Google DEK Unwrapping

Overview

⚠️Checklist Required

To unwrap a Google DEK using Oten KMS (workspace level) in order to view a Google file, the user must:

✅ Have access to the file (the user is the owner or the file is shared with them)

✅ Belong to the workspace that contains the wrapping key

✅ Have permission to use the key for unwrapping within the workspace

✅ Ensure the wrapping key AND the key version used to wrap the Google DEK are still active.

Google DEK unwrapping process

When you open an encrypted Google document:

1. Google retrieves the encrypted document and wrapped DEK

2. Google sends the wrapped DEK to Oten KMS

3. Oten KMS verifies your authorization and unwraps (decrypts) the DEK

4. Google uses the unwrapped DEK to decrypt document content

5. You view the document normally in Google Workspace

Guideline Video

Step 1: A user attempts to open an existing encrypted document within Google Workspace.

Step 2: Google Workspace sends a request to the Key Management Service (Oten KMS) to "unwrap" (decrypt) the DEK. This request includes several critical pieces of information:

Step 3: The Oten KMS must first validate the user's right to perform this operation. It sends the JWT token to the Oten IdP for verification. The IdP confirms the token's signature and validity.

Step 5: The Oten KMS queries the Policy Store to check if this specific user has the necessary permissions to access and unwrap the DEK for this document.

Step 6: The Policy Store responds with a grant or deny decision. The process only continues if permission is granted.

Step 7: Since permission is granted, the Oten KMS performs two internal actions:

Step 8: The Oten KMS returns the clear DEK (the decrypted, plaintext key) to Google Workspace. It is critical that this transmission occurs over a secure, encrypted channel.

Step 9: Google Workspace uses the returned clear DEK in memory to decrypt the encrypted content of the user's document.

Step 10: Finally, Google Workspace presents the decrypted, human-readable document to the user.

The clear DEK exists only in memory for the shortest time necessary to decrypt the file content. It is never stored in plaintext by Google Workspace, ensuring that the master key (CMK) in the Oten KMS is the only way to persistently access the data.