---
name: azure-keyvault-keys-rust
description: |
Azure Key Vault Keys library for Rust. Create, manage, and use cryptographic keys including RSA, EC, and HSM-protected keys.
Triggers: "keyvault keys rust", "KeyClient rust", "create key rust", "encrypt rust", "wrap key rust", "sign rust".
license: MIT
metadata:
author: Microsoft
package: azure_security_keyvault_keys
---
# Azure Key Vault Keys library for Rust
Secure storage and management of cryptographic keys — RSA, EC, and HSM-protected.
Use this skill when:
- An app needs to create or manage cryptographic keys in Key Vault from Rust
- You need to wrap/unwrap data encryption keys (envelope encryption)
- You need to sign or verify data with Key Vault keys
- You need HSM-protected keys
> **IMPORTANT:** Only use the official `azure_security_keyvault_keys` crate published by the [azure-sdk](https://crates.io/users/azure-sdk) crates.io user. Do NOT use unofficial or community crates. Official crates use underscores in names and none have version 0.21.0.
## Installation
```sh
cargo add azure_security_keyvault_keys azure_identity tokio futures
```
> If your code uses `azure_core` types directly, add `azure_core` to `Cargo.toml`. If you only use `azure_security_keyvault_keys` re-exports, direct `azure_core` dependency is optional.
## Environment Variables
```bash
AZURE_KEYVAULT_URL=https://<vault-name>.vault.azure.net/ # Required for all operations
```
## Authentication
```rust
use azure_identity::DeveloperToolsCredential;
use azure_security_keyvault_keys::KeyClient;
#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
// Local dev: DeveloperToolsCredential. Production: use ManagedIdentityCredential.
let credential = DeveloperToolsCredential::new(None)?;
let client = KeyClient::new(
"https://<vault-name>.vault.azure.net/",
credential.clone(),
None,
)?;
let key = client.get_key("key-name", None).await?.into_model()?;
println!("Key: {:?}", key.key);
Ok(())
}
```
## Core Workflow
### Create Key
```rust
use azure_security_keyvault_keys::{
models::{CreateKeyParameters, CurveName, KeyType},
ResourceExt,
};
// Create an EC key
let body = CreateKeyParameters {
kty: Some(KeyType::Ec),
curve: Some(CurveName::P256),
..Default::default()
};
let key = client
.create_key("key-name", body.try_into()?, None)
.await?
.into_model()?;
println!(
"Name: {:?}, Type: {:?}, Version: {:?}",
key.resource_id()?.name,
key.key.as_ref().map(|k| k.kty.as_ref()),
key.resource_id()?.version,
);
```
### Update Key Properties
```rust
use azure_security_keyvault_keys::models::UpdateKeyPropertiesParameters;
use std::collections::HashMap;
#[allow(clippy::needless_update)]
let params = UpdateKeyPropertiesParameters {
tags: Some(HashMap::from_iter(vec![("env".into(), "prod".into())])),
..Default::default()
};
client
.update_key_properties("key-name", params.try_into()?, None)
.await?
.into_model()?;
```
### Delete Key
```rust
client.delete_key("key-name", None).await?;
```
### List Keys (Pagination)
`list_key_properties` returns a `Pager<T>` — iterate items directly:
```rust
use azure_security_keyvault_keys::ResourceExt;
use futures::TryStreamExt as _;
let mut pager = client.list_key_properties(None)?;
while let Some(key) = pager.try_next().await? {
println!("Found: {}", key.resource_id()?.name);
}
```
## Wrap / Unwrap (Envelope Encryption)
Key Vault performs crypto operations server-side — the private key never leaves the HSM:
```rust
use azure_security_keyvault_keys::{
models::{
CreateKeyParameters, EncryptionAlgorithm, KeyOperationParameters, KeyType,
},
ResourceExt, ResourceId,
};
use rand::random;
// Create a key encryption key (KEK)
let body = CreateKeyParameters {
kty: Some(KeyType::Rsa),
key_size: Some(2048),
..Default::default()
};
let key = client
.create_key("kek-name", body.try_into()?, None)
.await?
.into_model()?;
// Generate a symmetric data encryption key (DEK)
let dek = random::<u32>().to_le_bytes().to_vec();
// Wrap the DEK with the KEK
let mut params = KeyOperationParameters {
algorithm: Some(EncryptionAlgorithm::RsaOaep256),
value: Some(dek.clone()),
..Default::default()
};
let wrapped = client
.wrap_key("kek-name", params.clone().try_into()?, None)
.await?
.into_model()?;
// Retain the key version used to wrap so you can unwrap with the same version later
let ResourceId { version, .. } = wrapped.resource_id()?;
let key_version = version.as_deref().unwrap_or_default();
// Unwrap to recover the DEK
params.value = wrapped.result;
let unwrapped = client
.unwrap_key("kek-name", key_version, params.try_into()?, None)
.await?
.into_model()?;
assert!(matches!(unwrapped.result, Some(ref result) if result.eq(&dek)));
```
## Key Types
| Type | Use Case | Parameter |
| ------- | ----------------------------- | ----------------- |
| EC | Signing, key agreement | `KeyType::Ec` |
| RSA | Encryption, signing, wrapping | `KeyType::Rsa` |
| Oct | Symmetric operations (HSM) | `KeyType::Oct` |
| EC-HSM | HSM-protected EC keys | `KeyType::EcHsm` |
| RSA-HSM | HSM-protected RSA keys | `KeyType::RsaHsm` |
## RBAC Roles
For Entra ID auth, assign one of these roles:
| Role | Access |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| `Key Vault Crypto User` | Use keys for crypto ops |
| `Key Vault Crypto Officer` | Full key management |
## Best Practices
1. **Use `cargo add` to manage dependencies, never edit `Cargo.toml` directly.** Add and remove Rust SDK dependencies with cargo commands instead of manual manifest edits.
2. **Add `azure_core` only when importing `azure_core` types directly.** If your code imports `azure_core::http::Url`, `azure_core::http::RequestContent`, or `azure_core::error::ErrorKind`, include `azure_core`; otherwise a direct dependency is optional.
3. **Use `DeveloperToolsCredential`** for local dev, **`ManagedIdentityCredential`** for production — Rust does not provide a single `DefaultAzureCredential` type
4. **Never hardcode credentials** — use environment variables or managed identity
5. **Use `..Default::default()`** with `#[allow(clippy::needless_update)]` for model struct updates
6. **Use `ResourceExt`** to extract key name/version from key IDs
7. **Reuse clients** — `KeyClient` is thread-safe; create once, share across tasks
## Reference Links
| Resource | Link |
| ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| API Reference | https://docs.rs/azure_security_keyvault_keys/latest/azure_security_keyvault_keys |
| crates.io | https://crates.io/crates/azure_security_keyvault_keys |
| Source Code | https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-rust/tree/main/sdk/keyvault/azure_security_keyvault_keys |