# Best Encryption Key Management Software

  *By [Lauren Worth](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/lauren-worth)*

   Encryption key management software is used to handle the administration, distribution, and storage of encryption keys. Proper management will ensure encryption keys, and therefore the encryption and decryption of their sensitive information, are only accessible for approved parties. IT and security professionals use these solutions to ensure access to highly sensitive information remains secured.

Encryption key management software also provides tools to protect the keys in storage, as well as backup functionality to prevent data loss. Additionally, encryption key management software includes functionality to securely distribute keys to approved parties and enforce policies related to key sharing.

Certain general [encryption software](https://www.g2.com/categories/encryption) provide key management capabilities. Still, those solutions will only provide limited features for key management, distribution, and policy enforcement.

To qualify for inclusion in the Encryption Key Management category, a product must:

- Provide compliance management capabilities for encryption keys
- Include key storage and backup functionality
- Enforce security policies related to key storage and distribution





## Category Overview

**Total Products under this Category:** 69


## Trust & Credibility Stats

**Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:**

- 30 Analysts and Data Experts
- 2,200+ Authentic Reviews
- 69+ Products
- Unbiased Rankings

G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category.


## Best Encryption Key Management Software At A Glance

- **Leader:** [Egnyte](https://www.g2.com/products/egnyte/reviews)
- **Highest Performer:** [Akeyless Identity Security Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/akeyless-identity-security-platform/reviews)
- **Easiest to Use:** [Doppler secrets management platform](https://www.g2.com/products/doppler-secrets-management-platform/reviews)
- **Top Trending:** [Keyfactor Command](https://www.g2.com/products/keyfactor-command/reviews)
- **Best Free Software:** [Egnyte](https://www.g2.com/products/egnyte/reviews)


---

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### SecureW2 JoinNow

SecureW2 is a cloud-native authentication solution designed to enhance security by eliminating credential compromise through its innovative JoinNow Platform. This platform combines Dynamic Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Cloud RADIUS to facilitate real-time trust validation and continuous authentication for users accessing networks and applications. Each access request initiates an identity-based risk assessment, which determines the issuance of certificates and the corresponding access privileges. Once access is granted, the system continuously validates the compliance of devices, ensuring that only verified entities maintain their authorization. The JoinNow Platform caters to a diverse range of users, including K-12 and higher education institutions, mid-market businesses, and global enterprises. By providing scalable and resilient authentication solutions, SecureW2 addresses the unique security needs of various sectors without placing an additional burden on IT teams. The platform's ability to seamlessly integrate with existing identity providers, such as Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), Okta, and Google Workspace, allows organizations to implement adaptive, passwordless authentication without the need for complex upgrades or disruptions. SecureW2 effectively tackles several prevalent security challenges. Credential compromise remains a significant concern, as traditional passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA) can be vulnerable. By utilizing certificate-based authentication, SecureW2 eliminates these risks entirely. Additionally, the platform addresses high operational overhead associated with managing legacy security systems by automating certificate issuance, revocation, and lifecycle management. This automation not only saves IT resources but also enhances visibility and control, providing real-time insights into authentication processes. Key features of SecureW2 include its agentless architecture, which eliminates software bloat while ensuring secure and frictionless authentication. The extensive policy engine allows organizations to create customized policies that are automatically enforced both before and after authentication. Continuous authentication adapts in real time, validating access dynamically based on evolving security conditions. Furthermore, the platform’s interoperability ensures compatibility with any identity provider, mobile device management (MDM) system, and security stack, making it a versatile choice for organizations looking to enhance their security posture. In summary, SecureW2 redefines authentication for modern businesses by ensuring that every access request is trust-validated. Its scalable, lightweight design enables rapid deployment and effortless scaling, allowing organizations to maintain robust security without the complexities and costs typically associated with traditional authentication solutions.



[Visit company website](https://www.g2.com/external_clickthroughs/record?secure%5Bad_program%5D=ppc&secure%5Bad_slot%5D=category_product_list&secure%5Bcategory_id%5D=1863&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_id%5D=1497&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bmedium%5D=sponsored&secure%5Bplacement_reason%5D=neighbor_category&secure%5Bplacement_resource_ids%5D%5B%5D=2599&secure%5Bprioritized%5D=false&secure%5Bproduct_id%5D=146605&secure%5Bresource_id%5D=1863&secure%5Bresource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bsource_type%5D=category_page&secure%5Bsource_url%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g2.com%2Fcategories%2Fencryption-key-management%3Fpage%3D7&secure%5Btoken%5D=6fa6d0b18fc7894833ec9daff7ef3c7bfc992d39b56737d01c09ea8dd758b50b&secure%5Burl%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.securew2.com%2Fjoinnow-platform%3Futm_source%3Dg2%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_campaign%3Dcategory-listing&secure%5Burl_type%5D=custom_url)

---

## Top-Rated Products (Ranked by G2 Score)
  ### 1. [Egnyte](https://www.g2.com/products/egnyte/reviews)
  Egnyte combines the power of cloud content management, data security, and AI into one intelligent content platform. More than 22,000 customers trust Egnyte to improve employee productivity, automate business processes, and safeguard critical data, in addition to offering specialized content intelligence and automation solutions across industries, including architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), life sciences, and financial services.


