RE: Encryption - Question about the key

From: Austin, Steve S <steve.s.austin_at_xo.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 17:08:26 -0800
Message-ID: <F001.003DF725.20011218162522@fatcity.com>

What we do is have the application manage the encryption keys. The DBA therefore only has access to the encrypted data. Being the DBA in this equation, I am exonerated from having easy access to the keys, and therefore exonerated when it comes time to hunt down perpetrators (well, nearly!) :). I further suggested that they split the key into parts and allow the DBA, root, and the application owner to put in parts to derive the actual key that is not stored anywhere, but exists only in the memory of the app. This did not go over well. :) We're also looking at procedures to change the keys, since any set of encrypted data is a target, and if you change the keys, it's a "moving" target.

hope this is interesting if not amusing. sa

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2001 3:55 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

Believe it or not Jared, one of your script gave me following idea (the wrapper sql for decrypt/encrypt on your site).

I have a system users table, I can add a column to store user's key in a column that only that user has access to.
Create a DBA owned package to handle encryption/decryption.
The key will be picked up in this package and used (maybe I'll use user key is used to derive the actual key).
The package will be deployed as 'wrapped' in production, so by looking at dba_source you won't find much.

I'll have to test this though but I think this will make it a bit more secure.

The question is "Can I trust myself?" The answer is 'Yes".

Can someone see any drawbacks?

Raj

Rajendra Jamadagni MIS, ESPN Inc. Rajendra dot Jamadagni at ESPN dot com
Any opinion expressed here is personal and doesn't reflect that of ESPN Inc.

QOTD: Any clod can have facts, but having an opinion is an art!
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Author: Austin, Steve S
INET: steve.s.austin_at_xo.com

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