DuoKey

Microsoft 365 Double Key Encryption

DuoKey vs Utimaco

Utimaco's DKE offer is DKE Anchor, software the customer installs on Windows or Linux in front of a Utimaco HSM, on premises or in Utimaco's HSM as a Service. DuoKey is a Swiss DKE service operated by DuoKey (ISO 27001, SOC 2, TISAX AL3) or deployed on your own infrastructure, with keys protected by Multi-Party Computation or an HSM backend.

DuoKey

30 / 33

Utimaco

8 / 33

Compared capabilities supported, based on public documentation.

Only DuoKey

  • Evaluation or trial licence
  • Decrypt authorized by Entra ID groups
  • Admin SSO and MFA
  • Fine-grained administrator RBAC
  • Quorum (four-eyes) approval
  • Contextual access on key use
  • Audit logs exported to a SIEM
  • Built-in monitoring dashboard
  • Access rules changed live
  • Block rules that override allows
  • Several identity providers
  • Tamper-evident audit log
  • Optional mTLS on decrypt calls
  • Built-in end-to-end key test
  • High-availability cluster
  • Multi-site or geo-redundant deployment
  • Key backup and recovery procedure
  • Rotation without a new Purview label
  • Vendor-hosted DKE service (SaaS)
  • Automatic Entra ID app registration
  • No end-of-life runtime or OS
  • Key never assembled in one place
  • Customer chooses the hosting region

Feature by feature

DuoKey and Utimaco, side by side

CapabilityDuoKeyUtimaco

Vendor and support

124/7 support with SLA response times

Round-the-clock support with contractual response times for critical incidents.

Yes24/7 on Platinum, 1-hour critical responseSource
Yes24x7 on Premium Plus supportSource

2Evaluation or trial licence

A free trial or proof-of-concept licence to test before buying.

YesFree 30-day proof of conceptSource
PartialHSM simulator and HSMaaS trial; no DKE trialSource

Microsoft DKE coverage

3Native Microsoft 365 DKE endpoint

Serves the Microsoft GetKey and Decrypt calls used by Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

4Decrypt authorized by Entra ID groups

The key service itself restricts decryption to members of directory groups or roles.

YesEntra ID or Okta group rulesSource
NoPer-user permissions only, by emailSource

5Multi-tenant and partner (B2B) tenants

One key service shared with several Entra ID tenants or external partners.

YesExternal tenants in validIssuersSource

Administration and access control

6Admin SSO and MFA

Administrators sign in through the corporate identity provider with multi-factor authentication.

YesOIDC, TOTP and passkeysSource
PartialNo admin console; HSM smartcardsSource

7Fine-grained administrator RBAC

Custom roles and permissions scoped to keys, services or organisational units.

YesRoles scoped to organisational unitsSource
PartialHSM separation of duties onlySource

8Quorum (four-eyes) approval

Sensitive key operations need approval from several administrators.

YesM-of-N on key and vault deletion, vault rotationSource
PartialHSM n-of-m, not per DKE operationSource

9Contextual access on key use

Decrypt allowed or denied by IP range, country or time of day.

YesIP, country and time rulesSource
Not documented

Monitoring

10Audit logs exported to a SIEM

Key and admin events forwarded to Splunk, Sentinel, QRadar or syslog.

YesSplunk, Sentinel, QRadar, syslog/CEFSource
PartialLocal log files onlySource

11Built-in monitoring dashboard

Health and usage dashboard shipped with the product.

YesPer-service health, GetKey and Decrypt countersSource
PartialSeparate HSM monitoring add-onSource

12SNMP monitoring

SNMP polling or traps for the operations team.

Not documentedNot in public docs
YesHSM remote diagnosisSource

Zero Trust and audit

28Access rules changed live

DKE access rules are edited in a UI or API and apply at once, without config files or redeployment.

YesPolicies apply without restartSource
PartialCommand-line tool, per userSource

29Block rules that override allows

Explicit deny rules to cut decrypt access for a user, group, network or country during an incident.

YesBypass > Block > Allow > default denySource
PartialRemove a user from a keySource

30Several identity providers

Entra ID plus Okta, Keycloak or other OIDC providers for sign-in and group-based rules.

YesEntra ID, Okta, Keycloak and other OIDCSource
NoIndividual Entra ID users onlySource

31Tamper-evident audit log

Each audit record is signed or hash-chained, so edits and deletions are detectable.

YesHMAC-SHA256 per record plus SHA-256 chainSource
Not documentedPlain audit log filesSource

32Optional mTLS on decrypt calls

A client-certificate check on DKE decrypt calls, on top of the Entra ID token.

YesClient CA, allowed subjects, headerSource
Not documentedServer keystore onlySource

33Built-in end-to-end key test

The key and backend are tested with a wrap/unwrap round-trip before the service goes live.

