# Ensure boot volume is encrypted with Customer Managed Key

- Source: https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/a_1790698524972672-ensure-boot-volume-is-encrypted-with-customer-managed-key
- Section: [Solutions](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions) › [Oracle Cloud](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/c_1790697859097233) › [Checks](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/folders/f_1790697878907807)
- Last updated: 2026-09-29
- Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com)

**Description**

Ensure every boot volume that holds sensitive data is encrypted with a customer-managed master encryption key from OCI Vault, instead of the default Oracle-managed key. This gives the organization control over the key's rotation, access, and lifecycle.

**Rationale**

Boot volumes contain the operating system, applications, and often sensitive configuration and data. With a customer-managed key, you control who can use the key, enforce your own rotation schedule, and can make the volume unreadable by disabling the key if an instance is compromised or a volume copy leaks.

**Impact**

-   Gives control over key rotation and access
    
-   Allows access to the volume to be revoked by disabling the key
    
-   Disabling or deleting the key stops the instance from booting
    

**Default Value**

By default, boot volumes are encrypted with an Oracle-managed key.

**Pre-Requisites**

-   Permission to manage volumes and to use keys in the vault
    
-   A vault with a symmetric AES master encryption key
    
-   Make sure an IAM policy allows the storage service to use the key, for example: Allow service objectstorage-<region>, blockstorage, FssOc1Prod to use keys in compartment <vault-compartment>
    

**Test Plan**

1.  Sign in to the OCI Console at [https://cloud.oracle.com](https://cloud.oracle.com/).
    
2.  Open the navigation menu, select Storage, and under Block Storage select Boot volumes. Choose the compartment and select the boot volume.
    
3.  Check the Encryption key value.
    
4.  If it shows Oracle-managed key, follow the implementation steps.
    

**Implementation Steps**

1.  Sign in to the OCI Console at [https://cloud.oracle.com](https://cloud.oracle.com/).
    
2.  Make sure an IAM policy allows the storage service to use the key, for example: Allow service objectstorage-<region>, blockstorage, FssOc1Prod to use keys in compartment <vault-compartment>.
    
3.  Open the navigation menu, select Storage, and under Block Storage select Boot volumes. Select the boot volume.
    
4.  Next to Encryption key, select Assign (or Edit).
    
5.  Choose the vault and master encryption key, and select Assign.
    

**Backout Plan**

1.  Sign in to the OCI Console at [https://cloud.oracle.com](https://cloud.oracle.com/).
    
2.  Open the boot volume, select Unassign (or Edit) next to Encryption key, and return to the Oracle-managed key.
    

**Reference**

-   [https://docs.oracle.com/en-us/iaas/Content/Block/Concepts/blockvolumeencryption.htm](https://docs.oracle.com/en-us/iaas/Content/Block/Concepts/blockvolumeencryption.htm)
    
-   [https://docs.oracle.com/en-us/iaas/Content/KeyManagement/Concepts/keyoverview.htm](https://docs.oracle.com/en-us/iaas/Content/KeyManagement/Concepts/keyoverview.htm)

## Related compliance guidance

- [SOC 2 compliance: a practical implementation guide for cloud-native SaaS teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria): Configuration checks like this one are the technical half of a SOC 2 / ISO 27001 programme — the guide shows where they fit, what else an auditor expects, and how to evidence them.
- [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): ISO 27001 Annex A.8 (technological controls) is where cloud hardening evidence lands; the guide shows how to run the ISMS around it.