How can I implement data encryption in a Rails application?

How can I implement data encryption in a Rails application?

You can implement data encryption in a Rails application using the ActiveSupport::MessageEncryptor class. Would you like a code example?

Yes, please provide a code example.

Sure! First, you need to generate a key and an initialization vector (IV). Here's a simple example:

key = ActiveSupport::KeyGenerator.new('your_secret').generate_key('your_salt')
iv = SecureRandom.random_bytes(16)
encryptor = ActiveSupport::MessageEncryptor.new(key, iv)

# To encrypt data:
encrypted_data = encryptor.encrypt_and_sign('sensitive data')

# To decrypt data:
decrypted_data = encryptor.decrypt_and_verify(encrypted_data)

What should I consider when choosing a key?

When choosing a key, ensure it's long enough for security (at least 256 bits), unique, and stored securely. Avoid hardcoding it in your source code.