  **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 1,116

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Egnyte](https://www.g2.com/sellers/egnyte)
- **Company Website:** https://www.egnyte.com
- **Year Founded:** 2008
- **HQ Location:** Mountain View, CA
- **Twitter:** @Egnyte (16,173 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1015589/ (1,281 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Who Uses This:** Project Manager, Owner
  - **Top Industries:** Construction, Marketing and Advertising
  - **Company Size:** 44% Small-Business, 38% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (120 reviews)
- File Sharing (70 reviews)
- Easy Sharing (53 reviews)
- Security (46 reviews)
- Easy Access (45 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Expensive (21 reviews)
- File Management (18 reviews)
- Limited Features (13 reviews)
- User Difficulty (13 reviews)
- Lacking Features (12 reviews)

  ### 2. [Google Cloud Key Management Service](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-key-management-service/reviews)
  Manage encryption keys on Google Cloud Platform


  **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 16

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 7.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Google](https://www.g2.com/sellers/google)
- **Year Founded:** 1998
- **HQ Location:** Mountain View, CA
- **Twitter:** @google (31,885,216 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1441/ (336,169 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NASDAQ:GOOG

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 53% Enterprise, 29% Small-Business


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Cloud Storage (1 reviews)
- Easy Access (1 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Slow Performance (1 reviews)

  ### 3. [Akeyless Identity Security Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/akeyless-identity-security-platform/reviews)
  Akeyless delivers identity security for an era shaped by automation and AI. The cloud-native platform secures machines, AI agents, and human access across hybrid, multi-cloud, and on-prem environments. It provides a practical path to secretless, identity-based access through secrets management, certificate lifecycle management and PKI, PAM, and unified governance. Akeyless is built on a cryptography foundation that combines encryption, key management, and Distributed Fragments Cryptography to keep sensitive material under customer control and protected from post-quantum threats. With integrations for cloud IAM, Kubernetes, CI/CD, and MCP-based AI agent workflows, teams can adopt and scale AI agents securely without expanding risk. Akeyless Jarvis™ delivers AI-powered identity intelligence to surface risky access and strengthen oversight.


  **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 87

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Akeyless](https://www.g2.com/sellers/akeyless)
- **Company Website:** https://www.akeyless.io
- **Year Founded:** 2018
- **HQ Location:** Ramat Gan, Israel
- **Twitter:** @akeylessio (285 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/akeyless/ (103 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 51% Enterprise, 26% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (12 reviews)
- Security (10 reviews)
- Customer Support (9 reviews)
- Easy Integrations (4 reviews)
- Implementation Ease (4 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Poor Documentation (3 reviews)
- Poor UI (3 reviews)
- Complex Setup (2 reviews)
- Complex Usage (2 reviews)
- Dependency Issues (2 reviews)

  ### 4. [Azure Key Vault](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-key-vault/reviews)
  Azure Key Vault is a cloud service designed to securely store and manage cryptographic keys, secrets, and certificates used by applications and services. It enables organizations to safeguard sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, and connection strings, ensuring that these secrets are protected and accessible only to authorized users and applications. By centralizing the management of keys and secrets, Azure Key Vault helps maintain compliance with security standards and simplifies the administration of cryptographic materials. Key Features and Functionality: - Secrets Management: Securely store and tightly control access to tokens, passwords, certificates, API keys, and other secrets. - Key Management: Easily create and control the encryption keys used to encrypt your data. - Certificate Management: Provision, manage, and deploy public and private Transport Layer Security/Secure Sockets Layer (TLS/SSL) certificates for use with Azure and your internal connected resources. - Access Control: Integrates with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) to provide fine-grained access control through role-based access control (RBAC) and access policies. - Monitoring and Logging: Monitor and audit key usage with Azure logging—pipe logs into Azure HDInsight or your security information and event management (SIEM) solution for more analysis and threat detection. - Integration with Azure Services: Seamlessly integrates with other Azure services, such as Azure Storage, Azure SQL Database, and Azure App Service, allowing applications to retrieve and use secrets, certificates, and keys securely without needing to store sensitive information in application code or configuration files. Primary Value and Problem Solved: Azure Key Vault addresses the critical need for secure and efficient management of cryptographic keys and secrets in cloud environments. By centralizing the storage and access control of sensitive information, it reduces the risk of accidental leaks and unauthorized access. The service simplifies the process of key and secret management, allowing developers to focus on application development without the burden of implementing custom security solutions. Additionally, Azure Key Vault enhances compliance with security standards and regulations by providing robust access controls, monitoring capabilities, and integration with Azure's security ecosystem.


