storing encrypted data using mcrypt.

nexzt

Hey guys/gals Quck q

Anyone ever stored data in a mysql db using mcrypt functions? i've tried several differnt methods and when i go to decrypt it all i get is ASCII.. anyone want to point me to a example somewhere? please?

Best Regards,
Zak Thompson

kparker

all I get is ASCII

Wasn't it ascii to start with? I assume you mean "not the right ascii"?

At any rate, if you want to store the crypt-text as plain text, you need
to compensate for the fact that the encrypted value can contain any
and all binary byte values. The most compact way to render this as
plain text is to use base64_encode() and base64_decode().

But even before you start worrying about mysql, make some small test
programs that encrypt/decrypt from variables and make sure nothing
else is amiss.

nexzt

Right, i could encrypt/decrypt things with in the pages just fine.. everything worked great with in the pages but when i stored it into the db and then took it out to decrypt it it didn't come out right. so just use base64_encode/decode and not even attempt with the mcrypt? right now it ges like this..

$data = mcrypt_ecb(MCRYPT_LOKI97, $key, $data, MCRYPT_ENCRYPT);

the keys are identical on the other pages and all i change is the MCRYPT_ENCRYPT to MCRYPT_DECRYPT and it comes out all wrong.

this wrong or right? or other methods i should use?

Best Regards,
Zak

kparker

Not sure, but base64 has nothing to do with security or encryption; it just takes data and encodes it in such a way that there are no control characters present, such that it can be handled safely by anything that assumes plain text.