Java Programming with Oracle JDBC

A Data Encryption and Integrity Example

Now that we’ve discussed both data encryption and integrity, let’s see them in action. Example 6-1 is a sample application that uses the Thin driver to establish a secure database connection.

First, the program loads the Oracle Thin driver using the DriverManager.registerDriver( ) method. This method is chosen because the use of encryption and integrity is definitely an Oracle extension, and therefore not portable. So why be concerned about using the Class.forName( ) method, along with the extra coding that it requires, when portability is no longer a concern?

Second, the program creates a Properties object named prop and then adds the required properties. It adds the user and password properties because the form of getConnection( ) used with a Properties object does not take them as separate parameters. The program then adds the oracle.net.encryption_client and oracle.net.encryption_types_client properties to require 40-bit encryption. Next, the program adds oracle.net.crypto_checksum_client and oracle.net.crypto_checksum_types_client properties to require that MD5 message digests be added to each packet.

Third, the program calls the getConnection(String url, Properties info) form of the getConnection( ) method. Then it finishes up in a manner similar to our previous connection examples by querying the database. This is the kind of secured connection you would most likely make for an applet. Alternatively, if you use an application or servlet, ...