires using the voting system to restore the credentials of the "key management" HSM user. |
| Process steps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
01 |
Display the list of KEKs:
A list of the KEKs managed by the tenant is displayed. If there are still pending KEK proposals, these are shown in a separate list. |
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02 |
Create a protected KEK – Step 1: Create creation request (proposal):
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Create a protected KEK – Step 2: Vote for creation request (proposal):
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03 |
Activate a protected KEK:
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04 |
Add an HSM-Profile to a protected KEK – Step 1: Create “Add HSM-Profile” request (proposal):
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05 |
Add a HSM-Profile to a protected KEK – Step 2: Confirm “Add HSM-Profile” request by a second administrator:
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06 |
Remove a HSM-Profile from a protected KEK – Step 1: Create removal request (proposal):
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07 |
Remove a HSM-Profile from a protected KEK – Step 2: Confirm removal request by a second administrator:
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08 |
Restore a KEK from a backup string:
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09 |
Delete a protected KEK:
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P-KMS-TNT-03 – KMS Clients (create, modify, delete)
| Profile | |
|---|---|
Designation |
P-KMS-TNT-03 – KMS Clients (create, modify, delete) |
Purpose |
A KMS-Tenant-Client accesses and uses the KMS’s APIs to interact with the KMS-Server on behalf of a KMS-Tenant (see chapter [architecture-overview]).Access is only permitted after successful authentication.To perform authentication, the KMS-Server uses basic authentication with UserID+Password. The KMS-Tenant-Client Users define the client’s name and credentials for accessing the KMS-Webservices (KMIP-API).The creation and management of KMS-Tenant-Client users is the responsibility of KMS-Tenant operators. The description of the management of KMS-Tenant-Client Users is the subject of P-KMS-TNT-03. |
Responsibility |
KMS-Tenant operator |
Working tool(s) |
Browser, KMS web application for KMS-Tenant operator (KMS-Tenant) |
Precondition/input |
The KMS platform is up and running. The KMS-Tenant user is logged into KMS-Tenant. |
Postcondition/output |
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Remarks |
None |
| Process steps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
01 |
Display the list of KMS-Clients:
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02 |
Create KMS-Client:
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03 |
Modify KMS-Client object:
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04 |
Delete KMS-Client object:
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P-KMS-TNT-04 – Dual control orders (vote, delete, complete)
| Profile | |
|---|---|
Designation |
P-KMS-TNT-04 – Dual Control orders (Create, Modify, Delete) |
Purpose |
For security reasons, the principle of dual control (see chapter [managing-dual-control-orders]) is used for certain processes executed by the KMS tenant operator.This means that when a proposal is created, it has to be accepted (voted) by other KMS tenant operators. In summary, the following actions can be performed upon a proposal:
A proposal has the following properties, which are displayed to the KMS-Tenant operator during editing:
In most cases, exactly two votes from two different tenant operators are required. The first vote is assigned directly when the proposal is created. The second vote must be given by another KMS-Tenant operator. When a proposal has received the required number of votes, the proposal can be completed by any KMS-Tenant operator. Processes that require dual control:
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Responsibility |
KMS-Tenant operator |
Working tool(s) |
Browser, KMS web application for KMS-Tenant operator (KMS-Tenant) |
Precondition/input |
The KMS platform is up and running. The KMS-Tenant user is logged into KMS-Tenant. |
Postcondition/output |
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Remarks |
Actions on proposals (e.g. delete proposal) are always performed immediately without applying the dual control principle. |
| Process steps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
01 |
Display the list of all pending proposals:
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02 |
Submit a vote for an account proposal:
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03 |
Complete an account proposal:
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04 |
Delete an account proposal:
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05 |
Submit a vote for an KEK proposal:
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06 |
Delete a KEK proposal:
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07 |
Complete an KEK proposal:
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P-KMS-TNT-05 – Client certificate (generate, export)
| Profile | |
|---|---|
Designation |
P-KMS-TNT-05 – Client certificate (generate, export) |
Purpose |
MTG-KMS supports client authentication with certificates for the KMS-Server communication through the KMIP-API. Therefore a certificate can be generated and exported. |
Responsibility |
KMS-Tenant operator |
Working tool(s) |
Browser, KMS web application for KMS-Tenant operator (KMS-Tenant) |
Precondition/input |
The KMS platform is up and running. The KMS-Tenant user is logged into KMS-Tenant. |
Postcondition/output |
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Remarks |
The keystore for the generated certificate is only available for download until the Tenant logs out. It has to be ensured to download the certificate and store its password securely before logging out. |
| Process steps | |
|---|---|
01 |
Generate and export a client certificate and the appropriate keystore:
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P-KMS-TNT-06 – Application Namespaces (create, modify, delete)
| Profile | |
|---|---|
Designation |
P-KMS-TNT-06 – Application Namespaces (create, modify, delete) |
Purpose |
MTG-KMS allows the user to determine application namespaces for objects. Those can be managed by the Tenant interface of MTG-KMS. |
Responsibility |
KMS-Tenant operator |
Working tool(s) |
Browser, KMS web application for KMS-Tenant operator (KMS-Tenant) |
Precondition/input |
The KMS platform is up and running. The KMS-Tenant user is logged into KMS-Tenant. |
Postcondition/output |
None |
Remarks |
None |
| Process steps | |
|---|---|
01 |
Create an Application Namespace:
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Modify an Application Namespace:
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Delete an Application Namespace:
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P-KMS-TNT-07 – “Cryptotoken Migration” (migrate)
| Profile | |
|---|---|
Designation |
P-KMS-TNT-07– “Cryptotoken Migration” (gather shares, migrate) |
Purpose |
MTG-KMS allows the Administrator to migrate any existing legacy cryptotokens to the new HSM-Profiles. |
Responsibility |
KMS-ADMIN |
Working tool(s) |
Browser, KMS web application for KMS-Admin (KMS-Admin) |
Precondition/ |
The KMS platform is up and running. |
Postcondition/ |
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Remarks |
Migrating to HSM-Profiles requires KMS version 2.x to have been installed. See [KMS010 - MTG-KMS-Installation-Manual] for instructions. |
| Process steps | |
|---|---|
01 |
When a KMS-Tenant operator logs in for the first time after the installation of KMS version 2.x, if there are any cryptotokens configured in the system, the "Migrate legacy cryptotokens" page will be displayed. The KMS-Tenant operator won’t be able to proceed to the application until all legacy cryptotokens are successfully migrated. Gather key shares:
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When enough key shares for a cryptotoken have been gathered, a "Migrate legacy cryptotoken" button will be shown. Migrate legacy cryptotoken:
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