Check ID:
Provider: AWS
Service:
Severity: HIGH
Categories:
Resource type:
kms_cmk_rotation_enabledProvider: AWS
Service:
kmsSeverity: HIGH
Categories:
encryptionResource type:
AwsKmsKeyWhat this check verifies
Customer-managed KMS symmetric keys in theEnabled state are evaluated to confirm automatic rotation of key material is configured
Risk
Without automatic rotation, long-lived key material increases confidentiality and integrity risk. If a KMS key is exposed, attackers can unwrap data keys and decrypt stored data until the key changes. It also reduces crypto agility and may conflict with mandated rotation policies.Recommendation
Enable automatic rotation on customer-managed symmetric KMS keys and choose a rotation period that meets policy. Enforce least privilege and separation of duties for key administration versus usage. Monitor key lifecycle events and use on-demand rotation when compromise is suspected.Remediation
- CLI
- Terraform
- Native IaC
- Dashboard steps
aws kms enable-key-rotation —key-id <KEY_ID>
References
- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/developerguide/rotate-keys.html
- https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-to-get-ready-for-certificate-transparency/
Where this check fires
This check runs on every scheduled scan against your AWS account. Findings appear at Cloud Security → Findings filterable byCheck ID = kms_cmk_rotation_enabled. To re-evaluate after a fix, hit Run now on the account’s schedule under Cloud Security → Schedules — the next scan re-checks this control and marks the finding fixed or keeps it persistent.
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