🔐 Data Encryption and Certificates in ServiceNow

🌐 Introduction

In ServiceNow, data security is a top priority. Sensitive data must be protected both:

• At Rest → Data stored in the database.

• In Transit → Data transferred between ServiceNow and clients/servers.

To achieve this, ServiceNow provides robust encryption mechanisms and certificate management features.

💡 Key Benefit: Encryption and certificates ensure confidentiality, integrity, and compliance with security standards (HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP, ISO 27001).

📑 Types of Encryption in ServiceNow

🔹 1 Encryption at Rest

• All data stored in ServiceNow’s cloud is encrypted at rest by default using AES-256.

• Provides strong protection against unauthorized database access.

🔹 2 Encryption in Transit

• ServiceNow enforces TLS (Transport Layer Security) for HTTPS communication.

• Prevents man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks and ensures secure API calls.

🔹 3 Edge Encryption (Advanced)

• Edge Encryption Plugin → Sensitive data is encrypted before leaving the customer’s network.

• ServiceNow never stores the plaintext version.

• Example: Social Security Numbers (SSNs) can be encrypted at the edge, only decrypted in the customer’s environment.

🔹 4 Field-Level & Table-Level Encryption

• Encrypt specific fields (e.g., u_credit_card_number, u_ssn) in the database.

• Two approaches:

  • Column-Level Encryption: Encrypts values in specific columns.

  • Full-Table Encryption: Encrypts entire tables (used rarely, as it impacts performance).

📑Certificates in ServiceNow

Certificates are used to establish trust and secure communication between ServiceNow and other systems.

🔹 1 Types of Certificates

1. SSL/TLS Certificates

   • Secure communication between browsers and ServiceNow instance.

2. Client Certificates

   • Used for mutual authentication between ServiceNow and external systems (e.g., REST APIs).

3. SAML Certificates

   • Enable secure authentication for SSO integrations.

4. MID Server Certificates

   • Used to secure communication between on-premises MID Servers and the ServiceNow instance.

🔹 2 Certificate Management in ServiceNow

• Managed in System Definition → Certificates.

• Allows importing, renewing, and assigning certificates for integrations.

• Certificates can be self-signed or issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA).

🛠️Real-World Examples

1. Healthcare (HIPAA Compliance):

   • Encrypt patient records at the field level (Name, SSN, Medical History).

   • Use Edge Encryption to ensure PHI (Protected Health Information) never leaves the hospital’s data center unencrypted.

2. Financial Sector:

   • TLS certificates enforce secure API integration with banking systems.

   • Column encryption protects sensitive data like credit card numbers.

3. Government Agencies (FedRAMP):

   • Use Mutual TLS with client certificates for API integrations.

   • Apply table-level encryption for classified records.

⚡ Advanced Features

• Key Management:

  • ServiceNow uses Key Management Framework (KMF) to handle encryption keys.

  • Customers can rotate keys for compliance.

• Field Encryption Contexts:

  • Different users can have different encryption keys for the same field.

• Certificate Expiry Alerts:

  • ServiceNow notifies administrators before SSL/TLS or client certificates expire.

• IntegrationHub Security:

  • Certificates and encryption protect cross-platform automation (e.g., Jira, AWS, Teams).

💡Best Practices

• ✅ Always enable HTTPS (TLS 1.2/1.3) for all communication.

• ✅ Use Edge Encryption for sensitive industries (finance, healthcare, government).

• ✅ Encrypt PII (Personally Identifiable Information) fields like SSNs, credit card numbers, addresses.

• ✅ Regularly rotate encryption keys and renew certificates.

• ✅ Use trusted CAs for certificates, not self-signed (unless for testing).

• ✅ Monitor certificate expiration proactively to avoid downtime.

• ❌ Avoid full-table encryption unless strictly required—it impacts performance.

• ❌ Don’t store sensitive credentials in plain text—always use secure storage.

🎬Conclusion

Data Encryption and Certificates in ServiceNow provide the foundation for secure service delivery and compliance:

• Encryption → Protects data at rest, in transit, and at the edge.

• Certificates → Ensure secure communication, authentication, and integrations.

• With advanced features like Edge Encryption, Key Management, and proactive monitoring, ServiceNow enables enterprises to meet strict security and compliance requirements.