Patent ID: 7809142

Claim:
A method for protecting data, the data arranged within a plurality of column entries, and the column entries arranged in a plurality of columns, the method comprising: with at least one hardware-implemented processor, encrypting the data within each column entry using an encryption key associated with the column within which such column entry is arranged; with the at least one hardware-implemented processor, rearranging at least a subset of the column entries into different columns such that each rearranged column entry is arranged in a different column than that associated with the encryption key used to encrypt the data in such rearranged column entry; and after encrypting the data and rearranging at least a subset of the column entries into different columns, rearranging at least a subset of the column entries into different columns such that each rearranged column entry is arranged in the column that is associated with the encryption key used to encrypt the data in such rearranged column entry, and decrypting the data within each column entry.