ASE Database forum - Native Column Encryption

Author

Native Column Encryption

Ray Rankins

2005-04-26, 8:24 pm

I've read that native encryption of columns will be introduced in either an
interim release of 12.5.3 or 12.5.4 (it was orginally planned for ASE 15).

However, I cannot find any mention of it in the currently available ASE15
documentation, and it's not mentioned in the latest Targeted CR lists for
12.5.4 or 12.5.3 ESD#3.

I have a client that has a desperate need for native encryption in the
database, I'd like to test it in the ASE 15 beta, but have no idea how it's
being implemented in ASE. Is it done with a function or a column property or
something else entirely?

Does anyone have any more information on this native encryption feature for
ASE? Is there any documentation on it anywhere?

Thanks,
Ray Rankins

Mark K

2005-04-27, 7:24 am

Hi Ray,

As mentioned in the ASE15 Beta newsgroup, column encryption will be 12.5.3a
in June, and 15.0 GA in September.

Mark Kusma
http://www.sybase.com/support/about...t/otherservices

"Ray Rankins" < rrankins@gothamconsu
lting.com> wrote in message
news:426eb53a$1@foru
ms-2-dub...
> I've read that native encryption of columns will be introduced in either
an
> interim release of 12.5.3 or 12.5.4 (it was orginally planned for ASE 15).
>
> However, I cannot find any mention of it in the currently available ASE15
> documentation, and it's not mentioned in the latest Targeted CR lists for
> 12.5.4 or 12.5.3 ESD#3.
>
> I have a client that has a desperate need for native encryption in the
> database, I'd like to test it in the ASE 15 beta, but have no idea how
it's
> being implemented in ASE. Is it done with a function or a column property
or
> something else entirely?
>
> Does anyone have any more information on this native encryption feature
for
> ASE? Is there any documentation on it anywhere?
>
> Thanks,
> Ray Rankins
>
>
>

Mark K

2005-04-27, 8:25 pm

Ray,

I stand corrected/updated. ASE 15.0 GA will not contain encrypted columns
support. It will come in a later release.

Mark Kusma
http://www.sybase.com/support/about...t/otherservices

"Ray Rankins" < rrankins@gothamconsu
lting.com> wrote in message
news:426eb53a$1@foru
ms-2-dub...
> I've read that native encryption of columns will be introduced in either
an
> interim release of 12.5.3 or 12.5.4 (it was orginally planned for ASE 15).
>
> However, I cannot find any mention of it in the currently available ASE15
> documentation, and it's not mentioned in the latest Targeted CR lists for
> 12.5.4 or 12.5.3 ESD#3.
>
> I have a client that has a desperate need for native encryption in the
> database, I'd like to test it in the ASE 15 beta, but have no idea how
it's
> being implemented in ASE. Is it done with a function or a column property
or
> something else entirely?
>
> Does anyone have any more information on this native encryption feature
for
> ASE? Is there any documentation on it anywhere?
>
> Thanks,
> Ray Rankins
>
>
>

Sherlock, Kevin

2005-04-27, 8:25 pm

"Ray Rankins" < rrankins@gothamconsu
lting.com> wrote in message
news:426eb53a$1@foru
ms-2-dub...
> I've read that native encryption of columns will be introduced in either
an
> interim release of 12.5.3 or 12.5.4 (it was orginally planned for ASE 15).
>
....
> I have a client that has a desperate need for native encryption in the
> database, I'd like to test it in the ASE 15 beta, but have no idea how
it's
> being implemented in ASE. Is it done with a function or a column property
or
> something else entirely?

Not done with a function. Keys are defined by the key owner, and then used
to encrypt column values on the disk. You define a column to encrypt with
the key. You then grant/revoke "decrypt" permission on the column to your
users/groups/roles much like you grant/revoke other permissions on the
table. ASE handles the decrypting and encrypting of values. So if a user
has the decrypt permission, that user sees the decrypted values at the
client. Likewise INSERT/UPDATEs are encrypted before they go the page.

You can create different encryption keys for each column, or manage only a
few. You can even have a "default" encryption key for each database so
users don't have to specify a key when encrypting a column. Note that the
encryption key values themselves are managed securely by ASE. Also,
functionality to preserve optimization functionality for encrypted columns
is accounted for also. IE, if you have an index on an encrypted column, the
statistics for the column are managed in a way that the optimizer can still
make it's selectivity estimates.

There is a Sybase Central encryption "wizard" that will be available as far
as I know. Also, column level encryption will be a licensed feature (no
surprise).

> Does anyone have any more information on this native encryption feature
for
> ASE? Is there any documentation on it anywhere?

I believe this feature is still in beta. You might want to ask your
salesperson if you can participate as a beta partner and get a copy for
yourself to work with and understand. I'm sure the documentation is in beta
as well.

Sponsored Links