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Introduction"lost key" displaced by fear of data loss due to unauthorized disclosure, whichwill not only result in the leakage of sensitive data but also exposure to the databeing fraudulently modified. Encryption is one of the most valuable weaponswith which that battle can be won.What this Book coversThe topics covered in this book will introduce the basic concepts of sensitivedata and offer some solutions that focus on the data itself. This includes:• Defining sensitive data: Clearly understanding the characteristics thatdefine sensitive data is the first step in the journey toward protecting it.This topic will cover the legal definitions of sensitive data and provideseveral real-world examples of data that fit this category.• Data classification: Born from the understanding of sensitive data isthe process of identifying the columns within the tables of our databasethat contain it. It is through this process that data is classified so thatthe appropriate security methods can be applied.• Database schema considerations: The design of a database's tables,columns and their relationship to each other is a key step in the processof developing a database. There are many things to consider whenapproaching this design; one of which is effectiveness and efficiencyof storing sensitive data.• Encryption: Once sensitive data is identified and appropriately storedit is ready to be protected. Cryptography is one method in which theplain text that is submitted to the database is transformed into a seriesof values that is unrecognizable to readers who do not have the key todecrypt it.• Other obfuscation methods: Encryption is not the only way to hidedata from prying eyes. There are other methods that can be used whenthe use of cryptography is too strong or inefficient. This topic willexplore these options as well as ways to identify when someone issnooping around in search of unprotected data.While the topics such as defining sensitive data and data classification can beapplied to any database platform, all database specific features presented arewithin the context of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Microsoft SQL Server2008.The release of SQL Server 2005 introduced features, such as cell-levelencryption, that were focused on protecting sensitive data. SQL Server 2008continued that trend with features such as Transparent Data Encryption, thexvii