Tag Archives: HSM

Are KMS custom key stores right for you?

Post Syndicated from Richard Moulds original https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/are-kms-custom-key-stores-right-for-you/

You can use the AWS Key Management Service (KMS) custom key store feature to gain more control over your KMS keys. The KMS custom key store integrates KMS with AWS CloudHSM to help satisfy compliance obligations that would otherwise require the use of on-premises hardware security modules (HSMs) while providing the AWS service integrations of KMS. However, the additional control comes with increased cost and potential impact on performance and availability. This post will help you decide if this feature is the best approach for you.

KMS is a fully managed service that generates encryption keys and helps you manage their use across more than 45 AWS services. It also supports the AWS Encryption SDK and other client-side encryption tools, and you can integrate it into your own applications. KMS is designed to meet the requirements of the vast majority of AWS customers. However, there are situations where customers need to manage their keys in single-tenant HSMs that they exclusively control. Previously, KMS did not meet these requirements since it offered only the ability to store keys in shared HSMs that are managed by KMS.

AWS CloudHSM is a service that’s primarily intended to support customer-managed applications that are specifically designed to use HSMs. It provides direct control over HSM resources, but the service isn’t, by itself, widely integrated with other AWS managed services. Before custom key store, this meant that if you required direct control of your HSMs but still wanted to use and store regulated data in AWS managed services, you had to choose between changing those requirements, not using a given AWS service, or building your own solution. KMS custom key store gives you another option.

How does a custom key store work?

With custom key store, you can configure your own CloudHSM cluster and authorize KMS to use it as a dedicated key store for your keys rather than the default KMS key store. Then, when you create keys in KMS, you can choose to generate the key material in your CloudHSM cluster. Your KMS customer master keys (CMKs) never leave the CloudHSM instances, and all KMS operations that use those keys are only performed in your HSMs. In all other respects, the master keys stored in your custom key store are used in a way that is consistent with other KMS CMKs.

This diagram illustrates the primary components of the service and shows how a cluster of two CloudHSM instances is connected to KMS to create a customer controlled key store.
 

Figure 1: A cluster of two CloudHSM instances is connected to the KMS front-end hosts to create a customer controlled key store

Figure 1: A cluster of two CloudHSM instances is connected to KMS to create a customer controlled key store

Because you control your CloudHSM cluster, you can take direct action to manage certain aspects of the lifecycle of your keys, independently of KMS. Specifically, you can verify that KMS correctly created keys in your HSMs and you can delete key material and restore keys from backup at any time. You can also choose to connect and disconnect the CloudHSM cluster from KMS, effectively isolating your keys from KMS. However, with more control comes more responsibility. It’s important that you understand the availability and durability impact of using this feature, and I discuss the issues in the next section.

Decision criteria

KMS customers who plan to use a custom key store tell us they expect to use the feature selectively, deciding on a key-by-key basis where to store them. To help you decide if and how you might use the new feature, here are some important issues to consider.

Here are some reasons you might want to store a key in a custom key store:

  • You have keys that are required to be protected in a single-tenant HSM or in an HSM over which you have direct control.
  • You have keys that are explicitly required to be stored in an HSM validated at FIPS 140-2 level 3 overall (the HSMs used in the default KMS key store are validated to level 2 overall, with level 3 in several categories, including physical security).
  • You have keys that are required to be auditable independently of KMS.

And here are some considerations that might influence your decision to use a custom key store:

  • Cost — Each custom key store requires that your CloudHSM cluster contains at least two HSMs. CloudHSM charges vary by region, but you should expect costs of at least $1,000 per month, per HSM, if each device is permanently provisioned. This cost occurs regardless of whether you make any requests of the KMS API directly or indirectly through an AWS service.
  • Performance — The number of HSMs determines the rate at which keys can be used. It’s important that you understand the intended usage patterns for your keys and ensure that you have provisioned your HSM resources appropriately.
  • Availability — The number of HSMs and the use of availability zones (AZs) impacts the availability of your cluster and, therefore, your keys. The risk of your configuration errors that result in a custom key store being disconnected, or key material being deleted and unrecoverable, must be understood and assessed.
  • Operations — By using the custom key store feature, you will perform certain tasks that are normally handled by KMS. You will need to set up HSM clusters, configure HSM users, and potentially restore HSMs from backup. These are security-sensitive tasks for which you should have the appropriate resources and organizational controls in place to perform.

Getting Started

Here’s a basic rundown of the steps that you’ll take to create your first key in a custom key store within a given region.

  1. Create your CloudHSM cluster, initialize it, and add HSMs to the cluster. If you already have a CloudHSM cluster, you can use it as a custom key store in addition to your existing applications.
  2. Create a CloudHSM user so that KMS can access your cluster to create and use keys.
  3. Create a custom key store entry in KMS, give it a name, define which CloudHSM cluster you want it to use, and give KMS the credentials to access your cluster.
  4. Instruct KMS to make a connection to your cluster and log in.
  5. Create a CMK in KMS in the usual way except now select CloudHSM as the source of your key material. You’ll define administrators, users, and policies for the key as you would for any other CMK.
  6. Use the key via the existing KMS APIs, AWS CLI, or the AWS Encryption SDK. Requests to use the key don’t need to be context-aware of whether the key is stored in a custom key store or the default KMS key store.

Summary

Some customers need specific controls in place before they can use KMS to manage encryption keys in AWS. The new KMS custom key store feature is intended to satisfy that requirement. You can now apply the controls provided by CloudHSM to keys managed in KMS, without changing access control policies or service integration.

However, by using the new feature, you take responsibility for certain operational aspects that would otherwise be handled by KMS. It’s important that you have the appropriate controls in place and understand the performance and availability requirements of each key that you create in a custom key store.

If you’ve been prevented from migrating sensitive data to AWS because of specific key management requirements that are currently not met by KMS, consider using the new KMS custom key store feature.

If you have feedback about this blog post, submit comments in the Comments section below. If you have questions about this blog post, start a new thread on the AWS Key Management Service discussion forum.

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Author

Richard Moulds

Richard is a Principal Product Manager at AWS. He’s a member of the KMS team and is primarily focused on helping to define the product roadmap and satisfy customer requirements. Richard has more than 15 years experience in helping customers build encryption and key management systems to protect their data. His attraction to cryptography stems from the challenge of taking such a complex subject and translating it into simple solutions that customers should be able to take for granted, on a grand scale. When he’s not thinking ahead he’s focused on the past, restoring classic cars, the more rust the better.

