# Create a symmetric encryption KMS key


This topic explains how to create the basic KMS key, a [symmetric encryption KMS key](symm-asymm-choose-key-spec.md#symmetric-cmks) for a single Region with key material from AWS KMS. You can use this KMS key to protect your resources in an AWS service.

You can create symmetric encryption KMS keys in the AWS KMS console, by using the [CreateKey](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_CreateKey.html) API, or by using the [AWS::KMS::Key CloudFormation template](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/aws-resource-kms-key.html). 

The default key spec, [SYMMETRIC\$1DEFAULT](symm-asymm-choose-key-spec.md#symmetric-cmks), is the key spec for symmetric encryption KMS keys. When you select the **Symmetric** key type and the **Encrypt and decrypt** key usage in the AWS KMS console, it selects the `SYMMETRIC_DEFAULT` key spec. In the [CreateKey](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_CreateKey.html) operation, if you don't specify a `KeySpec` value, SYMMETRIC\$1DEFAULT is selected. If you don't have a reason to use a different key spec, SYMMETRIC\$1DEFAULT is a good choice.

For information about quotas that apply to KMS keys, see [Quotas](limits.md).

## Using the AWS KMS console


You can use the AWS Management Console to create AWS KMS keys (KMS keys).

**Important**  
Do not include confidential or sensitive information in the alias, description, or tags. These fields may appear in plain text in CloudTrail logs and other output.

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the AWS Key Management Service (AWS KMS) console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/kms](https://console.aws.amazon.com/kms).

1. To change the AWS Region, use the Region selector in the upper-right corner of the page.

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Customer managed keys**.

1. Choose **Create key**.

1. To create a symmetric encryption KMS key, for **Key type** choose **Symmetric**.

1. In **Key usage**, the **Encrypt and decrypt** option is selected for you.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Type an alias for the KMS key. The alias name cannot begin with **aws/**. The **aws/** prefix is reserved by Amazon Web Services to represent AWS managed keys in your account.
**Note**  
Adding, deleting, or updating an alias can allow or deny permission to the KMS key. For details, see [ABAC for AWS KMS](abac.md) and [Use aliases to control access to KMS keys](alias-authorization.md).

    An alias is a display name that you can use to identify the KMS key. We recommend that you choose an alias that indicates the type of data you plan to protect or the application you plan to use with the KMS key. 

    

    Aliases are required when you create a KMS key in the AWS Management Console. They are optional when you use the [CreateKey](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_CreateKey.html) operation. 

1. (Optional) Type a description for the KMS key.

   You can add a description now or update it any time unless the [key state](key-state.md) is `Pending Deletion` or `Pending Replica Deletion`. To add, change, or delete the description of an existing customer managed key, edit the description on the details page for the KMS key in the AWS Management Console or use the [UpdateKeyDescription](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_UpdateKeyDescription.html) operation.

1. (Optional) Type a tag key and an optional tag value. To add more than one tag to the KMS key, choose **Add tag**.
**Note**  
Tagging or untagging a KMS key can allow or deny permission to the KMS key. For details, see [ABAC for AWS KMS](abac.md) and [Use tags to control access to KMS keys](tag-authorization.md).

   When you add tags to your AWS resources, AWS generates a cost allocation report with usage and costs aggregated by tags. Tags can also be used to control access to a KMS key. For information about tagging KMS keys, see [Tags in AWS KMS](tagging-keys.md) and [ABAC for AWS KMS](abac.md). 

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Select the IAM users and roles that can administer the KMS key.
**Notes**  
This key policy gives the AWS account full control of this KMS key. It allows account administrators to use IAM policies to give other principals permission to manage the KMS key. For details, see [Default key policy](key-policy-default.md).  
IAM best practices discourage the use of IAM users with long-term credentials. Whenever possible, use IAM roles, which provide temporary credentials. For details, see [Security best practices in IAM](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/best-practices.html) in the *IAM User Guide*.  
The AWS KMS console adds key administrators to the key policy under the statement identifier `"Allow access for Key Administrators"`. Modifying this statement identifier might impact how the console displays updates that you make to the statement.

1. (Optional) To prevent the selected IAM users and roles from deleting this KMS key, in the **Key deletion** section at the bottom of the page, clear the **Allow key administrators to delete this key** check box.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Select the IAM users and roles that can use the key in [cryptographic operations](kms-cryptography.md#cryptographic-operations)
**Notes**  
IAM best practices discourage the use of IAM users with long-term credentials. Whenever possible, use IAM roles, which provide temporary credentials. For details, see [Security best practices in IAM](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/best-practices.html) in the *IAM User Guide*.  
The AWS KMS console adds key users to the key policy under the statement identifiers `"Allow use of the key"` and `"Allow attachment of persistent resources"`. Modifying these statement identifiers might impact how the console displays updates that you make to the statement.