  **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 46

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Microsoft](https://www.g2.com/sellers/microsoft)
- **Year Founded:** 1975
- **HQ Location:** Redmond, Washington
- **Twitter:** @microsoft (13,105,844 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/ (227,697 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** MSFT

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Who Uses This:** Software Engineer
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Accounting
  - **Company Size:** 51% Enterprise, 25% Small-Business


  ### 5. [Doppler secrets management platform](https://www.g2.com/products/doppler-secrets-management-platform/reviews)
  Doppler is a centralized, secure secrets management platform tailored for DevOps engineers and CTOs at mid-market and enterprise companies. Secrets sprawl and fragmented processes can create significant risks, inefficiencies, and operational headaches. Doppler tackles these issues by consolidating secret management into a single, secure platform, ensuring reliability and consistency across teams and environments. Doppler’s mission reflects its core value: replacing disorganized, high-risk workflows with a unified, reliable system. With Doppler, teams can better manage their secrets while fostering security and operational stability. Managing secrets across diverse systems can often feel overwhelming. Doppler eliminates this complexity by organizing and securing sensitive data in one place. Its unified interface allows teams to maintain control over their secrets, enforce security best practices, and reduce the likelihood of misconfigurations or breaches. Doppler provides a structured and dependable solution to secrets management by addressing key challenges like: - Manual secret rotations - Synchronization issues - Compliance tracking Integration with popular tools and workflows is central to Doppler’s design. This ensures compatibility without disrupting established processes. This reduces operational bottlenecks, helping teams maintain productivity and focus on deploying critical applications. Connect with tools like: - Kubernetes - Terraform - CI/CD pipelines Its built-in logging and audit trails reduce the burden of manual compliance tasks, allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than administrative overhead. The platform also enhances visibility by providing insights into secret usage and access, ensuring that no detail is overlooked. For organizations concerned with compliance, Doppler simplifies the process of meeting industry standards such as: - SOC 2 - HIPAA - GDPR - ISO Doppler delivers a dependable way to centralize and safeguard secrets, reducing the risk of operational disruptions while maintaining compliance. Whether managing daily operations or scaling infrastructure, Doppler ensures your organization is prepared to handle the challenges of modern development environments. By bringing security, organization, and clarity to secret management, Doppler empowers teams to focus on what truly matters—driving innovation and delivering impactful results.


  **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 62

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 7.6/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Doppler](https://www.g2.com/sellers/doppler)
- **Company Website:** https://www.doppler.com/
- **Year Founded:** 2018
- **HQ Location:** San Francisco, California
- **Twitter:** @doppler (1,573 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/dopplerhq/ (43 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Who Uses This:** CTO
  - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 79% Small-Business, 19% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (8 reviews)
- Easy Integrations (4 reviews)
- Integrations (4 reviews)
- Tools (3 reviews)
- Security (2 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Complex Setup (3 reviews)
- Expensive (2 reviews)
- Limited OS Compatibility (1 reviews)
- Setup Difficulty (1 reviews)

  ### 6. [AWS Key Management Service (KMS)](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-key-management-service-kms/reviews)
  AWS Key Management Service (KMS) is a service that help to create and control the encryption keys used to encrypt data, and uses Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) to protect the security of keys.


  **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 29

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Amazon Web Services (AWS)](https://www.g2.com/sellers/amazon-web-services-aws-3e93cc28-2e9b-4961-b258-c6ce0feec7dd)
- **Year Founded:** 2006
- **HQ Location:** Seattle, WA
- **Twitter:** @awscloud (2,223,984 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon-web-services/ (156,424 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NASDAQ: AMZN

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 56% Enterprise, 22% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Azure Services (1 reviews)
- Cloud Services (1 reviews)
- Security Protection (1 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Access Issues (1 reviews)
- Connectivity Issues (1 reviews)

  ### 7. [Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Vault](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-cloud-infrastructure-vault/reviews)
  Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Key Management is a managed service that enables you to encrypt your data using keys that you control.


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 35

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Oracle](https://www.g2.com/sellers/oracle)
- **Year Founded:** 1977
- **HQ Location:** Austin, TX
- **Twitter:** @Oracle (827,310 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1028/ (199,301 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NYSE:ORCL

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 44% Small-Business, 31% Enterprise


  ### 8. [AWS CloudHSM](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-cloudhsm/reviews)
  AWS CloudHSM is a cloud-based hardware security module (HSM) that enables you to easily generate and use your own encryption keys on the AWS Cloud.