How to clone an AWS CloudHSM cluster across regions

Post Syndicated from Tracy Pierce original https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-to-clone-an-aws-cloudhsm-cluster-across-regions/

You can use AWS CloudHSM to generate, store, import, export, and manage your cryptographic keys. It also permits hash functions to compute message digests and hash-based message authentication codes (HMACs), as well as cryptographically sign data and verify signatures. To help ensure redundancy of data and simplification of the disaster recovery process, you’ll typically clone your AWS CloudHSM cluster into a different AWS region. This then allows you to synchronize keys, including non-exportable keys, across regions. Non-exportable keys are keys that can never leave the CloudHSM device in plaintext. They reside on the CloudHSM device and are encrypted for security purposes.

You clone a cluster to another region in a two-step process. First, you copy a backup to the destination region. Second, you create a new cluster from this backup. In this post, I’ll show you how to set up one cluster in region 1, and how to use the new CopyBackupToRegion feature to clone the cluster and hardware security modules (HSMs) to a virtual private cloud (VPC) in region 2.

Note: This post doesn’t include instructions on how to set up a cross-region VPC to synchronize HSMs across the two cloned clusters. If you need to do that, read this article.

Solution overview

To complete this solution, you can use either the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI)
or the AWS CloudHSM API. For this post, I’ll use the AWS CLI to copy the cluster backup from region 1 to region 2, and then I’ll launch a new cluster from that copied backup.

The following diagram illustrates the process covered in the post.
 

Figure 1: Architecture diagram

Figure 1: Architecture diagram

Here’s how the process works:

  1. AWS CloudHSM creates a backup of the cluster and stores it in an S3 bucket owned by AWS CloudHSM.
  2. You run the CLI/API command to copy the backup to another AWS region.
  3. When the backup is completed, you use that backup to then create a cluster and HSMs.

    4. Note: Backups can’t be copied into or out of AWS GovCloud (US) because it’s a restricted region.

As with all cluster backups, when you copy the backup to a new AWS region, it’s stored in an Amazon S3 bucket owned by an AWS CloudHSM account. AWS CloudHSM manages the security and storage of cluster backups for you. This means the backup in both regions will also have the durability of Amazon S3, which is 99.999999999%. The backup in region 2 will also be encrypted and secured in the same way as your backup in region 1. You can read more about the encryption process of your AWS CloudHSM backups here.

Any HSMs created in this cloned cluster will have the same users and keys as the original cluster at the time the backup was taken. From this point on, you must manually keep the cloned clusters in sync. Specifically:

  • If you create users after creating your new cluster from the backup, you must create them on both clusters manually.
  • If you change the password for a user in one cluster, you must change the password on the cloned clusters to match.
  • If you create more keys in one cluster, you must sync them to at least one HSM in the cloned cluster. Note that after you sync the key from cluster 1 to cluster 2, the CloudHSM automated cluster synchronization will take care of syncing the keys within the 2nd cluster.

Prerequisites

Some items that will need to be in place for this to work are:

Important note: Syncing keys across clusters in more than one region will only work if all clusters are created from the same backup. This is because synchronization requires the same secret key, called a masking key, to be present on the source and destination HSM. The masking key is specific to each cluster. It can’t be exported, and can’t be used for any purpose other than synchronizing keys across HSMs in a cluster.

Step 1: Create your first cluster in region 1

Follow the links in each sub-step below to the documentation page for more information and setup requirements:

  1. Create the cluster. To do this, you will run the command below via CLI. You will want to replace the placeholder <SUBNET ID 1> with one of your private subnets.
    $ aws cloudhsmv2 create-cluster –hsm-type hsm1.medium –subnet-ids <SUBNET ID 1>
  2. Launch your Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) client (in the public subnet). You can follow the steps here to launch an EC2 Instance.
  3. Create the first HSM (in the private subnet). To do this, you will run the command below via CLI. You will want to replace the placeholder <CLUSTER ID> with the ID given from the ‘Create the cluster’ command above. You’ll replace <AVAILABILITY ZONE> with the AZ matching your private subnet. For example, us-east-1a.
    $ aws cloudhsmv2 create-hsm –cluster-id <CLUSTER ID> –availability-zone <AVAILABILITY ZONE>
  4. Initialize the cluster. Initializing your cluster requires creating a self-signed certificate and using that to sign the cluster’s Certificate Signing Request (CSR). You can view an example here of how to create and use a self-signed certificate. Once you have your certificate, you will run the command below to initialize the cluster with it. You will want to replace the placeholder <CLUSTER ID> with your cluster id from step 1.
    $ aws cloudhsmv2 initialize-cluster –cluster-id <CLUSTER ID> –signed-cert file://<CLUSTER ID>_CustomerHsmCertificate.crt –-trust-anchor file://customerCA.crt

    Note: Don’t forget to place a copy of the certificate used to sign your cluster’s CSR into the /opt/cloudhsm/etc directory to ensure a continued secure connection.

  5. Install the cloudhsm-client software. Once the Amazon EC2 client is launched, you’ll need to download and install the cloudhsm-client software. You can do this by running the command below from the CLI:
    wget https://s3.amazonaws.com/cloudhsmv2-software/CloudHsmClient/EL6/cloudhsm-client-latest.el6.x86_64.rpm

    Once downloaded, you’ll install by running this command:
    sudo yum install -y ./cloudhsm-client-latest.el6.x86_64.rpm

  6. The last step in initializing the cluster requires you to configure the cloudhsm-client to point to the ENI IP of your first HSM. You do this on your EC2 client by running this command:
    $ sudo /opt/cloudhsm/bin/configure -a <IP ADDRESS>
    Replace the <IP ADDRESS> placeholder with your HSM’s ENI IP. The cloudhsm-client comes pre-installed with a Python script called “configure” located in the /opt/cloudhsm/bin/ directory. This will update your /opt/cloudhsm/etc/cloudhsm_mgmt_util.cfg and
    /opt/cloudhsm/etc/cloudhsm_client.cfg files with your HSM’s IP address. This ensures your client can connect to your cluster.
  7. Activate the cluster. To activate, you must launch the cloudhsm-client by running this command, which logs you into the cluster:

    $ /opt/cloudhsm/bin/cloudhsm_mgmt_util /opt/cloudhsm/etc/cloudhsm_mgmt_util.cfg

    Then, you need to enable the secure communication by running this command:

    aws-cloudhsm>enable_e2e

    If you’ve placed the certificate in the correct directory, you should see a response like this on the command line:

    E2E enabled on server 0(server1)

    If you run the command listUsers you’ll see a PRECO user:

    
aws-cloudhsm>listUsers
Users on server 0(server1):
Number of users found:2
	User ID		User Type	User Name
	     1		PRECO		admin
	     2		AU		app_user

    Change the password for this user to complete the activation process. You do this by first logging in using the command below:

    aws-cloudhsm>loginHSM PRECO admin password

    Once logged in, change the password using this command:

    
aws-cloudhsm>changePswd PRECO admin <NEW PASSWORD>
***************************CAUTION******************************
This is a CRITICAL operation, should be done on all nodes in the
cluster. Cav server does NOT synchronize these changes with the 
nodes on which this operation is not executed or failed, please
ensure this operation is executed on all nodes in the cluster.
****************************************************************

Do you want to continue(y/n)?Y
Changing password for admin(PRECO) on 1 nodes

    Once completed, log out using the command logout, then log back in with the new password, using the command loginHSM PRECO admin <NEW PASSWORD>.

