[hn_throwaway_99]

For indexing/searching on encrypted fields we use a blind index (lots of good resources if you search for that term).

On the other hand, sorting on encrypted fields has proven to be a difficult challenge. There are some possible approaches but they lower the security of your encryption.

[GauntletWizard]

Blind indexes are useless when working with limited address spaces like Social Security Numbers, and even US Addresses[1]. It would take under an hour to reverse these on my current home PC.

Your advice isn't simply security theater - It's wrong and dangerous. It leads to companies treating this data, which is still sensitive, as nonsensitive and storing it insecurely, particularly when data teams export it to third-party tools.

[1] https://www.transportation.gov/gis/national-address-database

[hn_throwaway_99]

> It would take under an hour to reverse these on my current home PC.

The indexes are created with a secure salt. They're only crackable if you know the salt.