A key management system for Tendermint/CometBFT validators providing secure, isolated, and HSM-backed transaction signing.
Tendermint KMS is a key management system specifically built for Tendermint/CometBFT blockchain validators. It securely manages transaction signing keys, often using hardware security modules (HSMs), to prevent double-signing and protect against slashing penalties. The service runs isolated from the validator process, enhancing security and availability.
Blockchain validators, node operators, and developers building on Tendermint/CometBFT-based networks like Cosmos who require secure, reliable key management for signing transactions.
Developers choose Tendermint KMS for its robust double-signing prevention, support for multiple HSM backends, and its focus on validator security. It provides a production-ready, open-source alternative to managing keys directly within validator software, reducing slashing risks.
Tendermint KMS: Key Management System for Tendermint Validators
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Detects and prevents duplicate signing events to avoid slashing penalties, a core security feature for validators.
Supports YubiHSM2, FortanixDSM, and Ledger devices, enabling secure, tamper-resistant key storage as recommended in the README.
Runs separately from the validator process, ideally on a different host, reducing attack surface and improving availability.
Works on Linux, BSD, macOS and x86_64, ARM, RISC-V architectures, offering deployment flexibility despite limited testing.
The README admits there's no double-signing defense when multiple KMS instances run simultaneously, hindering redundancy setups.
Requires Rust 1.85+, a C compiler, pkg-config, libusb, and specific feature flags for HSM support, adding deployment overhead.
Not recommended for prolonged use with multiple active validators on the same network, indicating gaps in robustness.