
Managing Customer-Owned Encryption with the New Key Management Service | feat. Sascha Vierlinger
From Unlocking SAP BTP by SAP SE
February 18, 2026 · 36 min · Episode 125
About this episode
The episode discusses customer-owned encryption and the new Key Management Service from SAP, focusing on key control and security in cloud environments.
Niklas Siemer is joined by Sascha Vierlinger, Product Manager for SAP Key Management service, to unpack customer-owned encryption in cloud landscapes—and why more organizations want control of the “last layer” of trust: the keys. They walk through why encryption matters more in the cloud, the difference between SAP-managed vs. customer-managed keys, and what a modern Key Management Service (KMS) needs to deliver: secure key storage, lifecycle controls (enable/disable/delete), auditability, and operational safeguards like the four-eyes principle. The conversation also covers the classic “red button” scenario (cutting off access fast in an emergency), and how SAP’s new KMS is designed as a more scalable, central approach compared to the legacy SAP Data Custodian KMS. Download Episode Transcript In this episode, you'll learn: Why who controls the key is effectively who controls the data (especially in regulated industries). The three models for key control: Sub-managed keys, Bring Your Own Key (BYOK), and Hold Your Own Key (HYOK). What "key lifecycle" really means (rotation, disabling, deletion—and the very real risks). How SAP's new KMS supports stronger governance…
People in this episode
Host: Niklas Siemer
Guest: Sascha Vierlinger
Topics covered
- customer-owned encryption
- key management service
- cloud security
- data governance
- encryption models
Keywords
- encryption
- key management
- cloud landscapes
- auditability
- data control
- governance
- KMS
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: SAP, SAP Data Custodian, SAP BTP
Products: Key Management Service
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