Combined Encryption release notes for upgrades from Zurich to Australia

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated August 11, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Combined Encryption Release Notes for Upgrades from Zurich to Australia

    This consolidated guide provides essential information for ServiceNow customers upgrading their Encryption capabilities from the Zurich to Australia release. It highlights new features, important changes, deprecations, and activation requirements to help you prepare and successfully complete your upgrade while optimizing encryption management and security.

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    Key Features

    • Row Conditions for Field Encryption (Zurich): Enables defining encryption rules dynamically for specific rows within a column, adding granular control over data encryption.
    • Manage Field Encryption Enterprise with Enhanced Administration (Australia): Offers a redesigned user interface that simplifies key rotation, policy updates, and monitoring of encryption status and audit details for Field Encryption and Field Encryption Enterprise.
    • External Key Management Service (EKMS) Integration (Australia): Allows storing and managing encryption keys outside the ServiceNow instance, enhancing security. EKMS supports automated key rotation, revocation, immutability enforcement for critical fields, simplified rekeying after clone or restore, and improved monitoring of key states and communications.
    • Field Encryption Enterprise API Enhancements (Zurich): All three encryption APIs can now be used to encrypt attachments without restriction to a specific API.

    Important Changes and Deprecations

    • 3DES Encryption Removal (Zurich): The deprecated Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) is officially removed from the GlideEncrypter API, which now defaults to AES encryption using the Key Management Framework (KMF) for upgraded instances.
    • Key Management Framework (KMF) Enforcement: Encrypted string keys using 3DES are no longer supported; KMF is the required encryption format.
    • No Removals in Australia Release: No encryption features were removed in the Australia release, ensuring continuity and stability.

    Activation and Subscription

    • Zurich Release: The Platform Encryption subscription bundle includes Field Encryption Enterprise and Cloud Encryption, activated via the com.glide.now.platform.encryption plugin.
    • Australia Release: Platform Encryption with EKMS integration requires activation of the com.glide.encryption.externalkms plugin and a separate subscription.

    Upgrade Guidance

    Before upgrading to Australia, review and complete all pre- and post-upgrade tasks to ensure compatibility and security compliance, especially regarding 3DES deprecation and EKMS integration. Refer to relevant knowledge base articles for detailed instructions on key upgrades such as the transition to KMF Column Level Encryption (KMF-CLE).

    Additional Notes

    • No changes to browser requirements, accessibility, or localization aspects were introduced between Zurich and Australia releases.
    • UI improvements in Australia facilitate faster configuration and better error handling for encryption settings.

    Consolidated page of all release notes for Encryption from Zurich to Australia.

    How to use this page

    To help you prepare for your upgrade, we have combined the cross-family Encryption release notes onto one page. Read this summary of the new features, changes, and updated information for your product from Zurich to Australia.

    Tip:
    If there were no updates for a release notes section in a certain family release, we included a short note for your reference. For example, if a product did not have any updates in Tokyo, the row says "No updates for this release."

    Important information for upgrading Encryption to Australia

    Before you upgrade to Australia, review these pre- and post-upgrade tasks and complete the tasks as needed.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich
    For the GlideEncrypter API, NIST 800-131A Rev 2 has recommended against using the Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) encryption. The following changes are taking place in the Zurich release with the official removal of 3DES encryption for GlideEncrypter.
    • The GlideEncrypter API defaults to using the Key Management Framework (KMF) based algorithm, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), for encryption and decryption operations for upgraded instances only.
    • For instances created with the Zurich release or later, this API isn’t supported.
    • Learn more about 3DES deprecation in KB1704481.

    In the Zurich release, Column Level Encryption has received a required upgrade to Key Management Framework Column Level Encryption (KMF-CLE) due to the platform-wide deprecation of 3DES. For more information about this upgrade, see KB1700704.

    Australia

    		 No updates for this release.

    New features

    Between your current release family and Australia, new features were introduced for Encryption.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich
    Encrypt data using Row Conditions
    Use row conditions for Field Encryption to define encryption rules for rows within a specific column, based on dynamic conditions.

    Australia
    Manage Field Encryption Enterprise with an enhanced Administration interface
    Configure encryption settings, monitor key usage, and streamline administration for Field Encryption and Field Encryption Enterprise with the following features:
    • Simplify key rotation and policy updates.
    • Access encryption status and audit details.
    • Navigate improved layouts for faster configuration.
    Integrate External Key Management Service (EKMS) with Encryption Modules
    Configure and manage encryption keys externally through EKMS integration with an enhanced encryption framework, which enables you to:
    • Hold encryption keys outside the instance for improved security.
    • Perform key rotation and revocation with automated security tasks.
    • Manage EKMS configurations and enforce the immutability of critical fields after they're active.
    • Simplify rekeying following instance clone and restore operations.
    • Monitor key state transitions, encrypted cache, and node-to-node communication.
    • Access UI improvements for configuration visibility and error handling.
    • Benefit from telemetry and performance-tested operations.

    Changes

    Between your current release family and Australia, some changes were made to existing Encryption features.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich
    Field Encryption Enterprise API

    Use all three Encryption APIs to encrypt on attachments, without needing to use any one specific API.

    Australia

    		 No updates for this release.

    Removed

    Between your current release family and Australia, some Encryption features or functionality were removed.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Australia

    		 No updates for this release.

    Deprecations

    Between your current release family and Australia, some Encryption features or functionality were deprecated.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich
    Prepare your instance for GlideEncrypter deprecation
    Encrypted string keys 3DES format is no longer supported. Key Management Framework (KMF) is the supported format.

    Australia

    		 No updates for this release.

    Activation information

    Review information on how to activate Encryption.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich

    The Platform Encryption subscription bundle is a group commercial entitlement that includes Field Encryption Enterprise and Cloud Encryption.

    Field Encryption Enterprise is the unlimited license of Field Encryption. The Enterprise plugin is available with the activation of the com.glide.now.platform.encryption plugin. For details, see the Encryption and Key Management subscription bundle.

    Australia

    Platform Encryption is available with activation of the com.glide.encryption.external_kms, which requires a separate subscription. For details, see Encryption and Key Management subscription bundle.

    Additional requirements

    If any additional requirements were introduced or changed for Encryption we have noted them here.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Australia

    		 No updates for this release.

    Browser requirements

    If any specific browser requirements were introduced or changed for Encryption we have noted them here.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Australia

    		 No updates for this release.

    Accessibility information

    Review details on accessibility information for Encryption, such as specific requirements or compliance levels.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Australia

    		 No updates for this release.

    Localization information

    If there are specific localization considerations for Encryption we have noted them here.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich

    		 No updates for this release.

    Australia

    		 No updates for this release.

    Highlight information

    If there are specific highlight considerations for Encryption we have noted them here.

    Release Release notes

    Zurich
    • Use row conditions for Field Encryption to define encryption rules for rows within a specific column, based on dynamic conditions.
    • Use any of the three Field Encryption APIs to encrypt attachments.

    See Encryption for more information.

    Australia
    • ManageField Encryption and Field Encryption Enterprise using the redesigned user interface.
    • Enhance data security with the newly added External Key Management Service (EKMS) integration, enabling you to store encryption keys outside the instance for enhanced security.

    See Encryption for more information.