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cryptographic key management

/ˌkrɪp.təˈɡræf.ɪk kiː mæn.ɪdʒ.mənt/
IELTSAcademic
noun

The process of creating, storing, sharing, using, and protecting encryption keys. It helps keep digital information secure.

  • Good cryptographic key management protects customer data.
  • We improved our cryptographic key management last year.
  • Poor key management can expose sensitive files.

Adinary Nuance

Cryptographic key management is broader than key generation. It includes the full life of a key: creating it, storing it, rotating it, and deleting it. It is also wider than encryption, because encryption is only one use of the key.

In other languages

Vietnamese
quản lý khóa mã hóa
Spanish
gestión de claves criptográficas
Chinese
密码密钥管理
Japanese
暗号鍵管理
Korean
암호 키 관리

Etymology

Cryptographic comes from Greek krypto, meaning 'hidden', and graphia, meaning 'writing'. Key management is a modern computing phrase from the late 20th century.

Common phrases

key management systemkey management policysecure key managementkey management practices

Synonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

Is cryptographic key management the same as encryption?
No. Encryption is one use of a key, while key management covers the whole process around the key.
Is cryptographic key management formal or technical?
It is technical and mostly used in security, IT, and academic writing.
Why is key management important in cybersecurity?
If keys are weak or lost, encrypted data can become exposed or unusable.
Can I say key management instead?
Yes, if the context already makes clear that you mean cryptographic keys.