Database Security: Data encryption

Hi all, this is my second article on the database security series. I will share my knowledge about data encryption in databases, managing encryption keys, encryption methods, alternative products to do that, and encryption and static data masking difference.

If you want to check out here is my first article about the separation of duties and DB security.

scytale cipher

Data Encryption in a nutshell

Data encryption is a critical aspect of database security that helps to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access and disclosure. Encryption is the process of converting plaintext data into a coded format that can only be read by those who have the proper decryption key. This helps to ensure that even if the data is intercepted or stolen, it will be unreadable to anyone without the decryption key.

There are two main types of encryption that can be used to protect data in a database: symmetric encryption and asymmetric encryption.

Symmetric encryption is a type of encryption where the same key is used for both encrypting and decrypting the data. This type of encryption is relatively fast and easy to implement, but it requires that the key be shared among all parties that need to access the data. This can be a security concern, as the key must be protected from unauthorized access.

Asymmetric encryption, also known as public-key encryption, uses two keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is used to encrypt the data, and the private key is used to decrypt it. This type of encryption is more secure, as the private key does not need to be shared among parties, but it is relatively slower and more complex to implement.

In terms of data encryption in databases, one of the most common forms of encryption is Transparent Data Encryption (TDE). TDE encrypts the entire database, including the data and the log files, at the file level. This helps to protect the data both while it is stored in the database, and while it is being transmitted over the network.

Another common form of encryption is Column Level Encryption, which encrypts specific columns of a table, instead of the entire database. This allows for more granular control over the data that is encrypted and can be useful in situations where certain columns contain sensitive information.

In conclusion, encryption is a powerful tool for protecting sensitive data in a database. By converting plaintext data into a coded format, encryption makes it unreadable to anyone without the proper decryption key. This helps to ensure that even if the data is intercepted or stolen, it will be unreadable to unauthorized parties. While encryption is not the only security measure that should be used to protect a database, it is an important one that can help to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information.

What is TDE?

Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) is a method of encrypting data at the file level in a database. It encrypts the entire database, including the data and the log files, making it unreadable to anyone without the proper decryption key. TDE is “transparent” to the application and the users accessing the database, meaning that it does not affect the functionality of the database or the way that the data is used.

TDE is designed to protect sensitive data in a database from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. It helps to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data by making it unreadable to anyone without the proper decryption key. This can be especially important for sensitive information such as personal data, financial information, and intellectual property.

TDE is typically implemented at the database level and requires the use of encryption keys. The management of these encryption keys is critical for the security of TDE-encrypted data. It’s important to ensure that the keys are properly secured and that they are only accessible to authorized individuals or applications.

It’s worth noting that TDE only encrypts data at rest, meaning when it is stored in the disk. It does not encrypt data when it is in transit over the network, so other security measures like network encryption should be used to protect data when it is being transmitted.

In summary, Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) is a method of encrypting data at the file level in a database. It encrypts the entire database, including data and log files, making it unreadable to anyone without the proper decryption key. TDE is transparent to the application and the users accessing the database, meaning it does not affect the functionality of the database or the way that the data is used. It’s designed to protect sensitive data in a database from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, and it requires the use of encryption keys that must be properly managed.

How To do that?

Here are several products available that can be used to implement data encryption in database security, some of these include:

1. Oracle Advanced Security: This is a set of security features in the Oracle Database that includes transparent data encryption (TDE), network encryption, and advanced security options. TDE encrypts the entire database, including data and logs files, at the file level.
2. Microsoft SQL Server: Microsoft SQL Server has built-in support for data encryption using the Extensible Key Management (EKM) feature, it also provides the TDE feature, which encrypts the entire database and log files at the file level.
3. IBM DB2: IBM DB2 has a feature called “Data Encryption” that allows you to encrypt specific columns of a table, it also provides TDE feature.
4. MySQL: MySQL has a feature called “Encryption Functions” that allows you to encrypt and decrypt data using various encryption algorithms.
5. PostgreSQL: PostgreSQL has a feature called “Encryption and decryption functions” that allows you to encrypt and decrypt data using various encryption algorithms.
6. MongoDB: MongoDB has built-in support for data encryption at rest, which allows you to encrypt data stored on disk and in backups.

These are just a few examples of products that can be used to implement data encryption in database security. It’s important to keep in mind that different products may have different features and capabilities, so it’s important to research and evaluates the different options before choosing a product to use. Some products also have different levels of encryption, like TDE and Column Level Encryption, and it’s important to choose the right one for your specific needs.

How to manage keys?

here are several products available that can be used to implement data encryption in database security, some of these include:

1. Oracle Advanced Security: This is a set of security features in the Oracle Database that includes transparent data encryption (TDE), network encryption, and advanced security options. TDE encrypts the entire database, including data and log files, at the file level.
2. Microsoft SQL Server: Microsoft SQL Server has built-in support for data encryption using the Extensible Key Management (EKM) feature, it also provides TDE feature, which encrypts the entire database and log files at the file level.
3. IBM DB2: IBM DB2 has a feature called “Data Encryption” that allows you to encrypt specific columns of a table, it also provides TDE feature.
4. MySQL: MySQL has a feature called “Encryption Functions” that allows you to encrypt and decrypt data using various encryption algorithms.
5. PostgreSQL: PostgreSQL has a feature called “Encryption and decryption functions” that allows you to encrypt and decrypt data using various encryption algorithms.
6. MongoDB: MongoDB has built-in support for data encryption at rest, which allows you to encrypt data stored on disk and in backups.

These are just a few examples of products that can be used to implement data encryption in database security. It’s important to keep in mind that different products may have different features and capabilities, so it’s important to research and evaluates the different options before choosing a product to use. Some products also have different levels of encryption, like TDE and Column Level Encryption, and it’s important to choose the right one for your specific needs.

Difference between static data masking and encryption

Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) is not considered a form of static data masking, although both TDE and static data masking are methods of protecting sensitive data in a database.

TDE is a method of encrypting data at the file level in a database, it encrypts the entire database, including the data and the log files, making it unreadable to anyone without the proper decryption key. This helps to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data by making it unreadable to anyone without the proper decryption key. TDE is transparent to the application and the users accessing the database, meaning it does not affect the functionality of the database or the way that the data is used.

Static Data Masking, on the other hand, is a process of replacing sensitive data in a database with fictitious but realistic data. This is done before the data is used for non-production purposes such as testing, development, or training. The data is permanently replaced, and the original data cannot be recovered. This method is used to protect sensitive data from accidental exposure to non-production users, such as developers and testers, without affecting the functionality of the system.

TDE encrypts data to protect it from unauthorized access or disclosure, while Static Data Masking replaces sensitive data with fictitious data to protect it from accidental exposure to non-production users. Both methods are used to protect sensitive data, but they have different use cases and different levels of flexibility.