As cybersecurity concerns grow across industries, customers and partners frequently ask about encryption standards used in and around Sage CRM. One of the most important technologies in this space is AES-256, an encryption algorithm widely recognised for its security, performance, and reliability.  I have recently written about Encrypted SQL Connections for Sage CRM, and this article expands on that topic to assist partners who are asked questions specifically about whether Sage CRM utilises AES-256 encryption.

So what role does AES-256 play in protecting Sage CRM data? While Sage CRM itself does not directly implement AES-256, its underlying platform technologies, such as Microsoft SQL Server and TLS (Transport Layer Security), use AES-256 to secure data both at rest and in transit.

Let’s explore what this means in practical terms.

What is AES-256?

AES-256 (Advanced Encryption Standard with a 256-bit key) is a symmetric encryption algorithm trusted by governments, financial institutions, and global enterprises. It’s one of the strongest forms of encryption available and is a core component in modern data protection strategies.

AES-256 is particularly valued for:

• High strength against brute-force attacks
• Efficiency for securing large volumes of data
• Global adoption in compliance with data protection regulations

Data at Rest: SQL Server Encryption with AES-256

Sage CRM runs on Microsoft SQL Server, which supports several encryption options for securing data at rest. These are independent of the Sage CRM version and can be configured by your database administrator.

• Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
  • Note:  TDE is available in Enterprise only.
  • Encrypts the entire database’s physical files (data files, log files, backups).  
  • TDE typically uses AES-256 under the hood.
  • Even if database files are stolen or backed up insecurely, they cannot be read without the encryption key and certificate.
• Always Encrypted / Cell-Level Encryption
  • Sensitive columns (e.g., credit card numbers, personal IDs) can be encrypted individually.  Note:  This has not been tested explicitly by QA, so we can not claim, as of Sage CRM 2025 R1, that we support this.
  • Data is encrypted client-side using AES-256, ensuring it remains protected even from DBAs or high-privilege users on the server.

Data in Transit: TLS with AES-256 Cipher Support

Data doesn’t just sit still—it moves. And whether it’s travelling from:

• A user’s browser to the Sage CRM web server, or
• The Sage CRM application server to the SQL Server database,

…it should always travel over an encrypted channel.

This is achieved using TLS (Transport Layer Security), the successor to SSL.

Modern TLS Connections:

• Use AES-256 as the preferred cipher suite for encryption.
• Prevent attackers from intercepting, modifying, or replaying data.
• They are enforced by configuring HTTPS in IIS for the Sage CRM website and encrypted SQL connections via SQL Server Configuration Manager.

Summary Table: AES-256 in a Sage CRM Context

Area	Applicability to Sage CRM?	Details
Data at Rest	Yes	Use Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) or Always Encrypted with AES-256 to secure stored CRM data.
Data in Transit	Yes	Use TLS to encrypt connections. AES-256 is often the cipher of choice in secure channels.

In conclusion, although AES-256 may not be visible on the Sage CRM admin screens, it nonetheless plays a crucial role in the data protection ecosystem surrounding Sage CRM. By properly configuring SQL Server encryption and TLS, businesses using Sage CRM can be confident that their customer data is protected using the same encryption standards trusted by banks and governments.

I hope this helps partners who face the task of completing RFP/RFI documents that request information about data encryption and AES-256.