Skip to main content
In this section, we reviewed Consul’s gossip encryption model, how to configure it for an existing data center, and the complete lifecycle of encryption keys.
The image outlines objectives for using gossip encryption, including understanding the Consul security model, configuring encryption for a data center, and managing encryption keys. It also indicates a difficulty level of 2 out of 5.
Gossip encryption protects only the internal communication between Consul agents. It does not encrypt ACL tokens, HTTP API traffic, or storage backends.
By the end of this section, you should be able to:
  • Understand the Consul security threat model and the role of gossip encryption.
  • Configure encryption for an existing Consul data center, even on a running cluster.
  • Manage the complete lifecycle of gossip encryption keys:
Lifecycle StageAction
GenerateUse consul keygen to produce a new encryption key.
DistributePropagate the key to every Consul agent’s encrypt setting.
ActivateReload or restart agents so they begin using the new key.
RetireRemove outdated keys from agent configurations once rotated out.
Rotating or removing encryption keys without following a proper rollout plan can interrupt agent communication. Always validate connectivity after each step.
This completes our deep dive into gossip encryption. Thanks for following along, and stay tuned for the next section on Access Control Lists (ACLs) and advanced security features!

Watch Video