Azure Disk Encryption KEK Cmdlet and Key Type
Short answer
A Use Set-AzVMDiskEncryptionExtension with Key2 because Azure Disk Encryption requires an RSA key for the KEK.
Question
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Key Takeaways
Azure Disk Encryption mandates an RSA key for the KEK; selecting an Elliptic Curve key is a common trap.
Azure Disk Encryption requires the Set-AzVMDiskEncryptionExtension cmdlet and an RSA key for the Key Encryption Key (KEK). This page establishes that an Elliptic Curve key cannot be used as a KEK for VM encryption.
Common mistake: Choosing an EC key (Key1) because it exists in the Key Vault, ignoring the RSA requirement for Azure Disk Encryption.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
The technical requirement dictates using Azure Disk Encryption with a KEK. The correct PowerShell cmdlet to enable ADE on a virtual machine isSet-AzVMDiskEncryptionExtension. Furthermore, Azure Disk Encryption strictly requires an RSA key type for the KEK and does not support Elliptic Curve (EC) keys. In the ADatum case study, Key2 is the RSA key, making Option A the correct choice.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Options C and D use Key1, which is an EC key, and Azure Disk Encryption explicitly does not support EC keys for KEKs. Options B and C use incorrect cmdlets (Set-AzDiskEncryptionKey and Set-AzDiskDiskEncryptionKey) which do not exist or are not used to enable VM disk encryption. Option D uses the correct cmdlet but pairs it with the invalid EC key.Community Comment Notes
Several community members correctly noted that ADE "doesn't currently support using Elliptic Curve keys," which disqualifies Key1. One user explicitly pointed out that "only Key 2 appears to be supported" because it is RSA, aligning with the official documentation that mandates RSA key types for KEKs.Official Reference
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/disk-encryption-key-vault
This link opens the official vendor documentation in a new tab.
Exam Strategy
When faced with Azure Disk Encryption questions, always verify the key type in the Key Vault. Azure Disk Encryption only supports RSA keys for KEKs; eliminate any options using EC keys immediately.
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 10 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors, not of islever. The comments shown first are the most substantive of the thread — ranked by depth, community endorsement and relevance; expand the list below to read the rest.
From public community threads 10
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DJHASH786 👍 14I think D is correct. The correct cmdlet for encrypting an Azure virtual machine is Set-AzVMDiskEncryptionExtension, not Set-AzDiskEncryptionKey. The latter is related to configuring encryption keys on disks, but it's not used for the full encryption of a virtual machine's OS or data disks.
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MackD 👍 3 Answered DAnswer D. First part 1 read this: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/disk-encryption-key-vault?tabs=azure-portal Second part 2 read the same URL: You can generate a new KEK by using the Azure CLI az keyvault key create command, the Azure PowerShell Add-AzKeyVaultKey cmdlet, or the Azure portal. You must generate an RSA key type; Azure Disk Encryption doesn't currently support using Elliptic Curve keys.
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un4exa 👍 2 Answered DUpvoted option is wrong.. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/disk-encryption-key-vault?tabs=azure-portal#set-up-a-key-encryption-key-kek If you want to use a key encryption key (KEK) for an additional layer of security for encryption keys, add a KEK to your key vault. When a key encryption key is specified, Azure Disk Encryption uses that key to wrap the encryption secrets before writing to Key Vault.
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Jo696 👍 2 Answered DYou can generate a new KEK by using the Azure CLI az keyvault key create command, the Azure PowerShell Add-AzKeyVaultKey cmdlet, or the Azure portal. You must generate an RSA key type; Azure Disk Encryption doesn't currently support using Elliptic Curve keys.
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Josh219 👍 2 Answered DD: Is correct https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/disk-encryption-windows
Show 5 more comments
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Dash_888 👍 1 Answered AI believe the answer is A The command would appear to be Set-AzVMDiskEncryptionExtension as shown in the reference below Also only Key 2 appears to be supported. Again a reference is shown below https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/disk-encryption-windows https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/key-vault/keys/about-keys-details#rsa-algorithms
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lubas 👍 1 Answered DO cmdlet correto para criptografar uma máquina virtual do Azure é Set-AzVMDiskEncryptionExtension, não Set-AzDiskEncryptionKey.
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dalisama 👍 1 Answered Dchatgpt Key Vault does not support EC (Elliptic Curve) keys for KEK in ADE.
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rolandcha 👍 1 Answered BAnswer should be B
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Josh219 👍 1 Answered DD: Is correct
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