Data encryption options

Cloud Storage always encrypts your data on the server side, before it is written to disk, at no additional charge. Besides this standard, Google-managed behavior, there are additional ways to encrypt your data when using Cloud Storage. Below is a summary of the encryption options available to you:

• Server-side encryption: encryption that occurs after Cloud Storage receives your data, but before the data is written to disk and stored.

  • Customer-managed encryption keys: You can create and manage your encryption keys through Cloud Key Management Service. Customer-managed encryption keys can be stored as software keys, in an HSM cluster, or externally.

  • Customer-supplied encryption keys: You can create and manage your own encryption keys. These keys act as an additional encryption layer on top of the standard Cloud Storage encryption.

• Client-side encryption: encryption that occurs before data is sent to Cloud Storage. Such data arrives at Cloud Storage already encrypted but also undergoes server-side encryption.

Warning: If you use customer-supplied encryption keys or client-side encryption, you must securely manage your keys and ensure that they are not lost. If you lose your keys, you are no longer able to read your data, and you continue to be charged for storage of your objects until you delete them.