Cloud Provider Encryption Key Access

This question asks whether your cloud hosting company (like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) can see or use the passwords that protect your encrypted data. Think of encryption keys like the master keys to a safe - this question wants to know if you're the only one with those keys, or if your cloud provider has a copy too.

Who controls your encryption keys directly impacts your data sovereignty and compliance posture. If your cloud provider has access to your keys, they could theoretically decrypt your data, which may violate privacy regulations or customer contracts. Maintaining exclusive control over encryption keys builds customer trust, satisfies strict compliance requirements, and ensures you're the only one who can unlock sensitive information - critical for winning enterprise deals.

Many companies assume using their cloud provider's default encryption is sufficient, not realizing this often means the provider manages the keys. Another mistake is implementing customer-managed keys but storing them in the same cloud environment without proper access controls, essentially giving the provider indirect access through their infrastructure.