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Thales SafeNet Luna HSM VS Azure Key Vault

Compare Thales SafeNet Luna HSM VS Azure Key Vault and see what are their differences

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.

Azure Key Vault logo Azure Key Vault

Safeguard cryptographic keys and other secrets used by cloud apps and services with Microsoft Azure Key Vault. Try it now.
  • Thales SafeNet Luna HSM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-10
  • Azure Key Vault Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-11

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.

Azure Key Vault features and specs

  • Centralized Management
    Azure Key Vault provides a unified location to manage keys, secrets, and certificates, reducing administrative complexity and improving security.
  • Scalability
    The service scales automatically to handle increased demand, making it suitable for both small applications and large enterprise solutions.
  • High Availability
    Azure Key Vault ensures high availability with automatic replication and geo-redundant storage options.
  • Enhanced Security
    Keys are protected by Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) and access policies can be set to enforce strict controls on who can access the data.
  • Compliance
    Azure Key Vault helps organizations meet various compliance standards (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR) by securely managing and auditing access to keys and secrets.
  • Integration
    Seamlessly integrates with other Azure services, such as Azure Active Directory, Azure Storage, and Azure App Service, to provide end-to-end security solutions.
  • Auditing and Logging
    Offers built-in monitoring and logging features to track access and usage of keys, aiding in accountability and compliance efforts.

Possible disadvantages of Azure Key Vault

  • Cost
    The service can become expensive depending on the volume of keys, secrets, or certificates being managed and the number of operations performed.
  • Complexity
    Integrating Azure Key Vault with existing systems and setting up the appropriate access policies can be complex and time-consuming.
  • Latency
    There might be a small latency introduced when accessing secrets or keys stored in the Key Vault, which could impact performance for some time-sensitive applications.
  • Learning Curve
    Administrators and developers may require training to fully understand and effectively use Azure Key Vault, especially if they are new to Azure services.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Relying on Azure Key Vault ties your key management strategy closely to Microsoft's ecosystem, which could be a concern if you plan to switch cloud providers in the future.
  • Regional Availability
    While Azure Key Vault is available in many regions, it might not be available in all geographic areas, which could limit its use for globally distributed applications.

Thales SafeNet Luna HSM videos

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Azure Key Vault videos

Azure Key Vault Tutorial | Secure secrets, keys and certificates easily

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Azure Key Vault Basics : How to keep ‘secrets’ secret
  • Tutorial - How to securely store and load secrets using Azure Key Vault in .NET Core (using a certificate)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Thales SafeNet Luna HSM and Azure Key Vault)
Security & Privacy
35 35%
65% 65
Password Management
49 49%
51% 51
Cloud Storage
10 10%
90% 90
Network & Admin
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Azure Key Vault seems to be a lot more popular than Thales SafeNet Luna HSM. While we know about 19 links to Azure Key Vault, we've tracked only 1 mention of Thales SafeNet Luna HSM. 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.

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

Azure Key Vault mentions (19)

  • Building A URL Shortener With Neon and Azure Serverless Functions
    Next, we create the connection to our database. Replace [YOUR_POSTGRES_CONNECTION_STRING] with the string you copied from the Neon dashboard. For security reasons, you would likely want to use a service like Azure Key Vault to manage your keys in a production environment, but for now, just placing them in the script will do. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Secrets Management in Kubernetes: Best Practices for Security
    Integration with External Systems Kubernetes External Secrets can integrate with tools like HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, and Google Cloud Secret Manager. For instance, to use HashiCorp Vault:. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Serverless Security Best Practices
    Utilize specialized tools like AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault,  or Azure Key Vault for secrets management in your serverless environments. These tools keep sensitive data out of function code and configurations and bring advanced features to the table:. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Kubernetes Secret Management
    Azure Key Vault is a cloud-based service provided by Microsoft Azure that enables secure storage and management of secrets. It integrates well with Kubernetes, allowing organizations to centralize and control access to secrets within their Azure infrastructure. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • HashiCorp Vault Alternatives
    No Azure Key Vault[0]? Oh #1 is your product? #3 and #4 mention your product being better? It's your company? Shm [0]: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/key-vault/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Thales SafeNet Luna HSM and Azure Key Vault, you can also consider the following products

AWS CloudHSM - Data Security

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.

OpenSSH - OpenSSH is a free version of the SSH connectivity tools that technical users rely on.

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