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 13

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Amazon Web Services (AWS)](https://www.g2.com/sellers/amazon-web-services-aws-3e93cc28-2e9b-4961-b258-c6ce0feec7dd)
- **Year Founded:** 2006
- **HQ Location:** Seattle, WA
- **Twitter:** @awscloud (2,223,984 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon-web-services/ (156,424 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NASDAQ: AMZN

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 36% Enterprise, 36% Small-Business


  ### 9. [Virtru Email Encryption](https://www.g2.com/products/virtru-email-encryption/reviews)
  Secure data directly from your inbox with Virtru. Users can easily encrypt emails and attachments with just one click, protecting sensitive data such as personally identifiable information (PII), intellectual property, and other regulated information. Seamlessly integrating with platforms like Gmail and Microsoft Outlook, Virtru empowers organizations to meet compliance requirements for HIPAA, GDPR, CJIS, CMMC 2.0, ITAR and other data privacy regulations, without disrupting existing workflows. Virtru provides full control over email content even after it’s been sent. Users can set expiration dates, revoke access, and track where emails are shared, ensuring total visibility and control over sensitive information. With granular access control and audit trails, Virtru simplifies data protection for enterprises and small businesses alike. Ideal for industries such as healthcare, financial services, government, and education, Virtru empowers your teams to confidently share sensitive information without sacrificing security.


  **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 402

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Virtru](https://www.g2.com/sellers/virtru)
- **Company Website:** https://virtru.com
- **Year Founded:** 2012
- **HQ Location:** Washington, DC
- **Twitter:** @virtruprivacy (1,795 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/virtru/ (229 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Who Uses This:** Administrative Assistant, IT Manager
  - **Top Industries:** Hospital & Health Care, Health, Wellness and Fitness
  - **Company Size:** 45% Mid-Market, 37% Small-Business


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (80 reviews)
- Security (78 reviews)
- Encryption (66 reviews)
- Email Encryption (56 reviews)
- Secure Communication (45 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Email Issues (55 reviews)
- Email Encryption Issues (44 reviews)
- Access Issues (29 reviews)
- Encryption Issues (26 reviews)
- Access Limitations (20 reviews)

  ### 10. [Keyfactor Command](https://www.g2.com/products/keyfactor-command/reviews)
  Keyfactor Command is a certificate lifecycle management solution that enables organizations to discover, control, and automate the lifecycle of keys and digital certificates across their IT landscape. It's the only solution that can be deployed on-premise, in the cloud, in a hybrid model, or in combination with a fully hosted PKI as a Service. The solution is also available in the Azure and AWS Marketplaces.


  **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 79

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Keyfactor](https://www.g2.com/sellers/keyfactor)
- **Company Website:** https://www.keyfactor.com
- **Year Founded:** 2001
- **HQ Location:** Independence, Ohio
- **Twitter:** @Keyfactor (1,780 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearekeyfactor/about/ (524 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Financial Services, Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 82% Enterprise, 12% Mid-Market


  ### 11. [Azure Confidential Computing](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-confidential-computing/reviews)
  Azure confidential computing offers solutions to enable the isolation your sensitive data while it's being processed in the cloud. Learn how to create and deploy applications based on confidential computing infrastructure by reading concepts, completing tutorials, and working with code samples. Use Microsoft products built on confidential computing to keep your workloads as secure as possible.


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 15

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Microsoft](https://www.g2.com/sellers/microsoft)
- **Year Founded:** 1975
- **HQ Location:** Redmond, Washington
- **Twitter:** @microsoft (13,105,844 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/ (227,697 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** MSFT

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 40% Enterprise, 33% Small-Business


  ### 12. [Box KeySafe](https://www.g2.com/products/box-keysafe/reviews)
  With Box KeySafe, you have complete, independent control over your encryption keys, with no impact to the user experience.


  **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 14

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Box](https://www.g2.com/sellers/box)
- **Year Founded:** 1998
- **HQ Location:** Redwood City, CA
- **Twitter:** @Box (78,205 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/box/ (4,174 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NYSE:BOX

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 57% Small-Business, 29% Enterprise


  ### 13. [OpenSSH](https://www.g2.com/products/openssh/reviews)
  OpenSSH provides tools that allows you to encrypt all traffic to help manage eavesdropping, connection hijacking, and other attacks to your Internet while providing secure tunneling capabilities and more.


