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AWS CloudHSM VS Thales SafeNet Luna HSM

Compare AWS CloudHSM VS Thales SafeNet Luna HSM and see what are their differences

AWS CloudHSM logo AWS CloudHSM

Data Security

Thales SafeNet Luna HSM logo Thales SafeNet Luna HSM

Thales SafeNet Luna HSM is an open-source HSM that protects encryption keys used by applications in on-premises, virtual, and cloud environments.
  • AWS CloudHSM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-02-02
  • Thales SafeNet Luna HSM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-10

AWS CloudHSM features and specs

  • Compliance Requirements
    AWS CloudHSM is compliant with various industry standards and regulations, such as FIPS 140-2 Level 3, enabling organizations to meet specific compliance requirements with ease.
  • Dedicated Hardware
    CloudHSM provides dedicated hardware Security Modules (HSMs) for enhanced security, offering physical and logical isolation from other users.
  • Customer Control
    Customers retain full control over the cryptographic keys and operations within the HSM, ensuring that AWS staff cannot access or manage these keys.
  • High Availability
    AWS CloudHSM can be configured for high availability, with automatic clustering and redundancy to ensure continuous operation and minimal downtime.
  • Scalability
    Users can add and remove HSMs on-demand, allowing for scalable performance and capacity that aligns with their needs.
  • Easy Integration
    CloudHSM integrates with various AWS services and third-party applications, allowing for seamless deployment of cryptographic operations.

Possible disadvantages of AWS CloudHSM

  • Cost
    CloudHSM can be more expensive compared to other AWS managed key services, as it involves the cost of dedicated hardware and additional management overhead.
  • Management Complexity
    The requirement for customer management of the HSMs introduces complexity, particularly for organizations without specialized staff or knowledge in cryptographic operations.
  • Hardware Dependencies
    Being dependent on physical hardware may limit the ability to quickly adapt to certain changes compared to entirely software-based solutions.
  • Region Availability
    AWS CloudHSM may not be available in all AWS regions, potentially limiting its usage for global applications that require region-specific deployments.
  • Initial Setup
    The initial setup and configuration process can be intricate and time-consuming, potentially requiring specialized expertise.

Thales SafeNet Luna HSM features and specs

  • High Security
    Thales SafeNet Luna HSM provides robust security measures, including tamper-resistance and strong encryption, ensuring sensitive data and cryptographic keys are protected against unauthorized access.
  • Performance
    Thales SafeNet Luna HSM delivers high cryptographic performance, making it suitable for applications that require fast processing speeds and large volumes of transactions.
  • Compliance
    It supports compliance with various industry standards and regulations (e.g., FIPS 140-2, Common Criteria), making it easier for organizations to meet their legal and security requirements.
  • Scalability
    The device is designed to be scalable, accommodating growing business needs without compromising performance or security.
  • Integration
    Thales SafeNet Luna HSM offers seamless integration with a variety of platforms and applications, helping to streamline its adoption across different environments.

Possible disadvantages of Thales SafeNet Luna HSM

  • Cost
    The cost of acquiring and maintaining Thales SafeNet Luna HSM can be high, which may be a barrier for small to medium-sized enterprises.
  • Complexity
    Implementing and managing HSMs can be complex and may require specialized knowledge and training for IT staff.
  • Initial Setup
    The initial setup and configuration process can be time-consuming and may require expert input to ensure optimal performance and security.
  • Physical Security
    As a hardware device, it requires physical security measures to protect against theft or damage, adding another layer of responsibility for the organization.
  • Vendor Dependence
    Organizations may become dependent on Thales for support and updates, which could pose a challenge if the vendor's responsiveness or service quality does not meet expectations.

AWS CloudHSM videos

AWS re:Inforce 2019: Achieving Security Goals with AWS CloudHSM (SDD333)

Thales SafeNet Luna HSM videos

No Thales SafeNet Luna HSM videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AWS CloudHSM and Thales SafeNet Luna HSM)
Security & Privacy
66 66%
34% 34
Password Management
57 57%
43% 43
Network & Admin
54 54%
46% 46
Cloud Storage
86 86%
14% 14

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, AWS CloudHSM should be more popular than Thales SafeNet Luna HSM. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AWS CloudHSM mentions (5)

Thales SafeNet Luna HSM mentions (1)

  • Compromised Microsoft Key: More Impactful Than We Thought
    One of the most popular HSM is Thales Luna Network HSM, which can perform 20,000 ECC operations per second [1]. Even with the size of Azure AD, Microsoft may not need a lot of HSMs for signing purpose. HSMs are not particularly easy to manage though, maybe that is one of reasons they are not used as much as they should be. [1] https://cpl.thalesgroup.com/encryption/hardware-security-modules/network-hsms. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing AWS CloudHSM and Thales SafeNet Luna HSM, you can also consider the following products

Azure Key Vault - Safeguard cryptographic keys and other secrets used by cloud apps and services with Microsoft Azure Key Vault. Try it now.

Utimaco SecurityServer - Utimaco SecurityServer is a Hardware Security Module that offers cryptographic key security for database servers no matter how large scale your organization is.

Egnyte - Enterprise File Sharing

nCipher nShield General Purpose HSM - nCipher nShield General Purpose HSM is a security solution that provides modules in order to achieve cryptographic algorithms like managing encryption and signing keys, as well as executing sensitive functions within the organization.

GnuPG - GnuPG is a complete and free implementation of the OpenPGP standard as defined by RFC4880 (also known as PGP).

Yubico YubiHSM - YubiHSM is cryptographic protection for servers, applications, and computing devices.