Hi,

In the <sql-insert> and <sql-update> i call the aes_encrypt function in MySQL to encrpt.

<sql-insert>
INSERT INTO user (first_name, userID) VALUES (aes_encrypt(?, 'This is my encryption key'), ?)
</sql-insert>

<sql-update>UPDATE user SET first_name = aes_encrypt(?, 'This is my encryption key') WHERE userID=?</sql-update>

This approach works and i am able to encrpt the data. Now my problem is to move out the key from the mapping file. I have lot of information that needsto be encrypted and also for security reasons.

Is this allowed,

<sql-update>UPDATE user SET first_name = aes_encrypt(?, :key) WHERE userID=?</sql-update>

Iam not sure how to set the parameter value for :key in the code.

I would appreciate any help on this.

Chandrika

no, that is not directly possible.

...but why not just encrypt the hbm.xml files or something ?
How are you going to ensure the key is "safe" if you could use a parameter?

Hi Max,

Thanks for the reply.




I have to figure out that yet. May be store the key itself in the database.
There is lot of data in my tables that need to be encrypted I have around 15 columns to encrypt in one table. Also i have to repeat this for both <sql-update> and <sql-insert>. And if we decide to change the key in future. We have to change in all the places.

Can you point to any documentation regarding encrypting the .hbm files. After encrypting the file, how does hibernate read an encrypted .hbm file.

Thanks
Chandrika

just encrypt it with something that you find secure and then decrypt them in memory and add them programmatically to hibernate configuration.

or alternatively just insert some tokenmarkers, e.g. @MY_SECRET_KEY@ and then string-replace them before adding them to hibernate configuration.

always remember that you can *always* theroetically crack a system, but it is just not worth it protecting it 150% since it is very seldom that it in practice can be cracked....and why is it you don't just write some insert/update triggers to encrypt/decrypt this ?