php-mcrypt is getting to be too much trouble - alternatives?

[SacAutos]

I'm looking for some advice with regard to a two-way encryption algorithm/module for my situation:

I currently operate a CentOS 5.9 server with PHP 5.1 installed on it. I have some data that I need to store in an encrypted format (in a MySQL database) and then decrypt when demanded for my applications. For some time, I've been using the php-mcrypt functions with great success.

However, moving forward down the road I need to install Plesk's PHP 5.3 package. Unfortunately, PHP 5.3 and mcrypt seem to be mutually exclusive. Furthermore, I'm contemplating migrating to a CentOS 6 environment, where php-mcrypt support is additionally dodgy. I base this mostly on the number of threads on this forum where some contortions are needed to get mcrypt installed and working on various CentOS versions.

Therefore I was wondering if anybody else out there has encountered this problem, and if so, how they might have resolved it. Not by forcing mcrypt to work but trying something else to encrypt my data. Thanks for your ideas.

 

[Nikolay.]

If you're on Plesk 11.5 why not install php 5.3 from third-party repo together with mcrypt?

 

[SacAutos]

Thanks for the quick reply. The reason why is primarily portability. If, for example, my clients want to migrate their applications into a cloud environment where mcrypt isn't available, I've got trouble. I need to steer toward a mainstream, turnkey install. Yes, I can jump through the necessary hoops to keep it working; but my gut tells me I'm better off using something simpler to implement.

 

[Nikolay.]

You'll be "jumping through the necessary hoops to keep it working" endlessly if you don't want to use outdated software and still use CentOS 5.

I think using third-party repos such as Atomic or Remi is a good option in this case, especially since Plesk 11.5 now properly supports them.

 

[Nikolay.]

Also, I personally would now advise against using PHP 5.3 shipped with Plesk because it is hard to change it to anything else (e.g., back to OS vendor PHP version or to third-party one), should you change your mind.

 

[SacAutos]

I've been reading online that some people like phpseclib; but that there's little to no documentation. Has anyone tried it?

Nevermind. It turns out that phpSecLib uses mcrypt! How can a guy ever win?