What is the Hardware Security Module (HSM)?
Data protection has become a major challenge for businesses. Indeed, today, data is a real treasure. In particular, they make it possible to better know your customers and prospects, and thus to design more suitable products and services, to develop better targeted commercial strategies and marketing campaigns, and to improve customer relationships.
But like any treasure, data must be protected because it is coveted by malicious people. According to the National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI), the number of cyberattacks by ransomware increased by 4 between 2019 and 2020. It is therefore imperative that businesses protect their most sensitive data against cybercrime and cyber risks.
End-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, data sovereignty,... measures, solutions and techniques to secure computer data have developed strongly in recent years. In this article, we talk more specifically about the hardware security module.
What is the Hardware Security Module (HSM)?
Known as Hardware Security Module (HSM) in English, the hardware security module is a computer encryption device that secures your data by generating, storing and protecting cryptographic keys. As a reminder, according to Techno-science.net, a key is a parameter used as input to a cryptographic operation (i.e. encryption, decryption, sealing, digital signature, or signature verification).
A hardware security module can be in the form of an electronic card directly inserted into your computer, an external box, or even software, even though the first two forms offer a higher level of security.
In order to ensure the protection of your data, the hardware security module meets various international security standards such as FIPS 140-2 (a US government computer security standard for handling sensitive data) and EAL4+ Common Criteria (a set of international standards for evaluating the security of computer systems and software).
Reputed to be inviolable, an HSM therefore makes it possible to encrypt your company's sensitive data and to prevent any unauthorized consultation or manipulation. You can use it to secure a server as well as your entire network.
How does a hardware security module work?
In your company, operations dealing with sensitive data take place on a daily basis. Exchanges of confidential messages, electronic signatures of documents, financial transactions or even the collection of contact details, all its operations are encrypted in order to guarantee the security of the information processed. To do this, encryption keys are used. An encryption key is a random sequence of numbers and letters that make information illegible, unless you have a corresponding key to decrypt it.
The hardware security module is used to strengthen encryption processes and the protection of encryption keys. It provides a secure environment in which encryption keys are stored in isolation.
An HSM works just as well for symmetric cryptography operations (i.e. the same key is used to encrypt and decrypt data) as it does for asymmetric cryptography operations (two different keys are required: a public key is used to encrypt the data and a private key is used to decrypt the data).
The implementation of a hardware security module is governed by strict procedures requiring the involvement of several people. These people are brought together during the initialization phase, also called the key ceremony, during which all the keys (called secrets) are generated and distributed homogeneously between the various participants. The latter then become the bearers of secrets.
The delivery of keys (or secrets) is generally carried out in the form of smart cards with PIN code placed in secure envelopes.
The aim is to avoid a single person having all the secrets or being able to change key usage policies. The key ceremony can sometimes take place in the presence of a bailiff who attests to the smooth running of the session by writing a report.
The advantages of a hardware security module in computer science
The main advantage of equipping yourself with a hardware security module is, of course, to strengthen the security of your server and to protect the data stored there. Data confidentiality is guaranteed and encryption keys are strengthened since they are stored in a secure environment.
Thus, your company benefits from a high level of security, in accordance with the various standards and regulations in force in France, Europe and internationally (such as the General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD) or the eIDAS regulation).
All of this contributes to improving your brand image and boosting customer confidence in your products and services.
If you want to make changes to the hardware security module, you must bring together all the secret holders. One person alone can't do anything. This makes it possible to avoid data leaks following a handling error, or the action of a resentful or malicious employee who wants to harm your business.
Another advantage is that you can have a backup copy of your Hardware Security Module so that you always have access to your secure data in the event of a failure or technical problem on the first device.
Finally, note that a hardware security module can be equipped with an attack detection system. Thus, in the event of an intrusion, it is responsible for deleting sensitive data to prevent it from being disclosed or used by malicious persons in order to harm you.
To conclude
Encrypting data is an effective way to secure your data only if your encryption keys themselves are well protected. The hardware security module has become an essential piece of equipment to ensure the protection of your cryptographic keys against ever more numerous and sophisticated computer attacks.
Today, cloud service providers must have a hardware security module to obtain the SecNumCloud qualification, the ANSSI trust label. Wimi is currently working towards this qualification.
