At Utimaco, we’re proud to be at the forefront of enabling true data sovereignty for organizations across Europe. As a long-standing partner in Microsoft’s cloud security ecosystem, our mission is to help enterprises, governments, and critical infrastructure operators take full control of their digital assets—even as they leverage the innovation and flexibility of the public cloud.
With the recent unveiling of Microsoft’s Sovereign Cloud solutions, there’s never been a more important time for trusted key management and robust security infrastructure. As the provider behind the Enterprise Key Manager as a Service (EKMaaS) for Microsoft Azure, Utimaco is helping shape the next era of cloud sovereignty. Here’s what that means for European organizations.
Putting Data Sovereignty into Practice
Digital sovereignty is about more than where data is stored—it’s about who controls access, how privacy and compliance requirements are enforced, and whether organizations have the autonomy to adapt, migrate, or scale without friction. Successful sovereignty spans:
- Data Sovereignty: Full control over encryption and keys, ensuring only authorized parties can access sensitive information.
- Operational Sovereignty: Freedom to work across various cloud environments, preventing single-vendor lock-in.
- Technical Sovereignty: Confidence in the ability to manage and move workloads as business needs evolve.
For a deeper dive into these levels, explore our blog on digital sovereignty in the cloud.
Utimaco’s Role in Microsoft’s Sovereign Cloud
Microsoft’s enhanced Sovereign Cloud solutions set new benchmarks for transparency, compliance, and control—especially in highly regulated sectors. Utimaco is a key partner, enabling these advancements through our state-of-the-art encryption key management.
External Key Management: Trust Beyond the Cloud
A cornerstone of sovereignty is making sure encryption keys stay in the right hands. Microsoft’s new External Key Management empowers customers to use Azure with keys stored outside the Microsoft ecosystem—either on-premises or with a trusted third party like Utimaco. Our Enterprise Key Manager as a Service (EKMaaS) platform was designed for this very purpose.
With EKMaaS, organizations can:
- Operate in a “Bring Your Own Key” (BYOK) model, ensuring data is only accessible with keys they control.
- Benefit from robust protection by holding master keys in certified Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), physically separate from the cloud provider’s environment.
- Easily rotate, audit, and if required, revoke access to data at any time—making sensitive information inaccessible in the event of compromise.
- Meet or exceed the most demanding regulatory standards for data sovereignty, privacy, and security.
Our partnership with Microsoft enables frictionless integration of EKMaaS with Azure and other Microsoft sovereign offerings, allowing customers to maintain ultimate control without sacrificing scalability or cloud agility. Get more details directly in our press release on Azure data sovereignty.
Why Utimaco?
Utimaco’s reputation as a cybersecurity leader is built on decades of experience helping organizations protect data, identities, and digital infrastructure. Our high-assurance hardware security modules and cloud-based key management solutions are at the core of compliance and sovereignty strategies for customers worldwide.
Teaming up with Microsoft, we provide not only the foundational security technology but also the expertise to help you design and maintain effective governance in a complex regulatory environment. Our solutions prevent vendor lock-in, give you the flexibility to adapt as your needs change, and offer peace of mind that your most valuable assets are in your hands.
Building a Sovereign Digital Future
The evolving regulatory landscape in Europe—driven by GDPR, DORA, and national cloud mandates—calls for collaboration between technology providers, security leaders, and regulated businesses. Utimaco is committed to delivering trusted, future-proof key management services as part of this shared vision.
Whether you’re operating in Microsoft’s Sovereign Public Cloud, deploying mission-critical apps on Azure Local, or supporting a hybrid/multi-cloud approach, our integrated solutions ensure your data remains private, compliant, and truly sovereign.
Discover how Utimaco can help your organization embrace the cloud—securely and on your terms. For more resources, visit our EKMaaS announcement and explore our digital sovereignty knowledge base.
