Highlights
- Streamlined deployment, consistent environments, and simplified maintenance with Docker
- Witnessed increased downloads and user adoption post-Docker integration
- Provides digital identity and signing solutions, and embraces open source principles and collaboration
Introduction
Global reach and essential products
Keyfactor is a leading cybersecurity company with a global footprint that provides robust digital identity and signing solutions. With a diverse customer base ranging from small start-ups to government agencies and multinational corporations, Keyfactor’s products are essential for organizations who want to secure digital transactions and communications for a robust open source community of users. The innovative security company provides solutions to over 1,000 customers across 70 countries, including four of the top ten U.S. Commercial banks and three of the top U.S. telecom companies.
Since the early 2000s, Keyfactor has been committed to open source principles integral to its identity and mission. Embracing the collaborative ethos of openness and transparency, teams recognized the transformative potential of community-driven collaboration and innovation, particularly in cybersecurity software.
For developers and engineers that need Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), certificates and digital signing, self-signed certificates and tools like OpenSSL might suffice for basic needs. Keyfactor offers essential products like EJBCA PKI and SignServer as open-source community editions, which are easy to start with for testing and piloting. Additionally, Keyfactor provides a seamless transition to production with its Enterprise editions, which includes SLA and secure scaling capabilities necessary for a compliant production environment.
EJBCA is a versatile and comprehensive enterprise PKI and certificate management solution that underpins digital security across various sectors. SignServer was initially developed to support electronic or biometric passports and has since broadened its utility to encompass code and container signing, document/PDF signing, and timestamping. Since their respective developments in 2001 and 2007, both products have significantly evolved.
As a community and open-source user, deploying these technologies from source required a steep learning curve for installation before they could use these high-value security solutions. Keyfactor looked to Docker to help them with a more straightforward packaging format and, as a side benefit, saw Docker Hub as a way to improve the reach of their products.
Challenges
Challenges with traditional open-source and community deployment methods
Keyfactor’s challenges stemmed from the fact that their existing community users heavily relied on Keyfactor’s community editions delivered as source code. Security experts or engineers who were very technically adept at building new products and securing systems were not as savvy when it came to compiling these solutions from scratch. While effective for some, this approach proved complex and inaccessible to many users, particularly as the demand for their PKI and Signing technologies increased and their user base diversified.
The dilemma centered on making open source security software accessible to a broader audience in an easily consumable format. Their user base required that it should be easy to get started and try the software out. Keyfactor needed to devise a more straightforward means of software consumption and a platform to reach a larger audience of security experts and engineers.
The shift to Docker for simpler deployment
Packaging their EJBCA and SignServer software into Docker containers made the community editions even more accessible to a new audience. This approach dramatically lowered the barrier to entry, facilitating easier adoption for users. They made EJBCA and SignServer available through the Docker Hub container registry, designed for developers and open source contributors to discover, utilize, and distribute container images. EJBCA and SignServer Enterprise editions offer various deployment options to meet typical enterprise needs, including software and hardware appliances, SaaS, and PKI as a Service.
Docker Hub’s functionality significantly enhanced the visibility of EJBCA PKI and SignServer, making it easier for their audience to find and engage with the software. Docker Hub also exemplified quality assurance by scanning containers for vulnerabilities, aligning seamlessly with the Keyfactor sustainability theme.
The Solution
Optimizing community deployment with containerization technology
Keyfactor’s core principles are grounded in the open source philosophy. By leveraging Docker. they simplified the distribution and deployment of their open source cybersecurity tools, making essential security practices accessible to a broader audience as they embark on their PKI and signing journey.
Recognizing the complexities and challenges associated with deploying open source software from code, Keyfactor saw only one practical solution: leveraging Docker containerization technology.
Docker containers are lightweight and self-contained, which means they can be easily deployed on any infrastructure that supports Docker. This reduced the time and effort required to deploy and get started with testing or prototyping the PKI and signing solutions allowing the engineers to focus on other tasks, like building new products or applications.
Key benefits
Following the integration of Docker into Keyfactor’s deployment processes for EJBCA and SignServer, several vital benefits were realized that directly contributed to the company’s wish to grow the community and make PKI and Signing software available to all:
Keyfactor has witnessed a steady increase in downloads, and they anticipate further growth, given the endless demand for robust cyber security tools. Continuously striving to enhance its software, the company actively engages with the Docker community to simplify deployment processes.
Keyfactor believes engineers and developers must prioritize security from the outset to mitigate future risks and costs. The company emphasizes the importance of scalability planning during prototyping and testing, ensuring a secure and adaptable solution to evolving needs.
Results
Stronger digital defenses through innovative integration
Keyfactor aspires to impact the world positively through their technology. It’s crucial for them to develop the best software and explore innovative avenues for reaching users wherever they frequent. Keyfactor’s adoption of Docker to deploy EJBCA and SignServer Community editions illustrates a successful strategic move in cybersecurity. Upon moving to Docker, Keyfactor saw many improvements in their user adoption, fewer technical hassles, and a broader scope for innovation, allowing them to reach a more diverse range of use cases and users.
Docker allowed Keyfactor to offer more reliable and efficient security solutions by addressing deployment complexity challenges. Keyfactor witnessed how embracing innovative technologies like Docker can significantly impact the cybersecurity industry’s operational efficiency and market responsiveness. As Keyfactor continues to evolve, its foundational commitment to open source solutions and the strategic use of Docker technology will remain integral to its mission of providing accessible, secure digital environments.