The Encryption Imperative
Context data often contains sensitive information: customer details, business intelligence, and proprietary knowledge. Encryption provides defense-in-depth, protecting data even when other security controls fail.
Encryption at Rest
Storage-Level Encryption
Cloud providers offer transparent storage encryption. Enable by default but understand its limitations—it protects against physical theft but not authorized access through normal channels.
Application-Level Encryption
For sensitive context, encrypt before storage. This protects against database administrators, compromised storage systems, and accidental exposure. Consider searchable encryption for maintaining query capabilities.
Key Management
Encryption is only as strong as key management. Use dedicated key management services, implement key rotation policies, and maintain strict separation between encrypted data and encryption keys.
Encryption in Transit
All context communication must use TLS 1.3 or higher. Implement certificate pinning for critical paths, use mutual TLS between services, and regularly audit cipher suites to disable weak algorithms.
Field-Level Encryption
For highly sensitive fields, implement field-level encryption. This allows processing non-sensitive context while keeping PII, financial data, or secrets encrypted until explicitly needed and authorized.
