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Re: Encryption - Question about the key

From: Jared Still <jkstill_at_cybcon.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 18:40:09 -0800
Message-ID: <F001.003DF82C.20011218175025@fatcity.com>

This sounds great until something doesn't work properly.

Bet it's difficult to toubleshoot.

Has this setup given you any problems in that regard?

Jared

On Tuesday 18 December 2001 16:25, Austin, Steve S wrote:
> 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).
>
> 1. 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.
> 2. Create a DBA owned package to handle encryption/decryption.
> 3. The key will be picked up in this package and used (maybe I'll use user
> key is used to derive the actual key).
> 4. 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: Jared Still
  INET: jkstill_at_cybcon.com

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Received on Tue Dec 18 2001 - 20:40:09 CST

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