---

name: azure-security-keyvault-keys-java description: "Azure Key Vault Keys Java SDK for cryptographic key management. Use when creating, managing, or using RSA/EC keys, performing encrypt/decrypt/sign/verify operations, or working with HSM-backed keys." risk: unknown source: community date_added: "2026-02-27"

Azure Key Vault Keys (Java)

Manage cryptographic keys and perform cryptographic operations in Azure Key Vault and Managed HSM.

Installation

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.azure</groupId>
    <artifactId>azure-security-keyvault-keys</artifactId>
    <version>4.9.0</version>
</dependency>

Client Creation

import com.azure.security.keyvault.keys.KeyClient;
import com.azure.security.keyvault.keys.KeyClientBuilder;
import com.azure.security.keyvault.keys.cryptography.CryptographyClient;
import com.azure.security.keyvault.keys.cryptography.CryptographyClientBuilder;
import com.azure.identity.DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder;

// Key management client
KeyClient keyClient = new KeyClientBuilder()
    .vaultUrl("https://<vault-name>.vault.azure.net")
    .credential(new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder().build())
    .buildClient();

// Async client
KeyAsyncClient keyAsyncClient = new KeyClientBuilder()
    .vaultUrl("https://<vault-name>.vault.azure.net")
    .credential(new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder().build())
    .buildAsyncClient();

// Cryptography client (for encrypt/decrypt/sign/verify)
CryptographyClient cryptoClient = new CryptographyClientBuilder()
    .keyIdentifier("https://<vault-name>.vault.azure.net/keys/<key-name>/<key-version>")
    .credential(new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder().build())
    .buildClient();

Key Types

| Type | Description | |------|-------------| | RSA | RSA key (2048, 3072, 4096 bits) | | RSA_HSM | RSA key in HSM | | EC | Elliptic Curve key | | EC_HSM | Elliptic Curve key in HSM | | OCT | Symmetric key (Managed HSM only) | | OCT_HSM | Symmetric key in HSM |

Create Keys

Create RSA Key

import com.azure.security.keyvault.keys.models.*;

// Simple RSA key
KeyVaultKey rsaKey = keyClient.createRsaKey(new CreateRsaKeyOptions("my-rsa-key")
    .setKeySize(2048));

System.out.println("Key name: " + rsaKey.getName());
System.out.println("Key ID: " + rsaKey.getId());
System.out.println("Key type: " + rsaKey.getKeyType());

// RSA key with options
KeyVaultKey rsaKeyWithOptions = keyClient.createRsaKey(new CreateRsaKeyOptions("my-rsa-key-2")
    .setKeySize(4096)
    .setExpiresOn(OffsetDateTime.now().plusYears(1))
    .setNotBefore(OffsetDateTime.now())
    .setEnabled(true)
    .setKeyOperations(KeyOperation.ENCRYPT, KeyOperation.DECRYPT, 
                       KeyOperation.WRAP_KEY, KeyOperation.UNWRAP_KEY)
    .setTags(Map.of("environment", "production")));

// HSM-backed RSA key
KeyVaultKey hsmKey = keyClient.createRsaKey(new CreateRsaKeyOptions("my-hsm-key")
    .setKeySize(2048)
    .setHardwareProtected(true));

Create EC Key

// EC key with P-256 curve
KeyVaultKey ecKey = keyClient.createEcKey(new CreateEcKeyOptions("my-ec-key")
    .setCurveName(KeyCurveName.P_256));

// EC key with other curves
KeyVaultKey ecKey384 = keyClient.createEcKey(new CreateEcKeyOptions("my-ec-key-384")
    .setCurveName(KeyCurveName.P_384));

KeyVaultKey ecKey521 = keyClient.createEcKey(new CreateEcKeyOptions("my-ec-key-521")
    .setCurveName(KeyCurveName.P_521));

// HSM-backed EC key
KeyVaultKey ecHsmKey = keyClient.createEcKey(new CreateEcKeyOptions("my-ec-hsm-key")
    .setCurveName(KeyCurveName.P_256)
    .setHardwareProtected(true));

Create Symmetric Key (Managed HSM only)

KeyVaultKey octKey = keyClient.createOctKey(new CreateOctKeyOptions("my-symmetric-key")
    .setKeySize(256)
    .setHardwareProtected(true));

Get Key

// Get latest version
KeyVaultKey key = keyClient.getKey("my-key");

// Get specific version
KeyVaultKey keyVersion = keyClient.getKey("my-key", "<version-id>");

// Get only key properties (no key material)
KeyProperties keyProps = keyClient.getKey("my-key").getProperties();

Update Key Properties

KeyVaultKey key = keyClient.getKey("my-key");

// Update properties
key.getProperties()
    .setEnabled(false)
    .setExpiresOn(OffsetDateTime.now().plusMonths(6))
    .setTags(Map.of("status", "archived"));

KeyVaultKey updatedKey = keyClient.updateKeyProperties(key.getProperties(),
    KeyOperation.ENCRYPT, KeyOperation.DECRYPT);

List Keys

import com.azure.core.util.paging.PagedIterable;

// List all keys
for (KeyProperties keyProps : keyClient.listPropertiesOfKeys()) {
    System.out.println("Key: " + keyProps.getName());
    System.out.println("  Enabled: " + keyProps.isEnabled());
    System.out.println("  Created: " + keyProps.getCreatedOn());
}

// List key versions
for (KeyProperties version : keyClient.listPropertiesOfKeyVersions("my-key")) {
    System.out.println("Version: " + version.getVersion());
    System.out.p