  **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 40

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [OpenBSD](https://www.g2.com/sellers/openbsd)
- **Year Founded:** 1995
- **HQ Location:** Alberta, Canada
- **Twitter:** @OpenBSD_CVS (496 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/23930/ (79 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software
  - **Company Size:** 56% Small-Business, 22% Mid-Market


  ### 14. [IBM Vault (formerly HashiCorp Vault)](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-vault-formerly-hashicorp-vault/reviews)
  IBM Vault (formerly HashiCorp Vault) tightly controls access to secrets and encryption keys by authenticating against trusted sources of identity such as Active Directory, LDAP, Kubernetes, CloudFoundry, and cloud platforms. Vault enables fine grained authorization of which users and applications are permitted access to secrets and keys. Some of Vault's main use cases include: - Secrets Management - Identity Brokering - Data Encryption


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 46

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 7.6/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [HashiCorp](https://www.g2.com/sellers/hashicorp)
- **Company Website:** https://www.hashicorp.com/
- **Year Founded:** 2012
- **HQ Location:** San Francisco, CA
- **Twitter:** @hashicorp (102,195 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2830763/ (2,193 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 40% Mid-Market, 36% Enterprise


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Customer Support (1 reviews)
- Ease of Use (1 reviews)
- Easy Integrations (1 reviews)
- Easy Management (1 reviews)
- Integrations (1 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Expensive (1 reviews)

  ### 15. [IXOPAY](https://www.g2.com/products/tokenex-ixopay/reviews)
  TokenEx is an enterprise-class tokenization platform that offers virtually unlimited flexibility in how customers can access, store and secure data. TokenEx works with multiple data-acceptance channels while maintaining a processor-agnostic approach, meaning we can tokenize and secure almost any data type – including PCI, PII, PHI and even unstructured data formats – and integrate with nearly any processor or endpoint.


  **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 17

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [TokenEx](https://www.g2.com/sellers/tokenex)
- **Year Founded:** 2010
- **HQ Location:** Edmond, Oklahoma
- **Twitter:** @TokenEx (1,209 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1614702/ (22 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 47% Small-Business, 41% Mid-Market


  ### 16. [SecureKey](https://www.g2.com/products/securekey/reviews)
  SecureKey is a leading identity and authentication provider that simplifies consumer access to online services and applications.


  **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 49

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [SecureKey Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/securekey-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2008
- **HQ Location:** Toronto, ON
- **Twitter:** @SecureKey (2,587 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/securekey/ (19 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Banking, Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 45% Small-Business, 31% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (3 reviews)
- Security (2 reviews)
- Convenience (1 reviews)
- Customer Support (1 reviews)
- Privacy (1 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Difficult Learning Process (1 reviews)
- Expensive (1 reviews)

  ### 17. [GnuPG](https://www.g2.com/products/gnupg/reviews)
  GnuPG allows to encrypt and sign your data and communication, features a versatile key management system as well as access modules for all kinds of public key directories.


  **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 11

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 6.1/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [GnuPG](https://www.g2.com/sellers/gnupg)
- **HQ Location:** N/A
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/No-Linkedin-Presence-Added-Intentionally-By-DataOps (1 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 36% Enterprise, 36% Small-Business


  ### 18. [Google Cloud HSM](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-hsm/reviews)
  Cloud HSM is a cloud-hosted hardware security module (HSM) service on Google Cloud Platform. With Cloud HSM, you can host encryption keys and perform cryptographic operations in FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified HSMs.


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 8

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Google](https://www.g2.com/sellers/google)
- **Year Founded:** 1998
- **HQ Location:** Mountain View, CA
- **Twitter:** @google (31,885,216 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1441/ (336,169 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NASDAQ:GOOG

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 50% Enterprise, 50% Small-Business


  ### 19. [Vormetric Data Security Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/thales-group-vormetric-data-security-platform/reviews)
  Vormetric is a data security platform that helps companies move and quickly to protect data wherever it resides any database, and application in any server environment.


  **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 9

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 7.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Thales Group](https://www.g2.com/sellers/thales-group)
- **HQ Location:** Austin, Texas
- **Twitter:** @ThalesCloudSec (6,946 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/22579/ (1,369 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** EPA:HO
- **Total Revenue (USD mm):** $15,854

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 78% Enterprise, 22% Mid-Market


  ### 20. [KeyScaler](https://www.g2.com/products/keyscaler/reviews)
  Device Authority is a global leader in Identity and Access Management (IAM) for the Internet of Things (IoT) and Blockchain. Our KeyScaler™ platform provides trust for IoT devices and the IoT ecosystem, to address the challenges of securing the Internet of Things. KeyScaler uses breakthrough technology including Dynamic Device Key Generation (DDKG) and PKI Signature+ that delivers unrivalled simplicity and trust to IoT devices


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 13

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Device Authority](https://www.g2.com/sellers/device-authority)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Reading, Berkshire
- **Twitter:** @DeviceAuthority (2,615 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2602849 (30 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 46% Enterprise, 38% Small-Business


  ### 21. [IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-guardium-key-lifecycle-manager/reviews)
  IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager centralizes, simplifies and automates the encryption key management process to help minimize risk and reduce operational costs of encryption key management. It offers secure, robust key storage, key serving and key lifecycle management for IBM and non-IBM storage solutions using the OASIS Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP). IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager helps customers meet regulations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Sarbanes-Oxley and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) by providing centralized management of encryption keys.


