diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7d975f83..cad1dd64 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -707,6 +707,7 @@ You can enable the following middleware using the "middlewares" config parameter
 - "customization": Provides handlers for request and response customization
 - "json": Support read/write of JSON strings as JSON objects/arrays
 - "xml": Translates all input and output from JSON to XML
+- "encryption": Encrypts specified columns in a table
 
 The "middlewares" config parameter is a comma separated list of enabled middlewares.
 You can tune the middleware behavior using middleware specific configuration parameters:
@@ -799,6 +800,9 @@ You can tune the middleware behavior using middleware specific configuration par
 - "json.tables": Tables to process JSON strings for ("all")
 - "json.columns": Columns to process JSON strings for ("all")
 - "xml.types": JSON types that should be added to the XML type attribute ("null,array")
+- "encryption.columns": CSV list of columns to encrypt/decrypt, in `table.column` format
+- "encryption.keyVersions": JSON-encoded array of encryption keys.
+- "encryption.activeVersion": Sets the key to be used for encryption. Must be a valid key from the keyVersions JSON-encoded array
 
 If you don't specify these parameters in the configuration, then the default values (between brackets) are used.
 
@@ -1369,6 +1373,16 @@ Outputs:
 
 This functionality is disabled by default and must be enabled using the "middlewares" configuration setting.
 
+### Encryption Middleware
+This middleware can be used to encrypt specific columns from specified tables.  
+Configuration
+`encryption.columns`: A comma-separated list of columns to encrypt, using the format, `tablename.columnname`
+Ex.   `users.firstname,users.lastname,users.ssn`
+
+`encryption.keyVersions`: A json_encoded associative array of encryption keys, where the array key (e.g. "v1", "v2") serves as a version identifier.
+This version identifier is prefixed to each encrypted data to indicate which key to use for decryption.
+
+
 ### File uploads
 
