When the key management system creates a key, selecting the key material source as "external" means that the key material is provided by an external entity or system, rather than being generated within the key management system itself. This allows for greater flexibility and control over the key material, as it can be generated and managed by a separate, potentially more secure, system.
For example, in a cloud environment, a user might generate a cryptographic key on their own hardware or software, and then import that key into the cloud-based key management system for use in encrypting and decrypting data.
The BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) solution refers to a method where users can generate, manage, and maintain their own cryptographic keys, and then use those keys within a cloud service or application. This approach gives users full control over their keys, while still allowing them to benefit from the scalability and flexibility of cloud-based services.
In the context of cloud services, Tencent Cloud offers a Key Management Service (KMS) that supports BYOK. With Tencent Cloud KMS, users can import their own keys into the system, ensuring that they maintain full control over their key material while still being able to use it within Tencent Cloud services.