  **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 6

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 7.5/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [IBM](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ibm)
- **Year Founded:** 1911
- **HQ Location:** Armonk, NY
- **Twitter:** @IBM (709,023 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1009/ (324,553 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** SWX:IBM

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 50% Mid-Market, 33% Small-Business


  ### 22. [Thales Data Protection on Demand](https://www.g2.com/products/thales-data-protection-on-demand/reviews)
  The protection you need when you need it, with Data Protection on Demand. Thales’ Data Protection on Demand empowers organizations with a high level of security, efficiency, and flexibility, all with ease of use and a user-friendly UI. Key benefits include: Focus on services, not hardware - all hardware, software, and infrastructure are managed by Thales, freeing your staff for other things. Deploy in minutes, not days - a simple click-and-deploy approach, access required services, provision users, and add or remove devices. Get up and running with ease. Reduce costs, purchase only what you need - zero hardware or software purchases and no upfront costs; services can also be added on demand, offering flexibility and agility to suit your organization’s needs. Protect data anywhere - cloud, virtual, on-prem, or any combination; secure the sensitive data you create, store, and analyze across your environment, all from a single management console. Real-time reporting and visibility - mitigate risk and meet compliance demands with real-time visibility and robust reporting. Easily integrates with existing IT infrastructure, apps, & services - pre-configured APIs effortlessly bring Protection on Demand into the fold, straightforward and secure integration with your existing cloud and IT services. Thales Protection on Demand makes security simple and cost-effective. Protect your data anywhere.


  **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 4

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Thales Group](https://www.g2.com/sellers/thales-group)
- **HQ Location:** Austin, Texas
- **Twitter:** @ThalesCloudSec (6,946 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/22579/ (1,369 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** EPA:HO
- **Total Revenue (USD mm):** $15,854

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 75% Enterprise, 25% Small-Business


  ### 23. [Ubiq Encryption Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/ubiq-encryption-platform/reviews)
  Ubiq enables enterprises to encrypt, tokenize, and mask sensitive data at the individual record and file level and integrates with Identity Providers (Okta, Entra ID) to ensure only authorized users with appropriate permissions can access or manipulate sensitive data. This approach enables user-level context and enforces fine-grained, Zero Trust access controls. Delivered as a low-code/no-code solution, Ubiq integrates seamlessly into applications, databases, data warehouses, and API gateways without requiring agents, hardware, virtual machines, or proxies. Deployment is measured in hours, not days or weeks.


  **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 4

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Ubiq Security](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ubiq-security)
- **Year Founded:** 2013
- **HQ Location:** San Diego, US
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/ubiqsecurity/ (22 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 75% Small-Business, 25% Enterprise


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (2 reviews)
- Efficiency (2 reviews)
- Automation (1 reviews)
- Customer Support (1 reviews)
- Data Protection (1 reviews)


  ### 24. [iSecurity Field Encryption](https://www.g2.com/products/isecurity-field-encryption/reviews)
  iSecurity Field Encryption protects sensitive data using strong encryption, integrated key management and auditing. Encryption is vital for protecting confidential information and expediting compliance with PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, other government regulations and state privacy laws.


  **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 11

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [iSecurity Field Encryption](https://www.g2.com/sellers/isecurity-field-encryption)
- **Year Founded:** 1983
- **HQ Location:** Nanuet, NY
- **Twitter:** @razleesecurity (496 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/raz-lee-security/ (20 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 73% Enterprise, 18% Small-Business


  ### 25. [Keeper Secrets Manager](https://www.g2.com/products/keeper-secrets-manager/reviews)
  Privileged credentials are some of the highest-value targets for cybercriminals. Keeper Secrets Manager is a fully managed cloud-based, zero-knowledge platform for securing infrastructure secrets such as API keys, database passwords, access keys, certificates and any type of confidential data. Secure your environment and eliminate secrets sprawl by removing hard-coded credentials from your source code, config files and CI/CD systems. - Manage access rights and permissions with role-based access controls - Integrate secrets into your infrastructure, containers and build systems - Consolidate your secrets in a unified platform with auditability - Automate the rotation of access keys, passwords and certificates - Expand the capabilities of your Keeper EPM platform for enterprise-wide coverage - Team members can manage an unlimited number of secrets, applications and environments Seamlessly Integrates with Your IT Stack Keeper Secrets Manager integrates with all popular CI/CD systems, SDKs for all major programming languages and supports any type of machine to protect your infrastructure.


