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Simplify KMS examples to use auto-detection #490

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053cfe0
Simplify KMS examples to use auto-detection
tashian Feb 2, 2026
2b2ef77
Re-add a line with --kms
tashian Feb 2, 2026
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23 changes: 8 additions & 15 deletions step-ca/cryptographic-protection.mdx
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
title: Cryptographic Protection
html_title: Secure Cryptographic Key Protection Methods
description: Secure private keys in step-ca deployments. Hardware security modules, key management, and cryptographic best practices for enterprise PKI.
updated_at: September 17, 2025
updated_at: February 02, 2026
---

By default, `step-ca` stores its signing keys encrypted on disk.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ Now, let's sign a root CA certificate based on the the key you just created. Sub

```shell nocopy
$ step certificate create --profile root-ca \
--kms 'cloudkms:' \
--key 'projects/smallstep/locations/global/keyRings/step-ca/cryptoKeys/root/cryptoKeyVersions/1' \
--key 'cloudkms:projects/smallstep/locations/global/keyRings/step-ca/cryptoKeys/root/cryptoKeyVersions/1' \
"Smallstep Root CA" root_ca.crt
```

Expand All @@ -91,11 +90,10 @@ Great. Next, repeat the process for the Intermediate CA:
$ step kms create --json --kms 'cloudkms:' \
'projects/smallstep/locations/global/keyRings/step-ca/cryptoKeys/intermediate'
$ step certificate create --profile intermediate-ca \
--kms 'cloudkms:' \
--ca-kms 'cloudkms:' \
--ca root_ca.crt \
--ca-key 'projects/smallstep/locations/global/keyRings/step-ca/cryptoKeys/root/cryptoKeyVersions/1' \
--key 'projects/smallstep/locations/global/keyRings/step-ca/cryptoKeys/intermediate/cryptoKeyVersions/1' \
--key 'cloudkms:projects/smallstep/locations/global/keyRings/step-ca/cryptoKeys/intermediate/cryptoKeyVersions/1' \
"Smallstep Intermediate CA" intermediate_ca.crt
```

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -230,8 +228,7 @@ Now, let's sign a root CA certificate based on the the key you just created. Sub

```shell nocopy
$ step certificate create --profile root-ca \
--kms 'awskms:region=us-east-2' \
--key 'awskms:key-id=78980acd-a42d-4d84-97ba-1e50d3082214' \
--key 'awskms:region=us-east-2;key-id=78980acd-a42d-4d84-97ba-1e50d3082214' \
"Smallstep Root CA" root_ca.crt
```

Expand All @@ -246,11 +243,10 @@ Great. Next, we'll repeat the process for the Intermediate CA:
```shell nocopy
$ step kms create --json --kms 'awskms:region=us-east-2' intermediate-ca
$ step certificate create --profile intermediate-ca \
--kms 'awskms:region=us-east-2' \
--ca-kms 'awskms:region=us-east-2' \
--ca root_ca.crt \
--ca-key 'awskms:key-id=78980acd-a42d-4d84-97ba-1e50d3082214' \
--key 'awskms:key-id=9432458d-1e67-4a74-9a23-8f94708b45fe' \
--key 'awskms:region=us-east-2;key-id=9432458d-1e67-4a74-9a23-8f94708b45fe' \
"Smallstep Intermediate CA" intermediate_ca.crt
```

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -483,7 +479,7 @@ Now, let's sign a root CA certificate based on the the key you just created. Sub

```shell nocopy
$ step certificate create --profile root-ca \
--kms "$PKCS_URI"
--kms "$PKCS_URI" \
--key "pkcs11:id=7331;object=root-ca" \
"Smallstep Root CA" root_ca.crt
```
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -626,7 +622,6 @@ and sign an Intermediate CA certificate:
```shell nocopy
$ step kms create --json 'tpmkms:name=my-intermediate-ca'
$ step certificate create --profile intermediate-ca \
--kms 'tpmkms:' \
--ca root_ca.crt \
--ca-key root_ca.key \
--key 'tpmkms:name=my-intermediate-ca' \
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -725,8 +720,7 @@ Now, let's sign a root CA certificate based on the the key you just created. Sub

```shell nocopy
$ step certificate create --profile root-ca \
--kms 'yubikey:pin-value=123456' \
--key 'yubikey:slot-id=82' \
--key 'yubikey:slot-id=82?pin-value=123456' \
"Smallstep Root CA" root_ca.crt
```

Expand All @@ -743,11 +737,10 @@ Great. Next, we'll repeat the process for the Intermediate CA:
```shell nocopy
$ step kms create --json 'yubikey:slot-id=83'
$ step certificate create --profile intermediate-ca \
--kms 'yubikey:pin-value=123456' \
--ca-kms 'yubikey:pin-value=123456' \
--ca root_ca.crt \
--ca-key 'yubikey:slot-id=82' \
--key 'yubikey:slot-id=83' \
--key 'yubikey:slot-id=83?pin-value=123456' \
"Smallstep Intermediate CA" intermediate_ca.crt
```

Expand Down