    Doing this allows you to create the first crypto user (CU). You create the user by running the command:
    aws-cloudhsm>createUser <USERTYPE (ex: CO, CU)> <USERNAME> <PASSWORD>
    Replace the red values in this command. The <USERTYPE> can be a CO (crypto officer) or a CU (crypto user). You can find more information about usertypes here. You’ll replace the placeholders <USERNAME> <PASSWORD> with a real user and password combo. Crypto Users are permitted to create and share keys on the CloudHSM.

    Run the command quit to exit this tool.

Step 2: Trigger a backup of your cluster

To trigger a backup that will be copied to region 2 to create your new cluster, add an HSM to your cluster in region 1. You can do this via the console or CLI. The backup that is created will contain all users (COs, CUs, and appliance users), all key material on the HSMs, and the configurations and policies associated with them. The user portion is extremely important because keys can only be synced across clusters to the same user. Make a note of the backup ID because you will need it later. You can find this by logging into the AWS console and navigating to the CloudHSM console, then selecting Backups. There will be a list of backup IDs, cluster IDs, and creation times. Make sure to select the backup ID specifically created for the cross-region copy.

Step 3: Create a key on your cluster in Region 1

There are many ways to create a key. I’m using key_mgmt_util because it’s an easy and straightforward method using CLI commands instead of SDK libraries. Start by connecting to the EC2 client instance that you launched above and ensuring the cloudhsm-client is running. If you aren’t sure, run this command:

$ sudo start cloudhsm-client

Now, launch the key_mgmt_util by running this command:

$ /opt/cloudhsm/bin/key_mgmt_util

When you see the prompt, log in as a CU to create your key, replacing <USERNAME> and <PASSWORD> with an actual CU user’s username and password:

Command: loginHSM -u CU -s <USERNAME> -p <PASSWORD>

To create the key for this example, we’re going to use the key_mgmt_util to generate a symmetric key. Note the -nex parameter is what makes this key non-exportable. An example command is below:

Command: genSymKey -t 31 -s 32 -l aes256 -nex

In the above command:

  1. genSymKey creates the Symmetric key
  2. -t chooses the key type, which in this case is AES
  3. -s states the key size, which in this case is 32 bytes
  4. -l creates a label to easily recognize the key by
  5. -nex makes the key non-exportable

The HSM will return a key handle. This is used as an identifier to reference the key in future commands. Make a note of the key handle because you will need it later. Here’s an example of the full output in which you can see the key handle provided is 37:


Command:genSymKey -t 31 -s 32 -l aes256 -nex
	Cfm3GenerateSymmetricKey returned: 0x00 : HSM Return: SUCCESS
	Symmetric Key Created.   Key Handle: 37
	Cluster Error Status
	Node id 0 and err state 0x00000000 : HSM Return: SUCCESS

Step 4: Copy your backup from region 1 to region 2 and create a cluster from the backup

To copy your backup from region 1 to region 2, from your EC2 client you’ll need to run the command that appears after these important notes:

  • Make sure the proper permissions are applied for the IAM role or user configured for the CLI. You’ll want to be a CloudHSM administrator for these actions. The instructions here show you how to create an admin user for this process, and here is an example of the permissions policy:
    
{
   "Version":"2018-06-12",
   "Statement":{
      "Effect":"Allow",
      "Action":[
         "cloudhsm:*",
         "ec2:CreateNetworkInterface",
         "ec2:DescribeNetworkInterfaces",
         "ec2:DescribeNetworkInterfaceAttribute",
         "ec2:DetachNetworkInterface",
         "ec2:DeleteNetworkInterface",
         "ec2:CreateSecurityGroup",
         "ec2:AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress",
         "ec2:AuthorizeSecurityGroupEgress",
         "ec2:RevokeSecurityGroupEgress",
         "ec2:DescribeSecurityGroups",
         "ec2:DeleteSecurityGroup",
         "ec2:CreateTags",
         "ec2:DescribeVpcs",
         "ec2:DescribeSubnets",
         "iam:CreateServiceLinkedRole"
      ],
      "Resource":"*"
   }
}

  • To copy the backup over, you need to know the destination region, the source cluster ID, and/or the source backup ID. You can find the source cluster ID and/or the source backup ID in the CloudHSM console.
  • If you use only the cluster ID, the most recent backup of the associated cluster will be chosen for copy. If you specify the backup ID, that associated backup will be copied. If you don’t know these IDs, run the describe-clusters or describe-backups commands.

Here’s the example command:


$ aws cloudhsmv2 copy-backup-to-region --destination-region <DESTINATION REGION> --cluster-id <CLUSTER ID> --backup-id <BACKUP ID>
{
    “DestinationBackup”: {
	“BackupId”: “backup-gdnekhcxf4n”,
	“CreateTimestamp”: 1531742400,
	“BackupState”: “CREATE_IN_PROGRESS”,
	“SourceCluster”: “cluster-kzlczlspnho”,
	“SourceBackup”: “backup-4kuraxsqetz”,
	“SourceRegion”: “us-east-1”
     }
}

Once the backup has been copied to region 2, you’ll see a new backup ID in your console. This is what you’ll use to create your new cluster. You can follow the steps here to create your new cluster from this backup. This cluster will launch already initialized for you, but it will still need HSMs added into it to complete the activation process. Make sure you copy over the cluster certificate from the original cluster to the new region. You can do this by opening two terminal sessions, one for each HSM. Open the certificate file on the HSM in cluster 1 and copy it. On the HSM in cluster 2, create a file and paste the certificate over. You can use any text editor you like to do this. This certificate is required to establish the encrypted connection between your client and HSM instances.

You should also make sure you’ve added the cloned cluster’s Security Group to your EC2 client instance to allow connectivity. You do this by selecting the Security Group for your EC2 client in the EC2 console, and selecting Add rules. You’ll add a rule allowing traffic, with the source being the Security Group ID of your cluster.

Finally, take note of the ENI IP for the HSM because you’ll need it later. You can find this in your CloudHSM Console by clicking on the cluster for more information.

