Key Management Options

Key Management Options

Managing keys securely is critical when using encryption on Akave O3. You can choose between self-managed keys for client-side encryption or automatic server-side encryption using the S3-compatible API.

Server-Side Encryption Keys (SSE)

When using --sse AES256, Akave handles the encryption and decryption transparently on the server side. You do not manage the key directly.

• Simple to use
• No need to generate or store keys
• Recommended for general-purpose storage

Client-Side Key Management

For client-side encryption, you must manage the full lifecycle of your encryption key:

Best Practices

• Store keys in a secure location (e.g., .key directory, environment variables, encrypted vaults)
• Avoid including keys in scripts or CLI history
• Use chmod 600 to restrict key file access
• Rotate keys regularly and re-encrypt critical data as needed

File-based Key Usage Example

You can pass the encryption key via environment variable or load it from a secured file:

export USER_ENCRYPTION_KEY="$(cat ~/.key/encryption.key)"

Then use this key during client-side encryption before uploading the file.

Planned Integration

Akave aims to integrate Lit Protocol in the future for:

• Distributed key governance
• Threshold key access
• Time-based or condition-based decryption policies

These features will enhance enterprise key management and unlock smart access scenarios without central key storage.

Summary