1. (Optional) You can allow other AWS accounts to use this KMS key for cryptographic operations. To do so, in the **Other AWS accounts** section at the bottom of the page, choose **Add another AWS account** and enter the AWS account identification number of an external account. To add multiple external accounts, repeat this step.
**Note**  
To allow principals in the external accounts to use the KMS key, Administrators of the external account must create IAM policies that provide these permissions. For more information, see [Allowing users in other accounts to use a KMS key](key-policy-modifying-external-accounts.md).

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Review the key policy statements for the key. To make changes to the key policy, select **Edit**.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Review the key settings that you chose. You can still go back and change all settings.

1. Choose **Finish** to create the KMS key.

## Using the AWS KMS API


You can use the [CreateKey](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_CreateKey.html) operation to create AWS KMS keys of all types. These examples use the [AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI)](https://aws.amazon.com/cli/). For examples in multiple programming languages, see [Use `CreateKey` with an AWS SDK or CLI](example_kms_CreateKey_section.md).

**Important**  
Do not include confidential or sensitive information in the `Description` or `Tags` fields. These fields may appear in plain text in CloudTrail logs and other output.

The following operation creates a symmetric encryption key in a single Region backed by key material generated by AWS KMS. This operation has no required parameters. However, you might also want to use the `Policy` parameter to specify a key policy. You can change the key policy ([PutKeyPolicy](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_PutKeyPolicy.html)) and add optional elements, such as a [description](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_DescribeKey.html) and [tags](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_TagResource.html) at any time. You can also create [asymmetric keys](asymm-create-key.md#create-asymmetric-keys-api), [multi-Region keys](create-primary-keys.md), keys with [imported key material](importing-keys-create-cmk.md#importing-keys-create-cmk-api), and keys in [custom key stores](create-cmk-keystore.md#create-cmk-keystore-api). To create data keys for client-side encryption, use the [GenerateDataKey](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_GenerateDataKey.html) operation.

The `CreateKey` operation doesn't let you specify an alias, but you can use the [CreateAlias](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_CreateAlias.html) operation to create an alias for your new KMS key.

The following is an example of a call to the `CreateKey` operation with no parameters. This command uses all of the default values. It creates a symmetric encryption KMS key with key material generated by AWS KMS.

```
$ aws kms create-key
{
    "KeyMetadata": {
        "Origin": "AWS_KMS",
        "KeyId": "1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890ab",
        "Description": "",
        "KeyManager": "CUSTOMER",
        "Enabled": true,
        "KeySpec": "SYMMETRIC_DEFAULT",
        "CustomerMasterKeySpec": "SYMMETRIC_DEFAULT",
        "KeyUsage": "ENCRYPT_DECRYPT",
        "KeyState": "Enabled",
        "CreationDate": 1502910355.475,
        "Arn": "arn:aws:kms:us-west-2:111122223333:key/1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890ab",
        "AWSAccountId": "111122223333",
        "MultiRegion": false
        "EncryptionAlgorithms": [
            "SYMMETRIC_DEFAULT"
        ],
    }
}
```

If you do not specify a key policy for your new KMS key, the [default key policy](key-policy-default.md) that `CreateKey` applies differs from the default key policy that the console applies when you use it to create a new KMS key. 

For example, this call to the [GetKeyPolicy](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/kms/latest/APIReference/API_GetKeyPolicy.html) operation returns the key policy that `CreateKey` applies. It gives the AWS account access to the KMS key and allows it to create AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies for the KMS key. For detailed information about IAM policies and key policies for KMS keys, see [KMS key access and permissions](control-access.md)

```
$ aws kms get-key-policy --key-id 1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890ab --policy-name default --output text
```

------
#### [ JSON ]

****  

```
{
  "Version":"2012-10-17",		 	 	 
  "Id" : "key-default-1",
  "Statement" : [ {
    "Sid" : "EnableIAMUserPermissions",
    "Effect" : "Allow",
    "Principal" : {
      "AWS" : "arn:aws:iam::111122223333:root"
    },
    "Action" : "kms:*",
    "Resource" : "*"
  } ]
}
```

------