Encrypting fields in the database

Hey there! In this blog post, we'll walk through the steps to encrypt and decrypt data stored in your database using Xano's built-in cryptography library. While Xano doesn't offer a one-click encryption solution, it provides you with full control over the encryption process, allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs.

Setting Up the Secret Key

Before we dive into encryption, we need to set up a secret key that will be used for the encryption process. Here's how you can do it:

1. In your Xano workspace, navigate to the "Function Stack" and click on the "Cryptography" section.
2. Click the "Create Secret Key" button. You can choose the desired bit length for your key, but for this example, we'll stick with the default.
3. Click "Save" to generate your secret key.
4. Copy the generated key value.
5. Go to "Settings" > "Environment Variables" and click "Manage Environment Variables."
6. Create a new environment variable called `secret_key_1` (or any name you prefer) and paste the copied key value.
7. Click "Save" to store your secret key as an environment variable.

Now that you have your secret key set up, let's move on to the encryption process.

Encrypting Data

Let's say you want to encrypt the name of a merchant before storing it in your database. Here's how you can do it:

1. In your Xano API, create a new function or use an existing one where you want to encrypt the data.
2. In the "Function Stack," navigate to the "Cryptography" section and find the "JWE ENCODE" function.
3. Drag and drop the "JWE ENCODE" function into your API function.
4. Map the input (e.g., the merchant name) to the "payload" input of the "JWE ENCODE" function.
5. For the "key" input, use the environment variable you created earlier (`secret_key_1`).
6. Customize the other inputs (e.g., algorithm, encryption method) based on your encryption requirements.
7. Store the encrypted value in your desired database field (e.g., `merchant.name`).

After following these steps, the merchant name will be encrypted and stored in your database.

Decrypting Data

Now that you have encrypted data stored in your database, let's learn how to decrypt it when you need to access the original value:

1. In your Xano API, create a new function or use an existing one where you want to decrypt the data.
2. Retrieve the encrypted data from your database (e.g., `merchant.name`).
3. In the "Function Stack," navigate to the "Cryptography" section and find the "JWE DECODE" function.
4. Drag and drop the "JWE DECODE" function into your API function.
5. Map the encrypted value (e.g., `merchant.name`) to the "token" input of the "JWE DECODE" function.
6. For the "key" input, use the same environment variable you used for encryption (`secret_key_1`).
7. Customize the other inputs (e.g., algorithm, encryption method) based on your encryption requirements.
8. Store the decrypted value in a variable or return it as part of your API response.

After following these steps, you'll have the decrypted value of the merchant name, which you can use as needed in your application.

Remember, while this example focuses on encrypting and decrypting a merchant name, you can apply the same principles to any data you want to secure in your database.

That's it! You now have the knowledge to encrypt and decrypt data using Xano's cryptography library. Feel free to explore the various encryption options and customize the process according to your specific requirements.

Happy coding and stay secure!