---
title: "AWS Key Management Service (KMS) — Definition & Engineering Context"
description: "AWS Key Management Service (KMS) is a secure, managed service that makes it easy for developers to create and control cryptographic keys used to encrypt database columns, files, and server variables."
canonical: https://erpstack.io/glossary/aws-kms
markdown_url: https://erpstack.io/glossary/aws-kms.md
publisher: ERPStack
---

# AWS Key Management Service (KMS)

> **Definition:** AWS Key Management Service (KMS) is a secure, managed service that makes it easy for developers to create and control cryptographic keys used to encrypt database columns, files, and server variables.

## In depth

AWS KMS secures encryption keys using hardware security modules (HSMs). KMS handles key rotation, access logs, and policy controls, ensuring that even if database backups are leaked, they cannot be decrypted without verified IAM authorization.

## How ERPStack applies this

We use AWS KMS to encrypt database columns at the application layer, guaranteeing complete data confidentiality for HIPAA and SOC2 compliance.

## Related reading

- [SOC 2 Compliance](https://erpstack.io/glossary/soc2)
- [HIPAA Compliance](https://erpstack.io/glossary/hipaa)