Encrypting Fields

You encrypt fields in Application Designer by selecting the Encrypt check box on a field definition, and then creating a table or altering an existing table.

Note:

The Encrypt check box is enabled only on Oracle databases that also have an encryption algorithm specified in the Database Encryption Algorithm edit box on the PeopleTools Options page.

These PeopleSoft field types can be encrypted:

  • Character

  • Long Character (see note below)

  • Number

  • Signed number

  • Date

  • DateTime

  • Time

Note:

Long Character field types may only take advantage of TDE when the following conditions are true: the field length is greater than 0 and less than 1334 and the Raw Binary field attribute is not set.

These PeopleSoft field types can not be encrypted:

  • Image

  • Image reference

  • Attachment

After you define the field to be encrypted, and either create a table or alter an existing table containing that field definition, the Build feature generates DDL SQL containing the ENCRYPT clause in the following syntax:

ENCRYPT using ‘ALGORITHM’

For example,

ALTER TABLE  PS_AM_BI_HDR 
MODIFY (CR_CARD_NBR ENCRYPT using ‘AES256’ NO SALT);

Note:

If you are using Oracle Database version 10.2.0.4 or higher, the syntax includes the NOMAC parameter. For example, ALTER TABLE PS_AM_BI_HDR MODIFY (CR_CARD_NBR ENCRYPT using 'AES192' 'NOMAC' NO SALT);

The NOMAC parameter reduces the storage requirements and provides improved performance.

See your Oracle database documentation for more information on NOMAC.

When DDL SQL containing the ENCRYPT clause is run against the database, Oracle:

  • creates a cryptographically secure encryption key for the table containing the column.

  • encrypts the clear text data in the column, using the specified encryption algorithm.