Step 5: Create a new configuration file with one ENI IP from both clusters

To sync a key from a cluster in region 1 to a cluster in region 2, you must create a configuration file that contains at least one ENI IP of an HSM in both clusters. This is required to allow the cloudhsm-client to communicate with both clusters at the same time. This is where the masking key we mentioned earlier comes into play as the syncKey command uses that to copy keys between clusters. This is why the cluster in region 2 must be created from a backup of the cluster in region 1. For the new configuration file, I’m going to copy over the original file /opt/cloudhsm/etc/cloudhsm_mgmt_util.cfg to a new file. Name this SyncClusters.cfg. You’re going to edit this new configuration file to have the ENI IP of the HSM in the cluster of region 1 and the ENI IP of the HSM in the cluster of region 2. It should look something like this:


{
    "scard": {
        "certificate": "cert-sc",
        "enable": "no",
        "pkey": "pkey-sc",
        "port": 2225
    },
    "servers": [
        {
            "CAfile": "",
            "CApath": "/opt/cloudhsm/etc/certs",
            "certificate": "/opt/cloudhsm/etc/client.crt",
            "e2e_encryption": {
                "enable": "yes",
                "owner_cert_path": "/opt/cloudhsm/etc/customerCA.crt"
            },
            "enable": "yes",
            "hostname": "",
            "name": "",
            "pkey": "/opt/cloudhsm/etc/client.key",
            "port": 2225,
            "server_ssl": "yes",
            "ssl_ciphers": ""
        },
        {
            "CAfile": "",
            "CApath": "/opt/cloudhsm/etc/certs",
            "certificate": "/opt/cloudhsm/etc/client.crt",
            "e2e_encryption": {
                "enable": "yes",
                "owner_cert_path": "/opt/cloudhsm/etc/customerCA.crt"
            },
            "enable": "yes",
            "hostname": "",
            "name": "",
            "pkey": "/opt/cloudhsm/etc/client.key",
            "port": 2225,
            "server_ssl": "yes",
            "ssl_ciphers": ""
        }
    ]
}

To verify connectivity to both clusters, start the cloudhsm-client using the modified configuration file. The command will look similar to this:

$ /opt/cloudhsm/bin/cloudhsm_mgmt_util.cfg /opt/cloudhsm/etc/SyncClusters.cfg

After connection, you should see something similar to this, with one IP from cluster 1 and one IP from cluster 2:


Connecting to the server(s), it may take time
depending on the server(s) load, please wait...
Connecting to server '<CLUSTER-1-IP>': hostname '<CLUSTER-1-IP>', port 2225...
Connected to server '<CLUSTER-1-IP>': hostname '<CLUSTER-1-IP>', port 2225.
Connecting to server '<CLUSTER-2-IP>': hostname '<CLUSTER-2-IP>', port 2225...
Connected to server '<CLUSTER-2-IP>': hostname '<CLUSTER-2-IP>', port 2225.

If you run the command info server from the prompt, you’ll see a list of servers your client is connected to. Make note of these because they’ll be important when syncing your keys. Typically, you’ll see server 0 as your first HSM in cluster 1 and server 1 as your first HSM in cluster 2.

Step 6: Sync your key from the cluster in region 1 to the cluster in region 2

You’re ready to sync your keys. Make sure you’ve logged in as the Crypto Officer (CO) user. Only the CO user can perform management functions on the cluster (for example, syncing keys).

Note: These steps are all performed at the server prompt, not the aws-cloudhsm prompt.

First, run the command listUsers to get the user IDs of the user that created the keys. Here’s an example:


server0>listUsers
Users on server 0(<CLUSTER-A-IP>):
Number of users found:3

User Id    User Type	User Name     MofnPubKey     LoginFailureCnt	 2FA
1		CO   	admin         NO               0	 	 NO
2		AU   	app_user      NO               0	 	 NO
3		CU   	<USERNAME>    NO               0	 	 NO

Make note of the user ID because you’ll need it later; in this case, it’s 3. Now, you need to see the key handles that you want to sync. You either noted this from earlier, or you can find this by running the findAllKeys command with the parameter for user 3. Here’s an example:


server0>findAllKeys 3 0
Keys on server 0(<CLUSTER-1-IP<):
Number of keys found 1
number of keys matched from start index 0::1
37
findAllKeys success

In this case, the key handle I want to sync is 37. When running the command syncKey, you’ll input the key handle and the server you want to sync it to (the destination server). Here’s an example:

server0>syncKey 37 1

In this example, 37 is the key handle, and 1 is the destination HSM. You’ll run the exit command to back out to the cluster prompt, and from here you can run findAllKeys again, which should show the same key handle on both clusters.


aws-cloudhsm>findAllKeys 3 0
Keys on server 0(<CLUSTER-1-IP>):
Number of keys found 1
number of keys matched from start index 0::1
37
findAllKeys success on server 0(<CLUSTER-1-IP>)
Keys on server 0(<CLUSTER-2-IP>):
Number of keys found 1
number of keys matched from start index 0::1
37
findAllKeys success on server 0(<CLUSTER-2-IP>)

Repeat this process with all keys you want to sync between clusters.

Summary

I walked you through how to create a cluster, trigger a backup, copy that backup to a new region, launch a new cluster from that backup, and then sync keys across clusters. This will help reduce disaster recovery time, while helping to ensure that your keys are secure in multiple regions should a failure occur.

Remember to always manually update users across clusters after the initial backup copy and cluster creation because these aren’t automatic. You must also run the syncKey command on any keys created after this, as well.

You’re now set up for fault tolerance in your AWS CloudHSM environment.

If you have feedback about this blog post, submit comments in the Comments section below. If you have questions about this blog post, start a new thread on the AWS CloudHSM forum.

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Author

Tracy Pierce

Tracy Pierce is a Senior Cloud Support Engineer at AWS. She enjoys the peculiar culture of Amazon and uses that to ensure every day is exciting for her fellow engineers and customers alike. Customer Obsession is her highest priority and she shows this by improving processes, documentation, and building tutorials. She has her AS in Computer Security & Forensics from SCTD, SSCP certification, AWS Developer Associate certification, and AWS Security Specialist certification. Outside of work, she enjoys time with friends, her Great Dane, and three cats. She keeps work interesting by drawing cartoon characters on the walls at request.

MagPi 70: Home automation with Raspberry Pi

Post Syndicated from Rob Zwetsloot original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/magpi-70-home-automation/

Hey folks, Rob here! It’s the last Thursday of the month, and that means it’s time for a brand-new The MagPi. Issue 70 is all about home automation using your favourite microcomputer, the Raspberry Pi.

Cover of The MagPi 70 — Raspberry Pi home automation and tech upcycling

Home automation in this month’s The MagPi!

Raspberry Pi home automation

We think home automation is an excellent use of the Raspberry Pi, hiding it around your house and letting it power your lights and doorbells and…fish tanks? We show you how to do all of that, and give you some excellent tips on how to add even more automation to your home in our ten-page cover feature.

