Configuration Guide › Relational Database Management › How to Describe a Database in a Directory Configuration File › How to Modify Attribute Descriptions › Managing Sensitive Attributes › Attribute-Level Encryption

Attribute-Level Encryption

You can encrypt an attribute in the user store by specifying an AttributeLevelEncypt data classification for that attribute in the directory configuration file (directory.xml). When attribute-level encryption is enabled, CA IdentityMinder encrypts the value of that attribute before storing it in the user store. The attribute is displayed as clear text in the User Console.

Note: To prevent attributes from appearing in clear text in screens, you can also add a sensitive data classification element to encrypted attributes. For more information, see How to Add Attribute-Level Encryption.

If FIPS 140-2 support is enabled, the attribute is encrypted using RC2 encryption or FIPS 140-2 encryption.

Before you implement the attribute-level encryption, note the following points:

• CA IdentityMinder cannot find encrypted attributes in a search.

  Assume that an encrypted attribute is added to a member, admin, owner policy, or an identity policy. CA IdentityMinder cannot resolve the policy correctly because it cannot search the attribute.

  Consider setting the attribute to searchable="false" in the directory.xml file—For example:

  <ImsManagedObjectAttr physicalname="title" description="Title" displayname="Title" valuetype="String" maxlength="0" searchable="false">

  <DataClassification name="AttributeLevelEncrypt"/>

  </ImsManagedObjectAttr>

• If CA IdentityMinder uses a shared user store and Provisioning Directory, do not encrypt Provisioning Server attributes.
• Do not enable AttributeLevelEncrypt for user passwords in environments that meet the following criteria:
  • include CA SiteMinder integration, and
  • Store users in a relational database

  When CA IdentityMinder integrates with CA SiteMinder, encrypted passwords cause issues when new users try to log in, and enter passwords in clear text.

• If you enable attribute-level encryption for a user store that is used by applications other than CA IdentityMinder, the other applications cannot use the encrypted attribute.