Generating unique data encryption keys for a data set, by allocating a data set associated with a security policy, where the security policy specifies a key encryption key (KEK) label, retrieving the KEK label from the security policy, storing the KEK label as metadata of the data set, opening the data set for a first time write, generating a data encryption key (DEK), retrieving a KEK from a key store according to the KEK label, encrypting the DEK using the KEK, storing the encrypted DEK as metadata of the data set, and encrypting the data set using the DEK.