Upcycle your life

Our other big feature this issue covers upcycling, the hot trend of taking old electronics and making them better than new with some custom code and a tactically placed Raspberry Pi. For this feature, we had a chat with Martin Mander, upcycler extraordinaire, to find out his top tips for hacking your old hardware.

Article on upcycling in The MagPi 70 — Raspberry Pi home automation and tech upcycling

Upcycling is a lot of fun

But wait, there’s more!

If for some reason you want even more content, you’re in luck! We have some fun tutorials for you to try, like creating a theremin and turning a Babbage into an IoT nanny cam. We also continue our quest to make a video game in C++. Our project showcase is headlined by the Teslonda on page 28, a Honda/Tesla car hybrid that is just wonderful.

Diddyborg V2 review in The MagPi 70 — Raspberry Pi home automation and tech upcycling

We review PiBorg’s latest robot

All this comes with our definitive reviews and the community section where we celebrate you, our amazing community! You’re all good beans

Teslonda article in The MagPi 70 — Raspberry Pi home automation and tech upcycling

An amazing, and practical, Raspberry Pi project

Get The MagPi 70

Issue 70 is available today from WHSmith, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Asda. If you live in the US, head over to your local Barnes & Noble or Micro Center in the next few days for a print copy. You can also get the new issue online from our store, or digitally via our Android and iOS apps. And don’t forget, there’s always the free PDF as well.

New subscription offer!

Want to support the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the magazine? We’ve launched a new way to subscribe to the print version of The MagPi: you can now take out a monthly £4 subscription to the magazine, effectively creating a rolling pre-order system that saves you money on each issue.

The MagPi subscription offer — Raspberry Pi home automation and tech upcycling

You can also take out a twelve-month print subscription and get a Pi Zero W plus case and adapter cables absolutely free! This offer does not currently have an end date.

That’s it for today! See you next month.

Animated GIF: a door slides open and Captain Picard emerges hesitantly

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HackSpace magazine 7: Internet of Everything

Post Syndicated from Andrew Gregory original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/hackspace-magazine-7-internet-of-everything/

We’re usually averse to buzzwords at HackSpace magazine, but not this month: in issue 7, we’re taking a deep dive into the Internet of Things.HackSpace magazine issue 7 cover

Internet of Things (IoT)

To many people, IoT is a shady term used by companies to sell you something you already own, but this time with WiFi; to us, it’s a way to make our builds smarter, more useful, and more connected. In HackSpace magazine #7, you can join us on a tour of the boards that power IoT projects, marvel at the ways in which other makers are using IoT, and get started with your first IoT project!

Awesome projects

DIY retro computing: this issue, we’re taking our collective hat off to Spencer Owen. He stuck his home-brew computer on Tindie thinking he might make a bit of beer money — now he’s paying the mortgage with his making skills and inviting others to build modules for his machine. And if that tickles your fancy, why not take a crack at our Z80 tutorial? Get out your breadboard, assemble your jumper wires, and prepare to build a real-life computer!

Inside HackSpace magazine issue 7

Shameless patriotism: combine Lego, Arduino, and the car of choice for 1960 gold bullion thieves, and you’ve got yourself a groovy weekend project. We proudly present to you one man’s epic quest to add LED lights (controllable via a smartphone!) to his daughter’s LEGO Mini Cooper.

Makerspaces

Patriotism intensifies: for the last 200-odd years, the Black Country has been a hotbed of making. Urban Hax, based in Walsall, is the latest makerspace to show off its riches in the coveted Space of the Month pages. Every space has its own way of doing things, but not every space has a portrait of Rob Halford on the wall. All hail!

Inside HackSpace magazine issue 7

Diversity: advice on diversity often boils down to ‘Be nice to people’, which might feel more vague than actionable. This is where we come in to help: it is truly worth making the effort to give people of all backgrounds access to your makerspace, so we take a look at why it’s nice to be nice, and at the ways in which one makerspace has put niceness into practice — with great results.

And there’s more!

We also show you how to easily calculate the size and radius of laser-cut gears, use a bank of LEDs to etch PCBs in your own mini factory, and use chemistry to mess with your lunch menu.

Inside HackSpace magazine issue 7
Helen Steer inside HackSpace magazine issue 7
Inside HackSpace magazine issue 7

All this plus much, much more waits for you in HackSpace magazine issue 7!

Get your copy of HackSpace magazine

If you like the sound of that, you can find HackSpace magazine in WHSmith, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and independent newsagents in the UK. If you live in the US, check out your local Barnes & Noble, Fry’s, or Micro Center next week. We’re also shipping to stores in Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, Singapore, Belgium, and Brazil, so be sure to ask your local newsagent whether they’ll be getting HackSpace magazine.

And if you can’t get to the shops, fear not: you can subscribe from £4 an issue from our online shop. And if you’d rather try before you buy, you can always download the free PDF. Happy reading, and happy making!

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Ray Ozzie’s Encryption Backdoor

Post Syndicated from Bruce Schneier original https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2018/05/ray_ozzies_encr.html

Last month, Wired published a long article about Ray Ozzie and his supposed new scheme for adding a backdoor in encrypted devices. It’s a weird article. It paints Ozzie’s proposal as something that “attains the impossible” and “satisfies both law enforcement and privacy purists,” when (1) it’s barely a proposal, and (2) it’s essentially the same key escrow scheme we’ve been hearing about for decades.

Basically, each device has a unique public/private key pair and a secure processor. The public key goes into the processor and the device, and is used to encrypt whatever user key encrypts the data. The private key is stored in a secure database, available to law enforcement on demand. The only other trick is that for law enforcement to use that key, they have to put the device in some sort of irreversible recovery mode, which means it can never be used again. That’s basically it.

I have no idea why anyone is talking as if this were anything new. Several cryptographers have already explained why this key escrow scheme is no better than any other key escrow scheme. The short answer is (1) we won’t be able to secure that database of backdoor keys, (2) we don’t know how to build the secure coprocessor the scheme requires, and (3) it solves none of the policy problems around the whole system. This is the typical mistake non-cryptographers make when they approach this problem: they think that the hard part is the cryptography to create the backdoor. That’s actually the easy part. The hard part is ensuring that it’s only used by the good guys, and there’s nothing in Ozzie’s proposal that addresses any of that.

I worry that this kind of thing is damaging in the long run. There should be some rule that any backdoor or key escrow proposal be a fully specified proposal, not just some cryptography and hand-waving notions about how it will be used in practice. And before it is analyzed and debated, it should have to satisfy some sort of basic security analysis. Otherwise, we’ll be swatting pseudo-proposals like this one, while those on the other side of this debate become increasingly convinced that it’s possible to design one of these things securely.

