According to some example embodiments, a method for providing security to a storage device includes receiving, by the storage device, a public key via a network; sending, by the storage device, the received public key and a proposed configuration corresponding to the storage device to a security manager that resides in a control plane of the network; determining, by the security manager, whether the public key received from the storage device matches a private key available to the security manager; downloading, by the security manager, the proposed configuration to the storage device; determining, by the security manager, if the proposed configuration is successfully downloaded to the storage device; operating the storage device according to the downloaded configuration; and granting, by the security manager, a request to lease the storage device operating in the downloaded configuration for a time interval.