Tutorial / Cram Notes
Each Azure Storage account has two keys, commonly referred to as key1 and key2. Having two keys allows you to regenerate the keys with no downtime or interruption to your storage services. While you change one key and update the applications to use the new key, the other remains active and available.
Managing Access Keys through Azure Portal
- Navigating to the Storage Account:
To view or regenerate the access keys for your storage account, sign in to the Azure portal and navigate to the specific storage account you wish to manage.
- Access Keys Section:
In the storage account pane, select the “Access keys” section under the “Security + networking” category. You will see both keys along with the connection string.
- Regenerate Keys:
To regenerate any of the keys, click on the “Regenerate” icon next to the key. Remember that regenerating an access key will invalidate the old key immediately.
- Copy Keys:
To use the keys in your applications, use the “Copy” button to copy the key to your clipboard and then paste it into your application’s configuration setting.
Automating Access Key Rotation with Azure CLI
To automate the process of rotating the access keys, you can use the Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI). The following example shows how you can rotate key1 for a storage account:
# Login to Azure
az login
# Rotate key1 for the storage account
az storage account keys renew –account-name MyStorageAccount –key primary
Managing Access Keys with Azure PowerShell
Similarly, you can use Azure PowerShell to manage your access keys. Here is an example of how to rotate the primary access key:
# Login to Azure
Connect-AzAccount
# Rotate the primary key
Update-AzStorageAccountKey -ResourceGroupName MyResourceGroup -Name MyStorageAccount -KeyName key1
Best Practices for Managing Access Keys
- Rotate keys regularly: To reduce the risk of unauthorized access, rotate your keys periodically and whenever a key might be compromised.
- Avoid hardcoding keys: Instead of hardcoding access keys in your applications, use Azure Key Vault to store and manage them securely.
- Implement role-based access control (RBAC): Limit the need for access keys by using Azure RBAC to control access to storage account resources.
- Use Shared Access Signatures (SAS): For more granular and time-limited access, use Shared Access Signatures instead of access keys.
- Audit Access Key Usage: Regularly monitor the usage of your access keys by enabling Azure Storage Analytics logging for your storage accounts.
Comparing Access Keys with SAS Tokens
| Feature | Access Keys | Shared Access Signature (SAS) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of Access | Full account-level access | Fine-grained control over permissions and time frame |
| Best Used For | Backend services with full control | Temporary access or limited access scenarios |
| Time-bound Access | No control over timing | Expiry time can be set |
| Granularity | Broad (account-wide) | Specific (e.g., single blob) |
| Recommended for Client Applications? | No | Yes |
| Regeneration Impact | Immediate impact – need to update everywhere used | Impact limited to the specific SAS token |
By carefully managing access keys and following these best practices, you ensure a more secure Azure Storage environment in line with the objectives of the AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Technologies examination. Always make sure to stay updated with the best practices and use the latest Azure tools to manage access effectively.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: Storage account access keys are used to authorize access to data in your Azure Storage account.
- True
Explanation: Azure Storage account access keys are part of the shared key authentication method that authorizes access to storage accounts.
True or False: Regenerating the storage account access keys can be done without any downtime.
- True
Explanation: You can regenerate access keys at any time, and it does not cause any downtime. However, any applications or services using the old keys will need to be updated with the new ones.
True or False: It is recommended to store your Azure Storage account access keys in the source code of your applications.
- False
Explanation: Storing access keys in source code is not a best practice; instead, use Azure Key Vault or Managed Identities to secure and manage the access keys.
Azure Storage account access keys consist of:
- A) One key that can be actively used at any time.
- B) Two keys that can be used interchangeably.
- C) Multiple keys are rotated automatically.
- D) A single key that is regenerated on a schedule.
Answer: B
Explanation: Azure Storage provides two access keys, known as key1 and key2, which can be used interchangeably. This allows for regenerating one key while using the other, avoiding downtime.
True or False: If you regenerate the primary access key for your storage account, the secondary access key will still provide uninterrupted access.
- True
Explanation: Regenerating the primary key does not affect the secondary key, which provides a means for uninterrupted access during the regeneration process.
Which of the following actions can be performed using Azure Storage account access keys?
- A) Read data from the storage account.
- B) Write data to the storage account.
- C) Perform administrative operations on the storage account.
- D) All of the above.
Answer: D
Explanation: Storage account access keys allow you to perform all types of operations, including reading, writing, and administrative tasks.
True or False: After regenerating your Azure Storage account access keys, it is necessary to update your applications immediately to prevent loss of access.