Already people are using the National Academies report on backdoors for law enforcement as evidence that engineers are developing workable and secure backdoors. Writing in Lawfare, Alan Z. Rozenshtein claims that the report — and a related New York Times story — “undermine the argument that secure third-party access systems are so implausible that it’s not even worth trying to develop them.” Susan Landau effectively corrects this misconception, but the damage is done.

Here’s the thing: it’s not hard to design and build a backdoor. What’s hard is building the systems — both technical and procedural — around them. Here’s Rob Graham:

He’s only solving the part we already know how to solve. He’s deliberately ignoring the stuff we don’t know how to solve. We know how to make backdoors, we just don’t know how to secure them.

A bunch of us cryptographers have already explained why we don’t think this sort of thing will work in the foreseeable future. We write:

Exceptional access would force Internet system developers to reverse “forward secrecy” design practices that seek to minimize the impact on user privacy when systems are breached. The complexity of today’s Internet environment, with millions of apps and globally connected services, means that new law enforcement requirements are likely to introduce unanticipated, hard to detect security flaws. Beyond these and other technical vulnerabilities, the prospect of globally deployed exceptional access systems raises difficult problems about how such an environment would be governed and how to ensure that such systems would respect human rights and the rule of law.

Finally, Matthew Green:

The reason so few of us are willing to bet on massive-scale key escrow systems is that we’ve thought about it and we don’t think it will work. We’ve looked at the threat model, the usage model, and the quality of hardware and software that exists today. Our informed opinion is that there’s no detection system for key theft, there’s no renewability system, HSMs are terrifically vulnerable (and the companies largely staffed with ex-intelligence employees), and insiders can be suborned. We’re not going to put the data of a few billion people on the line an environment where we believe with high probability that the system will fail.

EDITED TO ADD (5/14): An analysis of the proposal.

MagPi 69: affordable 3D printing with a Raspberry Pi

Post Syndicated from Rob Zwetsloot original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/magpi-69/

Hi folks, Rob from The MagPi here with the good news that The MagPi 69 is out now! Nice. Our latest issue is all about 3D printing and how you can get yourself a very affordable 3D printer that you can control with a Raspberry Pi.

Raspberry Pi MagPi 69 3D-printing

Get 3D printing from just £99!

Pi-powered 3D printing

Affordability is always a big factor when it comes to 3D printers. Like any new cosumer tech, their prices are often in the thousands of pounds. Over the last decade, however, these prices have been dropping steadily. Now you can get budget 3D printers for hundreds rather than thousands – and even for £99, like the iMakr. Pairing an iMakr with a Raspberry Pi makes for a reasonably priced 3D printing solution. In issue 69, we show you how to do just that!

Portable Raspberry Pis

Looking for a way to make your Raspberry Pi portable? One of our themes this issue is portable Pis, with a feature on how to build your very own Raspberry Pi TV stick, coincidentally with a 3D-printed case. We also review the Noodle Pi kit and the RasPad, two products that can help you take your Pi out and about away from a power socket.


And of course we have a selection of other great guides, project showcases, reviews, and community news.

Get The MagPi 69

Issue 69 is available today from WHSmith, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Asda. If you live in the US, head over to your local Barnes & Noble or Micro Center in the next few days for a print copy. You can also get the new issue online from our store, or digitally via our Android and iOS apps. And don’t forget, there’s always the free PDF as well.

New subscription offer!

Want to support the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the magazine? We’ve launched a new way to subscribe to the print version of The MagPi: you can now take out a monthly £4 subscription to the magazine, effectively creating a rolling pre-order system that saves you money on each issue.

Raspberry Pi MagPi 69 3D-printing

You can also take out a twelve-month print subscription and get a Pi Zero W, Pi Zero case, and adapter cables absolutely free! This offer does not currently have an end date.

We hope you enjoy this issue! See you next month.

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Hackspace magazine 6: Paper Engineering

Post Syndicated from Andrew Gregory original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/hackspace-magazine-6/

HackSpace magazine is back with our brand-new issue 6, available for you on shop shelves, in your inbox, and on our website right now.

Inside Hackspace magazine 6

Paper is probably the first thing you ever used for making, and for good reason: in no other medium can you iterate through 20 designs at the cost of only a few pennies. We’ve roped in Rob Ives to show us how to make a barking paper dog with moveable parts and a cam mechanism. Even better, the magazine includes this free paper automaton for you to make yourself. That’s right: free!

At the other end of the scale, there’s the forge, where heat, light, and noise combine to create immutable steel. We speak to Alec Steele, YouTuber, blacksmith, and philosopher, about his amazingly beautiful Damascus steel creations, and about why there’s no difference between grinding a knife and blowing holes in a mountain to build a road through it.

HackSpace magazine 6 Alec Steele

Do it yourself

You’ve heard of reading glasses — how about glasses that read for you? Using a camera, optical character recognition software, and a text-to-speech engine (and of course a Raspberry Pi to hold it all together), reader Andrew Lewis has hacked together his own system to help deal with age-related macular degeneration.

It’s the definition of hacking: here’s a problem, there’s no solution in the shops, so you go and build it yourself!

Radio

60 years ago, the cutting edge of home hacking was the transistor radio. Before the internet was dreamt of, the transistor radio made the world smaller and brought people together. Nowadays, the components you need to build a radio are cheap and easily available, so if you’re in any way electronically inclined, building a radio is an ideal excuse to dust off your soldering iron.

Tutorials

If you’re a 12-month subscriber (if you’re not, you really should be), you’ve no doubt been thinking of all sorts of things to do with the Adafruit Circuit Playground Express we gave you for free. How about a sewable circuit for a canvas bag? Use the accelerometer to detect patterns of movement — walking, for example — and flash a series of lights in response. It’s clever, fun, and an easy way to add some programmable fun to your shopping trips.


We’re also making gin, hacking a children’s toy car to unlock more features, and getting started with robot sumo to fill the void left by the cancellation of Robot Wars.

HackSpace magazine 6

All this, plus an 11-metre tall mechanical miner, in HackSpace magazine issue 6 — subscribe here from just £4 an issue or get the PDF version for free. You can also find HackSpace magazine in WHSmith, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and independent newsagents in the UK. If you live in the US, check out your local Barnes & Noble, Fry’s, or Micro Center next week. We’re also shipping to stores in Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, Singapore, Belgium, and Brazil, so be sure to ask your local newsagent whether they’ll be getting HackSpace magazine.

