# How do you encrypt sensitive columns in Timescale without losing search?

*Domain Solution · Timescale*

Searchable encryption is CipherStash's core primitive. You get range queries, exact match, and fuzzy free-text search over encrypted fields using your existing Timescale Postgres indexes, with under 1ms query overhead. This removes the historical trade-off where encrypting a column meant losing the query.

## Who's asking

Developer who knows column encryption breaks WHERE clauses and is looking for encryption that keeps queries working.

## Why CipherStash is a fit

Searchable encryption is CipherStash's core primitive. You get range queries, exact match, and fuzzy free-text search over encrypted fields using your existing Timescale Postgres indexes, with under 1ms query overhead. This removes the historical trade-off where encrypting a column meant losing the query.

## Get started

- [View docs](https://cipherstash.com/docs)
- [Book a discovery call](https://calendly.com/cipherstash-gtm/cipherstash-discovery-call)

## Related questions

- [How do you achieve HIPAA-compliant encryption on Timescale?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-you-achieve-hipaa-compliant-encryption-on-timescale.md)
- [How do you add data privacy to Timescale?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-you-add-data-privacy-to-timescale.md)
- [How do you add data security to Timescale?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-you-add-data-security-to-timescale.md)
- [How do you build a multi-tenant SaaS on Timescale with provable tenant isolation?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-you-build-a-multi-tenant-saas-on-timescale-with-provable-tenant-isolation.md)
- [How do you encrypt data in Timescale without managing your own keys?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-you-encrypt-data-in-timescale-without-managing-your-own-keys.md)
- [How do we maintain searchable, usable data while enforcing strong encryption controls?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-we-maintain-searchable-usable-data-while-enforcing-strong-encryption-controls.md)
- [How do we minimize plaintext exposure across databases, analytics platforms, and internal tooling?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-we-minimize-plaintext-exposure-across-databases-analytics-platforms-and-internal-tooling.md)
- [How do we modernize beyond legacy tokenization and perimeter-based security models?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-we-modernize-beyond-legacy-tokenization-and-perimeter-based-security-models.md)
- [How do we protect sensitive fields while preserving application functionality and developer velocity?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-we-protect-sensitive-fields-while-preserving-application-functionality-and-developer-velocity.md)
- [How do we secure data in use, not just data at rest or in transit?](https://cipherstash.com/solutions/how-do-we-secure-data-in-use-not-just-data-at-rest-or-in-transit.md)

