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HSM (Hardware Security Module)

Encryption

A special device that stores keys safely and does crypto operations securely.

Definition

An HSM is specialized hardware that stores encryption keys and performs sensitive cryptographic operations.

In plain English A special device that stores keys safely and does crypto operations securely.

Why this matters

Why it matters: It makes it much harder for attackers to steal keys, protecting encrypted personal data.

Example

Example: A company uses an HSM to protect the master key for database encryption.