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AWS Certificate Manager Launches Private Certificate Authority

Post Syndicated from Randall Hunt original https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/aws-certificate-manager-launches-private-certificate-authority/

Today we’re launching a new feature for AWS Certificate Manager (ACM), Private Certificate Authority (CA). This new service allows ACM to act as a private subordinate CA. Previously, if a customer wanted to use private certificates, they needed specialized infrastructure and security expertise that could be expensive to maintain and operate. ACM Private CA builds on ACM’s existing certificate capabilities to help you easily and securely manage the lifecycle of your private certificates with pay as you go pricing. This enables developers to provision certificates in just a few simple API calls while administrators have a central CA management console and fine grained access control through granular IAM policies. ACM Private CA keys are stored securely in AWS managed hardware security modules (HSMs) that adhere to FIPS 140-2 Level 3 security standards. ACM Private CA automatically maintains certificate revocation lists (CRLs) in Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) and lets administrators generate audit reports of certificate creation with the API or console. This service is packed full of features so let’s jump in and provision a CA.

Provisioning a Private Certificate Authority (CA)

First, I’ll navigate to the ACM console in my region and select the new Private CAs section in the sidebar. From there I’ll click Get Started to start the CA wizard. For now, I only have the option to provision a subordinate CA so we’ll select that and use my super secure desktop as the root CA and click Next. This isn’t what I would do in a production setting but it will work for testing out our private CA.

Now, I’ll configure the CA with some common details. The most important thing here is the Common Name which I’ll set as secure.internal to represent my internal domain.

Now I need to choose my key algorithm. You should choose the best algorithm for your needs but know that ACM has a limitation today that it can only manage certificates that chain up to to RSA CAs. For now, I’ll go with RSA 2048 bit and click Next.

In this next screen, I’m able to configure my certificate revocation list (CRL). CRLs are essential for notifying clients in the case that a certificate has been compromised before certificate expiration. ACM will maintain the revocation list for me and I have the option of routing my S3 bucket to a custome domain. In this case I’ll create a new S3 bucket to store my CRL in and click Next.

Finally, I’ll review all the details to make sure I didn’t make any typos and click Confirm and create.

A few seconds later and I’m greeted with a fancy screen saying I successfully provisioned a certificate authority. Hooray! I’m not done yet though. I still need to activate my CA by creating a certificate signing request (CSR) and signing that with my root CA. I’ll click Get started to begin that process.

Now I’ll copy the CSR or download it to a server or desktop that has access to my root CA (or potentially another subordinate – so long as it chains to a trusted root for my clients).

Now I can use a tool like openssl to sign my cert and generate the certificate chain.


$openssl ca -config openssl_root.cnf -extensions v3_intermediate_ca -days 3650 -notext -md sha256 -in csr/CSR.pem -out certs/subordinate_cert.pem
Using configuration from openssl_root.cnf
Enter pass phrase for /Users/randhunt/dev/amzn/ca/private/root_private_key.pem:
Check that the request matches the signature
Signature ok
The Subject's Distinguished Name is as follows
stateOrProvinceName   :ASN.1 12:'Washington'
localityName          :ASN.1 12:'Seattle'
organizationName      :ASN.1 12:'Amazon'
organizationalUnitName:ASN.1 12:'Engineering'
commonName            :ASN.1 12:'secure.internal'
Certificate is to be certified until Mar 31 06:05:30 2028 GMT (3650 days)
Sign the certificate? [y/n]:y


1 out of 1 certificate requests certified, commit? [y/n]y
Write out database with 1 new entries
Data Base Updated

After that I’ll copy my subordinate_cert.pem and certificate chain back into the console. and click Next.

Finally, I’ll review all the information and click Confirm and import. I should see a screen like the one below that shows my CA has been activated successfully.

Now that I have a private CA we can provision private certificates by hopping back to the ACM console and creating a new certificate. After clicking create a new certificate I’ll select the radio button Request a private certificate then I’ll click Request a certificate.

From there it’s just similar to provisioning a normal certificate in ACM.

Now I have a private certificate that I can bind to my ELBs, CloudFront Distributions, API Gateways, and more. I can also export the certificate for use on embedded devices or outside of ACM managed environments.

Available Now
ACM Private CA is a service in and of itself and it is packed full of features that won’t fit into a blog post. I strongly encourage the interested readers to go through the developer guide and familiarize themselves with certificate based security. ACM Private CA is available in in US East (N. Virginia), US East (Ohio), US West (Oregon), Asia Pacific (Singapore), Asia Pacific (Sydney), Asia Pacific (Tokyo), Canada (Central), EU (Frankfurt) and EU (Ireland). Private CAs cost $400 per month (prorated) for each private CA. You are not charged for certificates created and maintained in ACM but you are charged for certificates where you have access to the private key (exported or created outside of ACM). The pricing per certificate is tiered starting at $0.75 per certificate for the first 1000 certificates and going down to $0.001 per certificate after 10,000 certificates.

I’m excited to see administrators and developers take advantage of this new service. As always please let us know what you think of this service on Twitter or in the comments below.

– Randall

MagPi 68: an in-depth look at the new Raspberry Pi 3B+

Post Syndicated from Rob Zwetsloot original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/magpi-68/

Hi folks, Rob from The MagPi here! You may remember that a couple of weeks ago, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ was released, the updated version of the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B. It’s better, faster, and stronger than the original and it’s also the main topic in The MagPi issue 68, out now!

Everything you need to know about the new Raspberry Pi 3B+

What goes into ‘plussing’ a Raspberry Pi? We talked to Eben Upton and Roger Thornton about the work that went into making the Raspberry Pi 3B+, and we also have all the benchmarks to show you just how much the new Pi 3B+ has been improved.

Super fighting robots

Did you know that the next Pi Wars is soon? The 2018 Raspberry Pi robotics competition is taking place later in April, and we’ve got a full feature on what to expect, as well as top tips on how to make your own kick-punching robot for the next round.

More to read

Still want more after all that? Well, we have our usual excellent selection of outstanding project showcases, reviews, and tutorials to keep you entertained.

See pictures from Raspberry Pi’s sixth birthday, celebrated around the world!

This includes amazing projects like a custom Pi-powered, Switch-esque retro games console, a Minecraft Pi hack that creates a house at the touch of a button, and the Matrix Voice.

With a Pi and a 3D printer, you can make something as cool as this!

Get The MagPi 68

Issue 68 is available today from WHSmith, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Asda. If you live in the US, head over to your local Barnes & Noble or Micro Center in the next few days for a print copy. You can also get the new issue online from our store, or digitally via our Android and iOS apps. And don’t forget, there’s always the free PDF as well.

New subscription offer!

Want to support the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the magazine? We’ve launched a new way to subscribe to the print version of The MagPi: you can now take out a monthly £4 subscription to the magazine, effectively creating a rolling pre-order system that saves you money on each issue.

You can also take out a twelve-month print subscription and get a Pi Zero W, Pi Zero case, and adapter cables absolutely free! This offer does not currently have an end date.

That’s it for now. See you next month!

