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OpenKCM (Open Key Chain Manager)
What it is
OpenKCM (Open Key Chain Manager) is an open-source service for governing encryption keys and protecting data at rest. It supports importing customer keys through BYOK and keeping master keys in customer infrastructure through HYOK. Keys follow a recursive L1–L4 hierarchy, with data keys dependent on higher-level keys. Its architecture separates governance and policy control in CMK from cryptographic execution in Krypton, and applications request key operations through KMIP. The Gateway is designed to run near applications, such as in a Kubernetes cluster or cloud VPC; the same software can run across AWS, Azure, and on-premise environments. Root keys can remain in AWS, Azure, or GCP key services, or in on-premise Thales or Entrust HSMs, while OpenKCM keeps a reference to the L1 root key. A kill switch can stop downstream key use by removing that reference or revoking the root key. CMK connects to corporate identity providers and sends audit logs to SIEM systems. The project’s CMK and Krypton components are actively being developed, and their repositories are Apache-2.0 licensed. The project is associated with Linux Foundation Europe.
For and against
For
- Supports BYOK and HYOK key management
- Customer root keys can remain in external KMS or HSM
- Gateway can run near applications
- CMK connects to identity providers and SIEM systems
Against
- CMK and Krypton are actively being developed
- Audit export, high availability, and disaster recovery are planned for 2027
- Encryption and decryption operations are listed as in progress
The verdict
OpenKCM separates key governance from cryptographic execution and supports hybrid deployment. Its components remain in development, so planned and in-progress work is worth noting.
Who it suits
The project identifies regulated-data organizations, enterprises with regional key-management needs, SaaS platforms seeking BYOK or HYOK, and developers of encrypted storage as intended users.
On the record
- Architecture
- OpenKCM separates governance and policy control in CMK from cryptographic execution in Krypton.openkcm.io · read 4 Oct 2026
- BYOK and HYOK
- It supports importing customer keys (BYOK) and keeping master keys in the customer’s own infrastructure (HYOK).openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- Cryptographic operations
- The Krypton execution plane wraps and unwraps keys using keys temporarily loaded into secure memory.openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The documentation describes deploying the Gateway near applications in a Kubernetes cluster or cloud VPC, and says the same Gateway software can run across AWS, Azure, and on-premise environments.openkcm.io · read 4 Oct 2026
- Development status
- The project documentation says the CMK layer can be tried through its repository instructions and Krypton is in active progress.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Edge deployment
- The Krypton Gateway is described as running in an application environment such as Kubernetes or a VPC.openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- External key stores
- The trust model names AWS, Azure, and GCP key services and on-premise HSMs as locations for customer root keys.openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- Governance and execution
- The trust model separates the CMK governance plane from the Krypton cryptographic execution plane.openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- Identity and audit
- The CMK component connects to a corporate identity provider and outputs audit logs to SIEM systems.openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The trust model names AWS, Azure, and GCP external KMS services and on-premise Thales or Entrust HSMs as locations for customer root keys.openkcm.io · read 4 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker identifies cloud-native organizations, enterprises with regional key lifecycle needs, SaaS platforms, and developers of encrypted storage as intended users.openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- Key hierarchy
- It organizes keys in a recursive L1–L4 hierarchy and describes data keys as dependent on higher-level keys.openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- Key management
- It supports key hierarchies, importing customer keys through BYOK, and keeping master keys in the customer’s infrastructure through HYOK.openkcm.io · read 4 Oct 2026
- Key security
- The trust model says the customer’s L1 root key remains in the customer’s external KMS or HSM, while OpenKCM holds a reference to it.openkcm.io · read 4 Oct 2026
- License
- The OpenKCM GitHub organization lists its CMK and Krypton repositories under the Apache-2.0 license.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Planned work
- The project roadmap lists encryption and decryption operations as in progress, while audit export, high availability, and disaster recovery are planned for 2027.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Project home
- OpenKCM says it is a project of Linux Foundation Europe.openkcm.io · read 5 Oct 2026
- Project status
- The project’s GitHub page says its CMK control plane and Krypton crypto layer are actively being developed and links to documentation and a roadmap.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