  **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 8

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Regional Support:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
- **Scalability:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)
- **API/Integrations:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Keeper Security](https://www.g2.com/sellers/keeper-security)
- **Year Founded:** 2011
- **HQ Location:** Chicago, IL
- **Twitter:** @keepersecurity (18,946 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/3554342/ (756 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 75% Small-Business, 13% Enterprise




## Parent Category

[Data Security Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/data-security)



## Related Categories

- [Encryption Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/encryption-software)
- [Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/certificate-lifecycle-management-clm)
- [Secrets Management Tools](https://www.g2.com/categories/secrets-management-tools)



---

## Buyer Guide

### What You Should Know About Encryption Key Management Software

### What is Encryption Key Management Software?

Encryption key management software assists companies with protecting and managing their cryptographic keys used for encrypting data on devices and in applications. Encryption key management software manages encryption keys throughout a key pair’s lifecycle, which includes key generation, exchange, use, integrity, availability, storage, backup or archive, revocation, and deregistration or destruction. On the backend, these tools manage encryption key generation, distribution, and replacement, while on the client side, the tools inject encryption keys and store and manage them on devices. These software solutions protect the keys by ensuring that only authenticated and authorized users can access them, preventing them from being disclosed, lost, misused, or intercepted by unauthorized parties.

**What Do KMS and HSM Stand For?**

KMS stands for key management systems. Key management systems are centralized hubs that manage the key lifecycle, including generation, certification, storage, usage, expiration, revocation, and retirement. Centralized key management systems work in conjunction with hardware security modules (HSMs). KMS may also be known by the following acronyms: CKMS, which is cryptographic key management system, or EKMS, which stands for enterprise key management system.

HSM stands for hardware security modules. Hardware security modules are servers built to be tamper-resistant or tamper-proof. HSMs generate, retrieve, share, and protect keys. These are considered the most secure key storage as these are physically built to prevent tampering by using special tamper-resistant screws and sealants.

#### What Types of Encryption Key Management Software Exist?

**On-premises encryption key management**

Some companies opt to store their key manager on-premises using a hardware security module (HSM), which is a server built to be tamper-resistant or tamper-proof. 

**Cloud-based encryption key management**

Some companies have complex key management needs and need a solution that scales to meet the volume and complexity of their encryption key transaction needs. Centralized cloud-based encryption key management can assist with symmetric and asymmetric key management and work with various databases, applications, and standards. Bring your own encryption (BYOE) or bring your own key (BYOK) is akin to the bring your own device (BYOD) security models—companies bring their own encryption key management software to deploy on public cloud infrastructure. However, this security model has trade-offs as this may entail giving cloud providers access to keys, which may not meet a company’s security policies. 

**Key management as a service**

Some cloud providers offer their own key management as a service solution in their cloud environments.

### What are the Common Features of Encryption Key Management Software?

The following are some core features within encryption key management software:

**Interoperability:** For companies that use multiple types of cryptographic keys and multiple software applications, interoperability is important. Many encryption key management solutions are based on standard protocols, including Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP) standard or Public Key Crypto Standard (PKCS 11). Other solutions will rely on closed-source key management.

**Policy management:** Companies may have specific policies for their encryption keys, including when to expire or revoke them or methods to prevent sharing the keys. Encryption key management software will enforce these policies.

**Access management:** In addition to creating and managing the keys themselves, it is important to manage who has access permissions to those keys. Many companies employ a least-privilege policy where users and systems have the least access needed to achieve their role function. Encryption key management solutions can enforce those policies, ensuring that only authorized and authenticated users or systems have access to the keys can prevent misuse. These tools will also provide access and audit logs.

**Backup:** If the keys are lost, access to the encrypted data will be unrecoverable without backup. Many encryption key management solutions offer backup features.

### What are the Benefits of Encryption Key Management Software?

If not properly managed, encryption keys can fall into the wrong hands and be used to decrypt sensitive data. This can risk sensitive encrypted data or disrupt critical business information access. Managing encryption keys manually can be challenging to meet today’s business needs as the scale and complexity of applications used and the encryption and keys needed to secure those have grown, which is why many companies have opted for automated management solutions. If data encryption key management is managed manually, this time-consuming task may come at the expense of speed, availability, interoperability, accuracy, and integrity. 

