Where Is the Key? — Operator training

Your HSM vendor sold you non-exportable keys. Your database backup contains… what, exactly? goca refuses to blur this. A stored key's custody is one of three answers to a single question: where is the private key at the moment a signature happens? In software custody it's in process memory, unwrapped under a key derived from your master secret. In pkcs11-wrapped it's also in process memory — but only the HSM can put it there, so a stolen database is inert. In strict pkcs11 it never leaves the token: every signature is one C_Sign, at the appliance's rate, not yours.

Metaphor: a bank vault. Strict custody is the deed that never leaves the vault; wrapped custody is taking it to the photocopier in the lobby — briefly out, watched, but out.

Where it breaks: the photocopier trip isn't rare — wrapped makes it on every signature, and process memory has more visitors than a bank lobby: core dumps, debuggers, swap.

Now I can say where each of my CA keys is when it signs.