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On this page What's new in the .NET 2015 RC I found this

Always Encrypted secures customer data so DBAs do not have access to plain text data.

And I wonder how a developer can check the data in db by using SQL Studio Management ? Is it still displaying plain data like Version 2008?

Nikhil Vithlani - Microsoft
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fred
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    From that same page: "For details, see [Always Encrypted (Database Engine)](https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/mt163865(v=sql.130).aspx) and [Always Encrypted (client development)](https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/mt147923(v=sql.130).aspx)". What's not clear about those links? Also, it's pretty logical if you ask me: "Always Encrypted secures customer data so DBAs do not have access to plain text data." » If even the **Administrator** / **DBA** can't see the data unencrypted without the key, why would a developer be able to see it unencrypted? The developer will/would need to have a/the key. – RobIII Jul 07 '15 at 12:01
  • @RobIII thanks for your information. I did not install the 2016 version, so do not know how it work actually. The developer would see it unencrypted in development phrase, to correct & check if code is working fine. – fred Jul 07 '15 at 13:46
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    AE is implemented by encrypting data on the client and keeping the key on the client. Existing data starts out in plaintext in the table. Part of the implementation process is to read plaintext from table, encrypt in client, write cipher text to table, remove plaintext data. Once that process is complete, you will need the key to see the data in plaintext. If a developer wants to see it, he will need access to the key. See demo video at https://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/Data-Exposed/SQL-Server-2016-Always-Encrypted – SQLmojoe Aug 06 '15 at 17:21

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A developer can access plaintext data if he has access to the Column Master Key. If you have access to Column Master Key, you can follow this MSDN article to configure SSMS to decrypt data. The latest version of SSMS also allows you to insert, update and filter encrypted data.

Nikhil Vithlani - Microsoft
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