How to fix KMS provider not configured in Kubernetes

KubernetesADVANCEDHIGH

This error occurs when encryption at rest is expected or attempted, but no KMS provider has been configured on the API server, leaving data unencrypted.

What this error means

The "KMS provider not configured" error indicates that the API server is not configured with a KMS for encrypting data at rest.

Typical symptoms

API server logs show not configured
Secrets stored unencrypted
Encryption not working

Common causes

API server started without flag
Config file doesn't exist
KMS was removed
Plugin not installed

How to fix "KMS provider not configured"

1Check encryption status

kubectl get pods -n kube-system kube-apiserver-<node> -o yaml | grep encryption

2Create config file

sudo tee /etc/kubernetes/enc/provider.yaml

3Configure API server

sudo vim /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml

4Install KMS plugin

sudo curl -o /usr/local/bin/k8s-kms ...

Advanced notes

Configuration: provider order matters, caching includes cachesize and timeout, auto-reload enabled.

Related errors

Official resources & further reading

📚Kubernetes Official Documentation
📖
Kubernetes Docs: KMS Provider(Official Docs)
📖
Kubernetes Docs: Encryption at Rest Configuration(Official Docs)
💬
Stack Overflow: Kubernetes KMS configuration(Stack Overflow)