Automatic Laravel Data Encryption with Eloquent

Few months ago i got laravel project requirement that need me to encrypt all user information that stored at database and the encrypted information also must be searchable.

I try to google search and found some laravel package that enable eloquent to automatically encrypt data when do save and automatically decrypt data when load. Sadly most of the package not support search at the encrypted information.

Start from package that i found, i try to modify and create new package that suit my project requirement like below

Installation

Step 1: Composer

Via Composer command line:

$ composer require elgibor-solution/laravel-database-encryption

Step 2: Add ServiceProvider to your app/config.php file (Laravel 5.4 or below)

Add the service provider to the providers array in the config/app.php config file as follows:

    'providers' => [
        ...
        \ESolution\DBEncryption\Providers\DBEncryptionServiceProvider::class,
    ],

Usage

Use the EncryptedAttribute trait in any Eloquent model that you wish to apply encryption
to and define a protected $encrypted array containing a list of the attributes to encrypt.

For example:

    use ESolution\DBEncryption\Traits\EncryptedAttribute;

    class User extends Eloquent {
        use EncryptedAttribute;

        /**
         * The attributes that should be encrypted on save.
         *
         * @var array
         */
        protected $encryptable = [
            'first_name', 'last_name'
        ];
    }

By including the EncryptedAttribute trait, the setAttribute(), getAttribute() and getAttributeFromArray()
methods provided by Eloquent are overridden to include an additional step.

Searching Encrypted Fields Example:

Searching encrypted field can be done by calling the whereEncrypted and orWhereEncrypted functions
similar to laravel eloquent where and orWhere.

    namespace App\Http\Controllers;

    use App\User;
    class UsersController extends Controller {
        public function index(Request $request)
        {
            $user = User::whereEncrypted('first_name','john')
                        ->orWhereEncrypted('last_name','!=','Doe')->firstOrFail();

            return $user;
        }
    }

Encrypt your current data

If you have current data in your database you can encrypt it with the command below

    php artisan encryptable:encryptModel 'App\User'

Additionally you can decrypt it using the command below

    php artisan encryptable:decryptModel 'App\User'

Note: You must implement first the Encryptable trait and set $encryptable attributes

Exists and Unique Validation Rules

If you are using exists and unique rules with encrypted values replace it with exists_encrypted and unique_encrypted

      $validator = validator(['email'=>'[e-mail]'], ['email'=>'exists_encrypted:users,email']);
      $validator = validator(['email'=>'[e-mail]'], ['email'=>'unique_encrypted:users,email']);

Hope this package help other people that got same project requirement

Comments

[Shivam Pandya]

What about existing plain text data in database which are there before installing and configuring this package?

[Tommy Hendrawan]

You can encrypt the old data with command below

    php artisan encryptable:encryptModel '<Your Model Path>'

eg.

    php artisan encryptable:encryptModel 'App\User'

[Shivam Pandya]

Thank you very much. :)

[Manav Misra]

Nice of you to thank the author. Welcome to community! 🤓

[galegobr01]

@tommyhendrawan

How does it impact query performance when the encrypted field is an index?

Thanks for response.

[ibrahim-gamal-92]

Are this encryption process being done with Private key? or any one install this packages can decrypt data

[Tommy Hendrawan]

The package use laravel key that generated when you first setup the project

[Jayanta Mondal]

How to use orderBy encrypted column?

[Constantinos Sergiou]

the login auth controller is not working after i have add they packages any suggestions?

[khushbupatel17]

Is this working with auth??

[Areb Faraz]

How can i set encryption key other than .env file. I dont want to use .env file to keep encryption key