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Security of Cloud HSMBackups

Post Syndicated from Balaji Iyer original https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/architecture/security-of-cloud-hsmbackups/

Today, our customers use AWS CloudHSM to meet corporate, contractual and regulatory compliance requirements for data security by using dedicated Hardware Security Module (HSM) instances within the AWS cloud. CloudHSM delivers all the benefits of traditional HSMs including secure generation, storage, and management of cryptographic keys used for data encryption that are controlled and accessible only by you.

As a managed service, it automates time-consuming administrative tasks such as hardware provisioning, software patching, high availability, backups and scaling for your sensitive and regulated workloads in a cost-effective manner. Backup and restore functionality is the core building block enabling scalability, reliability and high availability in CloudHSM.

You should consider using AWS CloudHSM if you require:

  • Keys stored in dedicated, third-party validated hardware security modules under your exclusive control
  • FIPS 140-2 compliance
  • Integration with applications using PKCS#11, Java JCE, or Microsoft CNG interfaces
  • High-performance in-VPC cryptographic acceleration (bulk crypto)
  • Financial applications subject to PCI regulations
  • Healthcare applications subject to HIPAA regulations
  • Streaming video solutions subject to contractual DRM requirements

We recently released a whitepaper, “Security of CloudHSM Backups” that provides in-depth information on how backups are protected in all three phases of the CloudHSM backup lifecycle process: Creation, Archive, and Restore.

About the Author

Balaji Iyer is a senior consultant in the Professional Services team at Amazon Web Services. In this role, he has helped several customers successfully navigate their journey to AWS. His specialties include architecting and implementing highly-scalable distributed systems, operational security, large scale migrations, and leading strategic AWS initiatives.

HackSpace magazine 5: Inside Adafruit

Post Syndicated from Andrew Gregory original https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/hackspace-5/

There’s a new issue of HackSpace magazine on the shelves today, and as usual it’s full of things to make and do!

HackSpace magazine issue 5 Adafruit

Adafruit

We love making hardware, and we’d also love to turn this hobby into a way to make a living. So in the hope of picking up a few tips, we spoke to the woman behind Adafruit: Limor Fried, aka Ladyada.

HackSpace magazine issue 5 Adafruit

Adafruit has played a massive part in bringing the maker movement into homes and schools, so we’re chuffed to have Limor’s words of wisdom in the magazine.

Raspberry Pi 3B+

As you may have heard, there’s a new Pi in town, and that can only mean one thing for HackSpace magazine: let’s test it to its limits!

HackSpace magazine issue 5 Adafruit

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ is faster, better, and stronger, but what does that mean in practical terms for your projects?

Toys

Kids are amazing! Their curious minds, untouched by mundane adulthood, come up with crazy stuff that no sensible grown-up would think to build. No sensible grown-up, that is, apart from the engineers behind Kids Invent Stuff, the brilliant YouTube channel that takes children’s inventions and makes them real.

So what is Kids Invent Stuff?!

Kids Invent Stuff is the YouTube channel where kids’ invention ideas get made into real working inventions. Learn more about Kids Invent Stuff at www.kidsinventstuff.com Have you seen Connor’s Crazy Car invention? https://youtu.be/4_sF6ZFNzrg Have you seen our Flamethrowing piano?

We spoke to Ruth Amos, entrepreneur, engineer, and one half of the Kids Invent Stuff team.

Buggy!

It shouldn’t just be kids who get to play with fun stuff! This month, in the name of research, we’ve brought a Stirling engine–powered buggy from Shenzhen.

HackSpace magazine issue 5 Adafruit

This ingenious mechanical engine is the closest you’ll get to owning a home-brew steam engine without running the risk of having a boiler explode in your face.

Tutorials

In this issue, turn a Dremel multitool into a workbench saw with some wood, perspex, and a bit of laser cutting; make a Starfleet com-badge and pretend you’re Captain Jean-Luc Picard (shaving your hair off not compulsory); add intelligence to builds the easy way with Node-RED; and get stuck into Cheerlights, one of the world’s biggest IoT project.


All this, plus your ultimate guide to blinkenlights, and the only knot you’ll ever need, in HackSpace magazine issue 5.

Subscribe, save, and get free stuff

Save up to 35% on the retail price by signing up to HackSpace magazine today. When you take out a 12-month subscription, you’ll also get a free Adafruit Circuit Playground Express!

HackSpace magazine issue 5 Adafruit

Individual copies of HackSpace magazine are available in selected stockists across the UK, including Tesco, WHSmith, and Sainsbury’s. They’ll also be making their way across the globe to USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Belgium in the coming weeks, so ask your local retailer whether they’re getting a delivery.

You can also purchase your copy on the Raspberry Pi Press website, and browse our complete collection of other Raspberry Pi publications, such as The MagPi, Hello World, and Raspberry Pi Projects Books.

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AWS Key Management Service now offers FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules enabling easier adoption of the service for regulated workloads

Post Syndicated from Sreekumar Pisharody original https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/aws-key-management-service-now-offers-fips-140-2-validated-cryptographic-modules-enabling-easier-adoption-of-the-service-for-regulated-workloads/

AWS Key Management Service (KMS) now uses FIPS 140-2 validated hardware security modules (HSM) and supports FIPS 140-2 validated endpoints, which provide independent assurances about the confidentiality and integrity of your keys. Having additional third-party assurances about the keys you manage in AWS KMS can make it easier to use the service for regulated workloads.

The process of gaining FIPS 140-2 validation is rigorous. First, AWS KMS HSMs were tested by an independent lab; those results were further reviewed by the Cryptographic Module Validation Program run by NIST. You can view the FIPS 140-2 certificate of the AWS Key Management Service HSM to get more details.

AWS KMS HSMs are designed so that no one, not even AWS employees, can retrieve your plaintext keys. The service uses the FIPS 140-2 validated HSMs to protect your keys when you request the service to create keys on your behalf or when you import them. Your plaintext keys are never written to disk and are only used in volatile memory of the HSMs while performing your requested cryptographic operation. Furthermore, AWS KMS keys are never transmitted outside the AWS Regions they were created. And HSM firmware updates are controlled by multi-party access that is audited and reviewed by an independent group within AWS.

AWS KMS HSMs are validated at level 2 overall and at level 3 in the following areas:

  • Cryptographic Module Specification
  • Roles, Services, and Authentication
  • Physical Security
  • Design Assurance

You can also make AWS KMS requests to API endpoints that terminate TLS sessions using a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic software module. To do so, connect to the unique FIPS 140-2 validated HTTPS endpoints in the AWS KMS requests made from your applications. AWS KMS FIPS 140-2 validated HTTPS endpoints are powered by the OpenSSL FIPS Object Module. FIPS 140-2 validated API endpoints are available in all commercial regions where AWS KMS is available.