What is the purpose of the GenerateDataKeyWithoutPlaintext operation?

The GenerateDataKeyWithoutPlaintext operation in AWS Key Management Service (KMS) is specifically designed to return an encrypted data key, which is essential for securely handling cryptographic operations.

When this operation is called, it generates a unique data key that is encrypted using the specified KMS key. The primary benefit of using this method is that it does not return the plaintext version of the generated data key, which enhances security by minimizing the exposure of sensitive cryptographic material. Instead, the application receives only the encrypted data key, which can be safely stored and used for data encryption operations.

This approach is particularly useful in scenarios where you want to encrypt sensitive data without directly handling or exposing the plaintext key, thereby reducing the risks connected to key management and data security.