Container registries should use customer-managed keys for encryption
Use customer-managed keys to manage the encryption at rest of the contents of your registries. By default, the data is encrypted at rest with service-managed keys.
By default, the data is encrypted at rest with service-managed keys, but customer-managed keys are commonly required to meet regulatory compliance standards. You have full control and responsibility for the key lifecycle, including rotation and management.
What this control checks
Checks the encryption setting on container registries, as named by the control title
Common pitfalls
Default encryption uses service-managed keys
By default, the data is encrypted at rest with service-managed keys.
Policy effect defaults to Audit
The effect parameter has a defaultValue of Audit. The allowedValues are Audit, Deny and Disabled.
Audit evidence
Evidence that deployed resources meet this control: Azure Policy compliance results for the built-in policy definition "Container registries should be encrypted with a customer-managed key" (5b9159ae-1701-4a6f-9a7a-aa9c8ddd0580); PowerPipe control azure_compliance.control.container_registry_encrypted_with_cmk.
Framework-specific interpretation
NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5: Mapped to SC-12 (Cryptographic Key Establishment and Management).
FedRAMP Moderate Baseline Rev 4: Mapped to SC-12 (Cryptographic Key Establishment And Management).
Framework mappings
The clauses this control is mapped to in each framework.
- Cryptographic Key Establishment And Management (SC-12)
FedRAMP Moderate Baseline Rev 4
- SC-12 Cryptographic Key Establishment And Management
- 3.13.10 Establish and manage cryptographic keys for cryptography employed in organizational systems
- 2.1.1.2.1 Ensure Critical Data is Encrypted with Customer Managed Keys (CMK)
- SC.L2-3.13.10 Establish and manage cryptographic keys for cryptography employed in organizational systems
- SC-12 Cryptographic Key Establishment And Management
Related controls
- Container registries should not allow unrestricted network access
- Batch accounts should use customer-managed keys to encrypt data
- Unattached managed disks should be encrypted with ADE or customer-managed keys
- PostgreSQL servers should use customer-managed keys to encrypt data at rest
- Storage accounts containing VHD OS disks should use customer-managed keys (CMK) for encryption
Tool mappings
Use these identifiers to cross-reference this control across tools, reports, and evidence.
- Compliance.tf Control:
container_registry_encrypted_with_cmk - Powerpipe Control:
azure_compliance.control.container_registry_encrypted_with_cmk - Azure Policy Definition:
5b9159ae-1701-4a6f-9a7a-aa9c8ddd0580
Last reviewed: 2026-10-11