Re: Database design and confidential data protection

The world rejoiced as Diego Berge <dberge_at_privacy.net> wrote:
> How is it done if you had to work on a project (such as modifying and
> existing system) involving confidential data that needs to be
> protected from the developer?

The "standard" work on this is called _Translucent Databases_. <http://www.wayner.org/books/td/>

Basically, the idea is that sensitive fields are encrypted using keys that are user-specific. (Probably using some form of PK encryption.)

A characteristic example would be of storage of cases by a national rape crisis organization. In order to do statistical analysis and such, the data needs to be aggregated together across all offices. But the identities of the victims should only be accessible by the staff at the local office, and perhaps only the staff members that have worked with each specific victim.

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