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RDS StorageEncrypted: false does not mean unencrypted

1 min read

While verifying Aurora PostgreSQL Express Configuration, I saw StorageEncrypted: false in the describe-db-clusters output and assumed encryption was disabled.

Output
{
  "StorageEncrypted": false,
  "StorageEncryptionType": "sse-rds"
}

But the official documentation states: "Clusters with express configuration are encrypted with AWS/RDS Service owned keys." The API documentation defines StorageEncrypted as "whether the DB cluster is encrypted," so false while actually encrypted looks contradictory. It appears that sse-rds (RDS service-owned key) encryption introduced with Express Configuration is not reflected in the traditional StorageEncrypted field. Don't rely solely on API response field values to determine encryption status.

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Shinya Tahara

Shinya Tahara

Solutions Architect @ AWS

I'm a Solutions Architect at AWS, providing technical guidance primarily to financial industry customers. I share learnings about cloud architecture and AI/ML on this site.The views and opinions expressed on this site are my own and do not represent the official positions of my employer.