Beyond TDE: The Encryption Gap No One Talks About and How Always Encrypted Fill

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Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) is widely believed to secure sensitive data end-to-end — but it doesn’t. TDE protects database files and backups, yet leaves a critical encryption gap: data is still exposed in memory, during query execution, and to privileged users like DBAs.

In this session, Padma Achanta reveals why TDE alone is not enough and explains how Always Encrypted fills this gap by protecting data at rest, in transit, and even in use. You’ll learn how Always Encrypted isolates sensitive values, uses secure enclaves for in-memory protection, and ensures that only authorized applications — not database administrators — ever see the plaintext. Attendees will walk away with a clear understanding of when to use TDE, when to use Always Encrypted, and how these technologies complement each other in modern data security architecture.