| The answer is to place the key in a location inaccessable to the SQL Administrator. In other words, placing the key in the database would be a mistake. In your case, I recommend you do the encryption using middle tier COM components on the IIS servers or other other location and then place only the encrypted data into the database. This way, a SQL admin cannot gain access to the key as long as he does not have admin access to the IIS servers and the key location on those servers.
Chip |