Microsoft Azure has launched public preview support for single-tenant hardware security module (HSM) services built on Marvell’s FIPS 140-3, Level 3 certified LiquidSecurity platform. The move follows last year’s certification of Marvell’s LiquidSecurity HSMs by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), marking a major advancement in bringing enterprise-grade, cloud-native key protection to regulated industries such as banking, government, and healthcare.
In a blog, Bill Hagerstrand, Director, Security Business, Marvell, says the new Azure Key Vault Managed HSM offering enables customers to securely manage their own cryptographic keys and perform high-assurance cryptographic operations within dedicated LiquidSecurity clusters. Microsoft’s Sean Whalen emphasized the significance of HSMs as a foundation for secure key management strategies, enabling customers to meet compliance requirements while reducing operational complexity. By deploying LiquidSecurity in Azure’s infrastructure, Microsoft bridges the gap between legacy on-prem HSM systems and scalable cloud-based services, giving customers access to FIPS-compliant key protection with minimal CapEx investment.
Marvell’s LiquidSecurity 2 platform is designed to handle up to 1 million key objects and support 120,000 simultaneous ECC operations, all within a single PCIe card. This drastically reduces the space, power, and cost burden typically associated with racks of 1U or 2U on-premises HSMs. With growing demand for secure cloud workloads, this collaboration underscores the trend of migrating high-trust hardware security functions to the cloud in a scalable and compliant manner.
- Microsoft Azure now offers public preview of FIPS 140-3 Level 3 certified LiquidSecurity HSMs
- Based on Marvell’s LiquidSecurity 2 platform, supporting 1 million keys and 120,000 ECC operations
- Enables cryptographic operations and key management in dedicated, cloud-based HSM clusters
- Reduces hardware, power, and operational costs compared to traditional on-prem HSMs
- Ideal for finance, government, and enterprises with strict compliance requirement