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ENCRYPT=

Valid in:	DATA step and PROC steps
Category:	Data Set Control
Restriction:	Use with output data sets only.

Syntax Description

YES

encrypts the file. The encryption method uses passwords. At a minimum, you must specify the READ= or the PW= data set option at the same time that you specify ENCRYPT=YES. Because the encryption method uses passwords, you cannot change any password on an encrypted data set without re-creating the data set.

NO

does not encrypt the file.

CAUTION:

Record all passwords. If you forget the password, you cannot reset it without assistance from SAS Institute. The process is time-consuming and resource-intensive.  

Details

• You can use the ENCRYPT= option only when you are creating a SAS data file.

• In order to copy an encrypted SAS data file, the output engine must support encryption. Otherwise, the data file is not copied.

• Encrypted files work only in Release 6.11 or in later releases of SAS.

• You cannot encrypt SAS data views or stored programs because they contain no data.

• If the data file is encrypted, all associated indexes are also encrypted.

• Encryption requires roughly the same amount of CPU resources as compression.

• You cannot use PROC CPORT on encrypted SAS data files.

Example

This example creates an encrypted SAS data set:

data salary(encrypt=yes read=green);
   input name $ yrsal bonuspct;
   datalines;
Muriel    34567  3.2
Bjorn     74644  2.5
Freda     38755  4.1
Benny     29855  3.5
Agnetha   70998  4.1
;

To use this data set, specify the read password:

proc contents data=salary(read=green);
run;

	Data Set Options: ALTER= PW= READ= WRITE=
	"SAS File Encryption" in SAS Language Reference: Concepts

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