title: Storing SSN/CC data
body: <p>I read through quite a few similar questions here on SO but none were in quite the same situation as I am.</p>
  
  <p>Previously, user enters in a ton of info including SSN, Spouse SSN, and CC data.  When the user completed the process, the info was pushed on PDFs, zipped up (which then got encrypted), and then FTPed back into our server.  We saved everything in the DB except SSNs and CC, which were erased when the session died.</p>
  
  <p>Now, we need to save that info the database as well for some cases where after User A is done, User B needs to come in and sign off on the forms.  After User B is done, the files are created and SSNs/CC data deleted.  This means that data has to live in our DB from a few minutes to possibly a month.  There is a set expiration date where I wipe out the data from the DB and make them start over.  Note:  I am not using the CC data to actually make a charge so I can't hand it off to a third party like Authorize.net or Paypal.</p>
  
  <p>With that explained, I need to know the best way to encrypt this stuff and protect it.  I'm torn between doing AES in my code using the user's GUID as the key or just SQL Server 2005 column encrypting and limiting the decrypt function to the web user.</p>
  
  <p>I like AES because it keeps the few people who have DB access from using the web user's password to grab all the CC data.  They would have access to the source code and could replicate the decrypt method but at least that's a little harder than just running some queries.</p>
  
  <p>Unfortunately, I don't have time push through a way of not storing the CC data but I have some ideas for the next release.  I have to make a choice and implement the encryption this week.</p>