YesPreflight wrap/unwrap checkSource
PartialManual Office testSource

Availability and key lifecycle

13High-availability cluster

Active-active nodes so the key service survives a node failure.

YesN+1 Cockpit, 3+ MPC nodesSource
PartialGuide uses one HSM; HA in HSMaaSSource

14Multi-site or geo-redundant deployment

Survives the loss of a whole data centre.

YesThree-site MPC clusterSource
PartialTwo data centres per zone in HSMaaSSource

15Key backup and recovery procedure

Documented backup and restore of keys after an incident.

PartialGeneric HSM backupSource

16Old documents open after rotation

Content protected with a previous key version stays readable.

YesRotated keys kept decrypt-onlySource
YesKey version stored with documentSource

17Rotation without a new Purview label

Rotating the key does not require a new label or a relabelling campaign.

YesLabel URL unchanged since Cockpit 2.0.8Source
PartialVersions under one key; not statedSource

18Scheduled key rotation

Automatic rotation on a schedule.

Not documentedManual one-click rotation documented
Not documented

Hosting and deployment

19Vendor-hosted DKE service (SaaS)

The vendor runs the DKE endpoint; nothing for the customer to host.

YesOperated by DuoKeySource
PartialHSM as a Service; DKE service is yoursSource

20On-premises option

Run the whole DKE stack inside your own perimeter.

YesOpenShift or VMsSource

21Automatic Entra ID app registration

The DKE app registration is created for you instead of manual portal steps.

YesCreated through Microsoft GraphSource
NoManual Azure portal stepsSource

22No end-of-life runtime or OS

The documented deployment does not depend on an unsupported framework or operating system.

YesSupported OpenShift 4.xSource
PartialTested on CentOS 8.2 (EOL)Source

Key storage, compliance and exit

23FIPS 140 Level 3 key storage

Keys protected by a FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 Level 3 validated module.

YesWith an HSM backend such as SecurosysSource
YesFIPS 140-2 Level 3Source

24Key never assembled in one place

Multi-Party Computation or threshold cryptography: no single node holds the whole key.

YesWith the MPC key backendSource
NoKey generated and stored in one HSMSource

25Vendor ISO/IEC 27001 certified

The vendor's own operations are ISO/IEC 27001 certified.

YesISO 27001, SOC 2, TISAX AL3Source
YesScope: HSM as a ServiceSource

26Customer chooses the hosting region

Pick where the key service and keys are hosted.

YesEU, Switzerland or USSource
Not documented

27Key export in standard formats

Reversibility: keys can be exported through KMIP, PKCS#8 or PKCS#12.

Not documentedKeys marked non-extractableSource
PartialPKCS#11; DKE key export not statedSource

Why teams choose DuoKey

Key differences with Utimaco

01

Groups, not individual users

DKE Anchor grants decrypt permissions user by user, by email address. DuoKey authorizes by Entra ID group and adds IP, country and time rules.

02

Logs your SOC can use

Utimaco's guide documents local log files rotated daily. DuoKey exports audit events to Splunk, Sentinel, QRadar or syslog, and shows live health and request metrics per service.

03

Nothing to install

DKE Anchor is installed and run by the customer, with manual Azure app registration and tested platforms that include CentOS 8.2, now end of life. DuoKey runs the DKE service and creates the app registration for you.

04

MPC instead of a single HSM

Utimaco generates and stores the DKE key in one HSM. With DuoKey's MPC backend the key is never assembled in one place.

What Utimaco does well

Utimaco brings FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and Common Criteria certified HSMs, SNMP, 24/7 premium support, B2B tenants and decryption of older key versions. It is a natural fit for organisations already operating Utimaco HSMs.

FAQ

Is DuoKey an alternative to Utimaco for Microsoft 365 DKE?

Yes. DuoKey provides the customer-held second key and the DKE service that Microsoft 365 calls, operated by DuoKey or deployed on your own infrastructure.

Can I migrate from Utimaco to DuoKey?

Yes. Create a DuoKey DKE service and a sensitivity label for new content, and keep the existing Utimaco service running for documents already protected with it until they are re-labelled or reach the end of retention.

How were these criteria chosen?

They follow the sections of a customer DKE and key management RFP: support, Microsoft DKE coverage, administration, monitoring, availability, hosting, key storage and exit. Every cell links to the public document it is based on.

