AWS CloudHSM Classic AWS CloudHSM
Cloud-based hardware security module (HSM) service that provides dedicated, single-tenant FIPS 140-2 and FIPS 140-3 Level 3 validated cryptographic hardware clusters inside an Amazon VPC.
Naming timeline
- AWS CloudHSM (later renamed AWS CloudHSM Classic)
Launched with dedicated SafeNet Luna SA hardware appliances provisioned via the original cloudhsm API and CLI namespace.
- AWS CloudHSM (cloudhsmv2) & AWS CloudHSM ClassicCurrent name
Introduced the cluster-based AWS CloudHSM service on the cloudhsmv2 API and CLI namespace with FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated hardware and automated backups, designating the prior generation as AWS CloudHSM Classic (subsequently retired).
What replaced AWS CloudHSM Classic?
AWS CloudHSM Classic has been superseded by AWS CloudHSM, with the latest change on 14 August 2017 (Re-Architected Cluster Release). Cloud-based hardware security module (HSM) service that provides dedicated, single-tenant FIPS 140-2 and FIPS 140-3 Level 3 validated cryptographic hardware clusters inside an Amazon VPC. The underlying legacy API or CLI surface is deprecated, so a technical migration is required.
Also known as
- CloudHSM v2
- AWS CloudHSMv2
Technical identifiers
Legacy identifiers deprecated. The underlying API or CLI surface for the legacy name is officially deprecated, so this change requires a technical migration rather than a label update.
| AWS Service APIs / SDKs | cloudhsmv2 cloudhsm |
|---|---|
| AWS CLI Commands | aws cloudhsmv2 |
| IAM Actions & Policies | cloudhsm:* |
| Terraform Resources (aws_*) | aws_cloudhsm_v2_cluster aws_cloudhsm_v2_hsm |
The original cloudhsm v1 API and CLI (AWS CloudHSM Classic) were retired in favor of the cloudhsmv2 API/CLI and aws_cloudhsm_v2_* Terraform resources, while IAM actions use the cloudhsm:* namespace.
Notes & disambiguation
- On August 14, 2017, AWS launched a re-architected, fully managed cluster version of AWS CloudHSM with hourly pricing and automated multi-AZ synchronization, renaming the original 2013 SafeNet Luna SA appliance offering to AWS CloudHSM Classic.
- While the customer-facing service name is simply AWS CloudHSM, its API, AWS CLI subcommand, and Terraform resources use the v2 identifier (cloudhsmv2, aws cloudhsmv2, aws_cloudhsm_v2_cluster, aws_cloudhsm_v2_hsm) to distinguish them from the retired v1 namespace (cloudhsm).
- IAM actions for AWS CloudHSM continue to use the cloudhsm:* prefix (e.g., cloudhsm:CreateCluster, cloudhsm:CreateHsm, cloudhsm:DescribeClusters).
Sources & official documentation
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