Implementing External Key Management (EKM) with AWS KMS for Recording Encryption

How-To-Articles
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Implementing External Key Management (EKM) with AWS KMS for Recording Encryption

What This Guide Covers

  • Configuring Genesys Cloud to use your own encryption keys hosted in AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for encrypting call recordings and screen captures.
  • Implementing the technical “handshake” between the Genesys Cloud platform and your AWS account to ensure that Genesys Cloud never has sole access to your raw recordings.
  • The end result is a high-security environment where your organization retains ultimate control over the data lifecycle and decryption capabilities.

Prerequisites, Roles & Licensing

  • Licensing: Genesys Cloud CX 1, 2, or 3.
  • AWS Account: An active AWS account with permissions to create and manage KMS keys.
  • Permissions (Genesys): Security > Encryption Key > View, Security > Encryption Key > Edit.
  • Permissions (AWS): kms:CreateKey, kms:PutKeyPolicy, kms:DescribeKey.

The Implementation Deep-Dive

1. Provisioning the AWS KMS Customer Master Key (CMK)

The first step occurs entirely within the AWS Management Console or via Terraform. You must create a symmetric KMS key that Genesys Cloud will use to encrypt the data keys.

The Trap:
Creating an Asymmetric key. Genesys Cloud EKM currently only supports Symmetric CMKs. If you provision an asymmetric key, the validation handshake in Genesys Cloud will fail with a generic “Access Denied” or “Invalid Key Type” error.

Architectural Reasoning:
Ensure you enable Key Rotation in AWS KMS. While Genesys Cloud handles the encryption of individual recordings, rotating the CMK once a year is a security best practice and a requirement for many compliance frameworks (SOC2, PCI-DSS).

2. Configuring the AWS Key Policy for Genesys Cloud

Genesys Cloud needs permission to “use” your key. You do this by adding a statement to the KMS Key Policy that allows the Genesys Cloud Principal (the Genesys Cloud AWS account in your region) to perform GenerateDataKey and Decrypt operations.

Implementation Steps:

  1. Identify the Genesys Cloud AWS Account ID for your specific region (e.g., us-east-1 is different from eu-central-1).
  2. Add the following JSON statement to your AWS KMS policy:
{
    "Sid": "Allow Genesys Cloud Access",
    "Effect": "Allow",
    "Principal": {
        "AWS": "arn:aws:iam::[GENESYS_ACCOUNT_ID]:root"
    },
    "Action": [
        "kms:DescribeKey",
        "kms:GenerateDataKey",
        "kms:Decrypt"
    ],
    "Resource": "*"
}

The Trap:
Using the kms:CreateGrant action instead of explicit Principal access. Grants are dynamic and can be revoked or expire, leading to immediate recording encryption failures. Use the Key Policy for permanent platform integration.

3. Linking the Key in Genesys Cloud

Once the AWS side is ready, navigate to Admin > Security > Encryption Keys in Genesys Cloud.

Implementation Steps:

  1. Select Recording as the key type.
  2. Choose AWS KMS as the provider.
  3. Enter the AWS KMS Key ARN.
  4. Click Test & Save.

Architectural Reasoning:
When you save this, Genesys Cloud performs a “Validation Check” by attempting to encrypt and decrypt a small test payload. If this fails, the system will not allow you to commit the change. This prevents a scenario where you switch to EKM and immediately lose the ability to record calls.

Validation, Edge Cases & Troubleshooting

Edge Case 1: Key Deletion or Disabling in AWS

  • The Failure Condition: Recordings are successfully created but cannot be played back by evaluators. Evaluators see an “Encryption Error” in the playback UI.
  • The Root Cause: The KMS key has been disabled or deleted in the AWS console.
  • The Solution: Immediately re-enable the key or restore from the deletion pending state (if within 7-30 days). If the key is permanently lost, any recordings encrypted with it are unrecoverable.

Edge Case 2: Regional Failover Latency

  • The Failure Condition: Intermittent “Recording Failed” errors during high-volume periods.
  • The Root Cause: AWS KMS API throttling in your region.
  • The Solution: Increase your AWS KMS API limits or implement an SBC/Edge buffer that allows for retries if the initial encryption handshake fails.

Official References