Managing Customer-Owned Encryption with the New Key Management Service | feat. Sascha Vierlinger

Niklas Siemer is joined by Sascha Vierlinger, Product Manager for the SAP Key Management service, to unpack customer-owned encryption in cloud environments, and why more organizations want control of the “last layer” of trust: the keys. They walk through why encryption matters more in the cloud, the difference between SAP-managed and customer-managed keys, and what a modern Key Management Service (KMS) needs to deliver: secure key storage, lifecycle controls (enable/disable/delete), auditability, and operational safeguards such as the four-eyes principle. The conversation also covers the classic “red button” scenario (cutting off access quickly in an emergency) and how SAP’s new KMS is designed as a more scalable, central approach compared to the legacy SAP Data Custodian KMS. In this episode, you’ll learn: ✅ Why who controls the key is effectively who controls the data (especially in regulated industries). ✅ The three models for key control: Sub-managed keys, Bring Your Own Key (BYOK), and Hold Your Own Key (HYOK). ✅ What “key lifecycle” really means (rotation, disabling, deletion—and the very real risks). ✅ How SAP’s new KMS supports stronger governance with audit logs and multi-party approvals. ✅ What to expect commercially (licensed product + connections) and how this fits with SAP BTP usage. Chapters: 0:00 - Cold open: “If I remove the key… no one can access my data” 0:21 - Welcome + episode topic 0:38 - Meet the expert: Sascha Vierlinger 1:29 - Why encryption matters more in the cloud 3:03 - SAP-managed keys: what it means for customers 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://sap.to/6050f6zYq 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://sap.to/6051f6zYS Read more about the new Key Management Service: https://sap.to/6057hdKWU #SAPBTP #SAPKeyManagement #Encryption