Configure data encryption for Azure Cosmos DB

Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed database service provided by Microsoft Azure. It offers a globally distributed and highly scalable database solution that can be used for various application workloads. Data security is a crucial aspect of any application, and Azure Cosmos DB provides built-in support for data encryption to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of your data. In this article, we will explore how to configure data encryption for Azure Cosmos DB.

Encryption at Rest

Encryption at rest protects your data when it is stored on disk. Azure Cosmos DB uses Azure Storage Service Encryption (SSE) to encrypt the data at rest. SSE encrypts the data using Microsoft-managed keys or customer-managed keys stored in Azure Key Vault.

To configure encryption at rest for Azure Cosmos DB, follow these steps:

1. Create or select an Azure Key Vault: Azure Key Vault is a secure key management service that allows the customer to maintain control over the encryption keys used to encrypt their data. Create a new Azure Key Vault or select an existing one.
2. Enable soft-delete for the Azure Key Vault: Soft-delete is a feature that allows recovery of deleted keys. It is enabled by default for new Azure Key Vaults but needs to be manually enabled for existing Azure Key Vaults. To enable soft-delete, navigate to the Azure Key Vault in the Azure portal, click on “Soft delete” under the “Security” section, and enable it.
3. Grant access to Cosmos DB to use the key vault: Navigate to the Azure Key Vault, click on “Access policies” under the “Settings” section, and add a new access policy. Give Cosmos DB the necessary permissions to access the keys stored in the key vault.
4. Enable encryption at rest for Cosmos DB: Navigate to your Cosmos DB account in the Azure portal, click on “Encryption” under the “Settings” section, and enable “Encryption at rest”. Select the key vault and key for encryption. You can choose either Microsoft-managed keys or customer-managed keys.

Encryption in Transit

Encryption in transit protects your data when it is being transmitted over the network. Azure Cosmos DB uses SSL/TLS for encrypting the communication between the client and the database server.

To configure encryption in transit for Azure Cosmos DB, follow these steps:

1. Enable SSL on your client application: Azure Cosmos DB requires SSL to be enabled on the client-side to establish a secure connection. Ensure that your client application is configured to use SSL/TLS for communication with the Cosmos DB endpoint.
2. Validate the SSL certificate: Azure Cosmos DB uses a certificate issued by a trusted certification authority. You can validate the SSL certificate used by Cosmos DB to ensure secure communication. The certificate details can be obtained programmatically using the Cosmos DB SDK or through the Azure portal.

Here is an example of configuring data encryption at rest and in transit for Azure Cosmos DB in a Node.js application:

const Database = require('azure-cosmos').Database;

createDatabase().catch((err) => {
console.error(err);
});

In the above code snippet, we are using the Azure Cosmos DB SDK for Node.js to interact with the database. The endpoint variable should be replaced with your Cosmos DB endpoint URL, the key variable should be replaced with your Cosmos DB access key, and the databaseId variable should be replaced with the ID of your database.

By following the steps mentioned above and using the example code, you can configure data encryption for Azure Cosmos DB to secure your data at rest and in transit. Remember to always follow best practices for securing your applications and regularly update your encryption keys for enhanced security.