What are the different encryption methods available in Rails?

What are the different encryption methods available in Rails?

Rails provides several encryption methods, including ActiveSupport::MessageEncryptor, which uses symmetric encryption, and the built-in support for encrypting attributes in ActiveRecord models.

Can you explain how to use ActiveSupport::MessageEncryptor?

Sure! You can create an instance of MessageEncryptor by providing a key and an initialization vector (IV). Then, you can use the encrypt_and_sign method to encrypt data and decrypt_and_verify to decrypt it.

What are the best practices for managing encryption keys?

It's crucial to store encryption keys securely, ideally using environment variables or a secrets management service. Avoid hardcoding keys in your source code.

Are there any built-in methods for encrypting database fields?

Yes, Rails 5.2 introduced built-in support for encrypting attributes in ActiveRecord models using the attr_encrypted method.