Evidence

Every claim on this page, sourced

Utimaco

  1. [1]utimaco.comcriteria 1https://utimaco.com/sites/default/files/2022-09/Utimaco_Global_Maintenance_Support_Services_Policy_v2.0.pdf
  2. [2]support.hsm.utimaco.comcriteria 2, 6, 7, 8, 12https://support.hsm.utimaco.com/documents/20182/32706/SecurityServer+Se/7fe27d35-c5dd-4f7a-9501-24b00e22533d
  3. [3]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 3, 33https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/utimaco-double-key-encryption-dke-and-cryptoserver-hsm/1.0.0/verify-encryption-and-decryption-with-dke-on-microsoft-365-client
  4. [4]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 4, 30, 16, 17https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/utimaco-double-key-encryption-dke-and-cryptoserver-hsm/1.0.0/utimaco-dke-anchor-manager
  5. [5]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 5, 32https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/utimaco-double-key-encryption-dke-and-cryptoserver-hsm/1.0.0/configure-the-application-yml-file
  6. [6]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 10, 31https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/utimaco-double-key-encryption-dke-and-cryptoserver-hsm/1.0.0/logging
  7. [7]utimaco.comcriteria 11https://utimaco.com/data-protection/gp-hsm/utrust-general-purpose-hsm
  8. [8]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 28https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/utimaco-double-key-encryption-dke-and-cryptoserver-hsm/1.0.0/execute-the-dke-anchor-manager-on-linux
  9. [9]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 29https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/utimaco-double-key-encryption-dke-and-cryptoserver-hsm/1.0.0/deleting-a-user-for-a-key
  10. [10]utimaco.comcriteria 13, 14https://utimaco.com/data-protection/trust-as-a-service/general-purpose-hsm-as-a-service
  11. [11]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 15https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/using-an-rdbms-for-key-storage-and-cryptoserver/1.0.0/backup
  12. [12]utimaco.comcriteria 19, 20, 23, 24https://utimaco.com/data-protection/gp-hsm/application-package/double-key-encryption
  13. [13]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 21https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/utimaco-double-key-encryption-dke-and-cryptoserver-hsm/1.0.0/register-dke-anchor-service-with-azure
  14. [14]integration-guides.utimaco.comcriteria 22https://integration-guides.utimaco.com/utimaco-double-key-encryption-dke-and-cryptoserver-hsm/1.0.0/minimum-system-requirements
  15. [15]utimaco.comcriteria 25https://utimaco.com/news/blog-posts/achieving-iso-27001-certification-setting-high-standards-security
  16. [16]utimaco.comcriteria 27https://utimaco.com/data-protection/trust-as-a-service/enterprise-key-manager-as-a-service

DuoKey

  1. [1]docs.duokey.comcriteria 1, 2https://docs.duokey.com/docs/why-mpc
  2. [2]docs.duokey.comcriteria 3https://docs.duokey.com/docs/double-key-encryption/cockpit-v2/overview
  3. [3]docs.duokey.comcriteria 4, 29https://docs.duokey.com/docs/double-key-encryption/cockpit-v2/access-policies
  4. [4]docs.duokey.comcriteria 5https://docs.duokey.com/docs/double-key-encryption/operations/b2b-collaboration
  5. [5]docs.duokey.comcriteria 6, 31https://docs.duokey.com/docs/cockpit/security
  6. [6]docs.duokey.comcriteria 7https://docs.duokey.com/docs/cockpit/administration
  7. [7]docs.duokey.comcriteria 8https://docs.duokey.com/docs/cockpit/key-policies
  8. [8]docs.duokey.comcriteria 9https://docs.duokey.com/docs/cockpit/access-policies
  9. [9]docs.duokey.comcriteria 10https://docs.duokey.com/docs/openshift-on-prem/security/compliance-audit
  10. [10]docs.duokey.comcriteria 11, 32, 33https://docs.duokey.com/docs/double-key-encryption/setup/dke-service-deployment
  11. [11]docs.duokey.comcriteria 28https://docs.duokey.com/docs/double-key-encryption/operations/zero-trust-access-control
  12. [12]docs.duokey.comcriteria 30https://docs.duokey.com/docs/developer/administration-api
  13. [13]docs.duokey.comcriteria 13https://docs.duokey.com/docs/openshift-on-prem/vm-deployment
  14. [14]docs.duokey.comcriteria 14https://docs.duokey.com/docs/openshift-on-prem/mpc-cluster
  15. [15]docs.duokey.comcriteria 15https://docs.duokey.com/docs/openshift-on-prem/operations/backup-recovery
  16. [16]docs.duokey.comcriteria 16, 17, 21https://docs.duokey.com/docs/double-key-encryption/cockpit-v2/dke-configuration
  17. [17]docs.duokey.comcriteria 19https://docs.duokey.com/docs/double-key-encryption/knowledgebase
  18. [18]docs.duokey.comcriteria 20, 22, 24https://docs.duokey.com/docs/openshift-on-prem/prerequisites
  19. [19]docs.duokey.comcriteria 23https://docs.duokey.com/docs/oracle-tde/overview
  20. [20]duokey.comcriteria 25https://duokey.com/en/compliance/iso-27001
  21. [21]docs.duokey.comcriteria 26https://docs.duokey.com/docs/double-key-encryption/faq
  22. [22]docs.duokey.comcriteria 27https://docs.duokey.com/docs/pkcs11-lib/function-coverage

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