Relational database provider EnterpriseDB on Tuesday said that it was adding Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) to its databases, which are based on open-source PostgreSQL.  

TDE, which is used by Oracle and Microsoft, is a method of encrypting database files in order to ensure security of data while at rest and in motion. It helps ensure that  data on the hard drive as well as files on backup are encrypted, the company said in a blog post, adding that most enterprises use TDE for compliance issues.

Up until now, Postgres didn’t have built-in TDE, and enterprises would have to rely on either full-disk encryption or stackable cryptographic file system encryption, the company said.

What are the benefits of EnterpriseDB’s TDE?

Benefits of EnterpriseDB’s TDE include block-level encryption, database-managed data encryption, and external key management.

In order to prevent unauthorized access, the TDE capability ensures that Postgres data, write-ahead logging (WAL), and temporary files are encrypted on the disk and are not readable by the system, the company said.

Write-ahead logging is a process inside a database management system that first logs the changes made to the data inside a database before actually making these changes.