HOW TO: Encrypt data with SQL Encryption Assistant

1. First let's setup a sample table in the database. This table will have 4 columns:

Code:
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[CUSTOMER_DATA](
[CUS_ID] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
[CUS_Name] [varchar](50) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS NULL,
[CUS_SSN] [nvarchar](MAX) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS NULL,
[CUS_DOB] [nvarchar](MAX) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_CUSTOMER_DATA] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[CUS_ID] ASC
)WITH (IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]

2. Prime the table with some data.

3. Open SQL Encryption Assistant.

4. Create a symmetric key named 'EncryptKey', protected by a password.

5. Select the key created in step 4, right-click and select Tasks -> Encrypt Data



6. Choose 'Password' for the key decryption and enter the key's password.

7. In the 'Select Table' group box, select the table created in step 1, 'TEST'.

8. Select the column 'TST_Data' and click '>>'. This is the data we will encrypt.

9. Click 'Ok'.

The data is now encrypted using a symmetric key.