Encripting a field in a table

I have inherited a database program that has a table for usernames and passwords. Unfortunetly, I must give certain users read only access to the SQL tables. Therefore, the Usernames and the passwords can be viewed. Question isw there a way of encripting this field so that it can't be read?

Thanks in advance!!!not sure i understand the question? You need to give users access to read the data in the table, but you want the data encrypted so it can't be read?|||The SQL DB is the backend and the Front end is a VBA program. I have to give certian users direct access to the tables (backend). I want to still be able to use the user/password table when users access the front end but I want to prevent users from viewing the passwords while they are accessing the tables directly from the SQL DB.|||Hi,

you can use pwdencrypt sql function., but there are certain thing u have to keep in mind..

The field should be nvarchar.
u cannt unencrypt the string after encrypting it.

select pwdencrypt('abc')

this is how u can compare 2 strings -
select pwdcompare('abc',pwdencrypt('abc'))
1 for true
0 for false.

hope this will help u.
Cheers
Gola munjal

Originally posted by Chumpie999typla
I have inherited a database program that has a table for usernames and passwords. Unfortunetly, I must give certain users read only access to the SQL tables. Therefore, the Usernames and the passwords can be viewed. Question isw there a way of encripting this field so that it can't be read?

Thanks in advance!!!