return hmacSha256(new SecretKeySpec(checkNotNull(key), "HmacSHA256"));
  }

  /**
   * Returns a hash function implementing the Message Authentication Code (MAC) algorithm, using the
   * SHA-512 (512 hash bits) hash function and the given secret key.
   *
   * @param key the secret key
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the given key is inappropriate for initializing this MAC
   * @since 20.0
   */

- Transformation_operations_total metric will have additional resource label which can be used for resource specific validations for example handling of encryption config by the apiserver. ([#126512](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/126512), [@kmala](https://github.com/kmala)) [SIG API Machinery, Auth, Etcd and Testing]

- The `apiserver.latency.k8s.io/decode-response-object` annotation was added to the audit log to record the decoding time. ([#121512](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/121512), [@HirazawaUi](https://github.com/HirazawaUi))

    - [Bug or Regression](#bug-or-regression-2)
  - [Dependencies](#dependencies-3)
    - [Added](#added-3)
    - [Changed](#changed-3)
    - [Removed](#removed-3)
- [v1.25.12](#v12512)
  - [Downloads for v1.25.12](#downloads-for-v12512)
    - [Source Code](#source-code-4)
    - [Client Binaries](#client-binaries-4)
    - [Server Binaries](#server-binaries-4)
    - [Node Binaries](#node-binaries-4)

* [BugFix] Soft Eviction timer works correctly ([#52046](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/52046), [@dashpole](https://github.com/dashpole))
* Azuredisk mount on windows node ([#51252](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/51252), [@andyzhangx](https://github.com/andyzhangx))