- True
Explanation: After access key regeneration, you must update your applications with the new keys to ensure they continue to have access to the storage account.
How often should you rotate your Azure Storage account keys?
- A) At least every 90 days.
- B) Once every year.
- C) Only when you suspect they are compromised.
- D) Azure automatically rotates them, no action is needed.
Answer: A
Explanation: It is considered a security best practice to rotate access keys at least every 90 days or according to your organization’s policies.
True or False: Access keys are the only method to access Azure Storage services.
- False
Explanation: Azure Storage provides multiple methods for accessing storage services, including shared access signatures (SAS), Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) integration, and anonymous public read access for containers and blobs.
Which Azure service is recommended to manage the storage account access keys securely?
- A) Azure Security Center
- B) Azure Access Control (IAM)
- C) Azure Active Directory
- D) Azure Key Vault
Answer: D
Explanation: Azure Key Vault is designed to securely store and tightly control access to tokens, passwords, certificates, API keys, and other secrets in a centralized storage, such as Azure Storage account access keys.
True or False: Shared access signatures (SAS) provide a more granular level of access control compared to storage account access keys.
- True
Explanation: Shared access signatures allow for more fine-grained and controlled access to Azure Storage resources compared to account access keys, which grant access to all resources in the storage account.
Which is a recommended security practice when using storage account access keys?
- A) Use access keys for all applications and services.
- B) Regenerate keys regularly and update the applications using them.
- C) Store access keys in application configuration files.
- D) Share the keys with all team members for convenience.
Answer: B
Explanation: It is recommended to regenerate access keys regularly and update dependent applications promptly to mitigate the risk of key leakage and ensure secure access to the storage account.
Interview Questions
What are storage account access keys, and how are they used to authenticate access to a storage account?
Storage account access keys are unique strings of characters that are used to authenticate access to an Azure Storage account. They are used to securely connect and interact with the data in your storage account.
How many access keys are provided with each storage account?
Each storage account comes with two access keys that can be used to authenticate access to the account.
How can you regenerate the access keys for a storage account?
To regenerate the access keys for a storage account, navigate to the Access keys page in the Azure portal and click the “Regenerate Key” button. This will generate a new access key, and you can repeat the process to regenerate the second key.
When might you want to regenerate the access keys for a storage account?
You may want to regenerate the access keys for a storage account if one of the keys has been compromised or if you want to rotate the keys for security reasons.
How can you copy the access keys for a storage account?
To copy the access keys for a storage account, navigate to the Access keys page in the Azure portal and copy the keys or connection string provided.
How can you delete old access keys for a storage account?
To delete old access keys for a storage account, navigate to the Access keys page in the Azure portal and click the “Delete” button next to the key you want to remove.
What are Shared Access Signatures (SAS), and how can they be used to grant limited access to a storage account?
Shared Access Signatures (SAS) provide a way to grant limited access to a storage account. They can be used to grant access to specific resources in the storage account, such as containers or blobs, and can be configured to expire after a specified period.
How can you generate a SAS token for a storage account?
To generate a SAS token for a storage account, create a policy with the desired permissions and expiration time and then generate the SAS token using the storage account key or Azure Active Directory authentication.
What is the purpose of restricting access to storage account keys?
Restricting access to storage account keys helps ensure that only trusted users or applications can access and manipulate the data in your storage account.
What is the purpose of using role-based access control (RBAC) with storage accounts?
Using role-based access control (RBAC) with storage accounts helps ensure that only authorized users or groups can access and manage your storage account resources.
What are the best practices for managing storage account access keys?
Some best practices for managing storage account access keys include regenerating keys regularly, deleting old keys that are no longer needed, and using Shared Access Signatures to grant limited access.
What is the difference between primary and secondary access keys for a storage account?
The primary and secondary access keys for a storage account are functionally identical. However, having two sets of keys allows you to regenerate one set while still maintaining access to the storage account with the other set.
How can you revoke access to a storage account key?
To revoke access to a storage account key, you can regenerate the key, which will invalidate the previous key and prevent it from being used for future authentication.
Can you use Azure Active Directory to control access to a storage account?
Yes, you can use Azure Active Directory to control access to a storage account by creating a service principal with the appropriate permissions and then granting access to the service principal.
Great post! Configuring storage account access keys is crucial for security.
Can someone explain the difference between primary and secondary access keys?
Is there a way to automate key rotation?
Appreciate the detailed instructions, very helpful!
What’s the best practice for managing access keys?
How often should we rotate the access keys?
Can you log access to the storage account using these keys?
Thanks for this post, it clarified my doubts.