**Security:** The main purpose of encryption and, therefore, encryption key management is security. Encryption key management software assists in managing encryption keys at scale in a secure manner and remains available to meet business needs.

**Meeting regulatory compliance:** Some highly regulated industries are bound by various data protection regulations for storing and managing encryption keys. Using encryption key management software, companies can meet requirements of regulations such as PCI DSS 3.2.1, NIST 800-53, and NIST 800-57.

**Scalability:** Today’s businesses rely on multiple devices and applications needing encryption, meaning they need an encryption key management solution that scales at speed to generate, distribute, and manage the keys. This can mean the ability to generate hundreds of keys per minute. Many businesses require low latency and high availability for their keys.

### Who Uses Encryption Key Management Software?

**Information security professionals:** Information security professionals use encryption key management solutions which may include on-premises solutions like HSMs, centralized cloud-based solutions, or cloud-infrastructure-specific software-as-a-service solutions.

**IT professionals:** If a company does not have a dedicated information security (infosec) team, the responsibility for managing encryption keys falls on information technology (IT) teams.

#### Software Related to Encryption Key Management Software

Related solutions that can be used together with or as an alternative encryption key management software include:

[Encryption software](https://www.g2.com/categories/encryption) **:** Companies use encryption software to protect the confidentiality and integrity of their data. Encryption software will turn plaintext into cipher text using encryption. Keys to unencrypt the data will be stored using encryption key management solutions.

[Email encryption software](https://www.g2.com/categories/email-encryption) **:** To protect the confidentiality of data in transit, companies use email encryption software. Companies can use encryption key management solutions to protect the encryption keys. 

[Certificate lifecycle management (CLM) software](https://www.g2.com/categories/certificate-lifecycle-management-clm) **:** Public key infrastructure (PKI) is an asymmetric encryption key management system that utilizes digital certificates such as SSL or TLS certificates and public keys to secure assets like website traffic.

[Secrets management tools:](https://www.g2.com/categories/secrets-management-tools) Developer and DevOps teams, in particular, may utilize secrets management tools to store sensitive digital assets, such as encryption keys.

### Challenges with Encryption Key Management Software

**BYOE or BYOK:** Companies must carefully understand who has access to their encryption keys. When utilizing a BYOE or BYOK security model, it is important to know who has access to the keys, including providers.

**Scalability and availability:** It is important to ensure that generating, managing, utilizing, and retiring encryption keys meets your company’s scale and availability requirements.

**Backup:** If encryption keys are lost, companies must have a backup plan. Ensure the software solution you are evaluating meets your specific backup needs.

**Regionality:** Some geographic areas have data sovereignty and data residency requirements, so encryption keys may be managed differently based on the regional requirements.

**Governance:** Some data may be governed by data protection regulations, and a company’s encryption and encryption key management policies may need to meet specific regulatory compliance needs.

### How to Buy Encryption Key Management Software

#### Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for Encryption Key Management Software

Gather your company’s specific encryption key management requirements, including if you need to manage your encryption keys on-premises, with a centralized cloud key management offering, or using an infrastructure-specific encryption key management service. It is important to determine what kind of interoperability you require. Also, consider the scale at which you need keys deployed and managed and the availability you seek. Discuss your backup needs. Authentication and access control functionality is also important. And determine which geographic areas your business needs are, and be sure to speak with vendors about these requirements.

#### Compare Encryption Key Management Software Products

**Create a long list**

The long list should include a list of providers that meet your basic interoperability, hosting, scale, regionality, and functionality requirements. Companies can identify products by using software review sites like G2.com to review what users of those solutions like and dislike, along with rankings on six satisfaction metrics.

**Create a short list**

Shorten your long list by identifying must-have functionality. Factors to consider at this stage include integrations, price, and whether the solution meets your regulatory requirements.

**Conduct demos**

When conducting demos of each potential solution, it is important to ask questions about the user interface, the ease of use, and the skills required to operate the encryption key management solution. The company’s staff should be able to learn the functionality of the tool quickly to receive the fastest return on investment.

#### Selection of Encryption Key Management Software

**Choose a selection team**

The selection team should include employees using the encryption key management tool in their daily duties and understand the use case. These would typically be colleagues from information security (Infosec) and information technology (IT) teams. Other parties from leadership and finance should also be included.

**Negotiation**

Security products such as encryption key management tools help companies manage risk. Knowing the cost of a breach or exposed keys to an organization can help your company understand the value these tools bring to your company. Understand what your budget is with this in mind.  

**Final decision**

Colleagues who work on defining and managing the company’s data security policies and programs are in the best position to decide which software solution fits the organization’s needs. These professionals will have the most experience with cryptography tools and can best evaluate the products.