 File uploads are supported through the [FileReader API](https://caniuse.com/#feat=filereader), check out the [example](https://github.com/mevdschee/php-crud-api/blob/master/examples/clients/upload/vanilla.html).
diff --git a/src/Tqdev/PhpCrudApi/Api.php b/src/Tqdev/PhpCrudApi/Api.php
index 0f99d9da..ffc196cc 100644
--- a/src/Tqdev/PhpCrudApi/Api.php
+++ b/src/Tqdev/PhpCrudApi/Api.php
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\CorsMiddleware;
 use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\CustomizationMiddleware;
 use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\DbAuthMiddleware;
+use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\EncryptionMiddleware;
 use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\FirewallMiddleware;
 use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\IpAddressMiddleware;
 use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\JoinLimitsMiddleware;
@@ -135,6 +136,9 @@ public function __construct(Config $config)
                 case 'json':
                     new JsonMiddleware($router, $responder, $config, $middleware);
                     break;
+                case 'encryption':
+                    ew EncryptionMiddleware($router, $responder, $config, $middleware, $reflection, $db);
+                    break;
             }
         }
         foreach ($config->getControllers() as $controller) {
diff --git a/src/Tqdev/PhpCrudApi/Middleware/EncryptionMiddleware.php b/src/Tqdev/PhpCrudApi/Middleware/EncryptionMiddleware.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8431b805
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Tqdev/PhpCrudApi/Middleware/EncryptionMiddleware.php
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware;
+
+use Psr\Http\Message\ResponseInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Message\ServerRequestInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Server\RequestHandlerInterface;
+use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\Base\Middleware;
+use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\RequestUtils;
+use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\ResponseFactory;
+use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Column\ReflectionService;
+use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Config\Config;
+use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Controller\Responder;
+use Tqdev\PhpCrudApi\Middleware\Router\Router;
+
+class EncryptionMiddleware extends Middleware
+{
+    private $reflection;
+    private $keyVersions;
+    private $activeVersion;
+
+    public function __construct(Router $router, Responder $responder, Config $config, string $middleware, ReflectionService $reflection)
+    {
+        parent::__construct($router, $responder, $config, $middleware);
+        $this->reflection = $reflection;
+
+        $keyJson = $this->getProperty('keyVersions', '{}');
+        $this->keyVersions = json_decode($keyJson, true);
+        $this->activeVersion = $this->getProperty('activeVersion', '');
+
+        if (!isset($this->keyVersions[$this->activeVersion])) {
+            throw new \RuntimeException("Active key version '{$this->activeVersion}' is not configured.");
+        }
+
+        foreach ($this->keyVersions as $v => $k) {
+            if (strlen($k) < 32) {
+                throw new \RuntimeException("Key for version '{$v}' must be at least 32 characters.");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private function getColumns(): array
+    {
+        $columns = $this->getProperty('columns', '');
+        return array_filter(array_map('trim', explode(',', $columns)));
+    }
+
+    private function encrypt(string $value): string
+    {
+        $key = $this->keyVersions[$this->activeVersion];
+        $iv = openssl_random_pseudo_bytes(openssl_cipher_iv_length('aes-256-cbc'));
+        $encrypted = openssl_encrypt($value, 'aes-256-cbc', $key, 0, $iv);
+        return $this->activeVersion . '|' . base64_encode($iv . $encrypted);
+    }
+
+    private function decrypt(string $value): string
+    {
+        if (strpos($value, '|') === false) {
+            throw new \RuntimeException('Invalid encrypted format, missing key version prefix');
+        }
+
+        list($version, $encoded) = explode('|', $value, 2);
+        if (!isset($this->keyVersions[$version])) {
+           // throw new \RuntimeException("Unknown encryption key version: $version");
+         //  error_log("WARNING: Key is missing for record ID: $id");
+           return $value;//return encrypted value if no key found
+        }
+        $key = $this->keyVersions[$version];
+
+        $data = base64_decode($encoded);
+        $ivLength = openssl_cipher_iv_length('aes-256-cbc');
+        $iv = substr($data, 0, $ivLength);
+        $encrypted = substr($data, $ivLength);
+
+        return openssl_decrypt($encrypted, 'aes-256-cbc', $key, 0, $iv);
+    }
+
+    private function encryptRecord($record, array $columns)
+    {
+        foreach ($columns as $column) {
+            if (!is_string($column)) continue;
+            $col = strpos($column, '.') !== false ? explode('.', $column)[1] : $column;
+
+            if (is_array($record) && array_key_exists($col, $record) && is_string($record[$col])) {
+                $record[$col] = $this->encrypt($record[$col]);
+            } elseif (is_object($record) && property_exists($record, $col) && is_string($record->$col)) {
+                $record->$col = $this->encrypt($record->$col);
+            }
+        }
+        return $record;
+    }
+
+    private function decryptRecord($record, array $columns)
+    {
+        foreach ($columns as $column) {
+            if (!is_string($column)) continue;
+            $col = strpos($column, '.') !== false ? explode('.', $column)[1] : $column;
+
+            if (is_array($record) && array_key_exists($col, $record) && is_string($record[$col])) {
+                $record[$col] = $this->decrypt($record[$col]);
+            } elseif (is_object($record) && property_exists($record, $col) && is_string($record->$col)) {
+                $record->$col = $this->decrypt($record->$col);
+            }
+        }
+        return $record;
+    }
+
+    public function process(ServerRequestInterface $request, RequestHandlerInterface $next): ResponseInterface
+    {
+        $operation = RequestUtils::getOperation($request);
+        $tableName = RequestUtils::getPathSegment($request, 2);
+        $columns = $this->getColumns();
+
+        $tableColumns = array_filter($columns, fn($col) => strpos($col, $tableName . '.') === 0);
+        if (empty($tableColumns)) {
+            return $next->handle($request);
+        }
+
+        $tableColumns = array_values(array_filter($tableColumns, 'is_string'));
+
+        switch ($operation) {
+            case 'create':
+            case 'update':
+                $body = $request->getParsedBody();
+                if (
+                    (is_array($body) && isset($body['records']) && is_array($body['records'])) ||
+                    (is_object($body) && isset($body->records) && is_array($body->records))
+                ) {
+                    $records = is_array($body) ? $body['records'] : $body->records;
+                    foreach ($records as &$record) {
+                        $record = $this->encryptRecord($record, $tableColumns);
+                    }
+                    if (is_array($body)) {
+                        $body['records'] = $records;
+                    } else {
+                        $body->records = $records;
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    $body = $this->encryptRecord($body, $tableColumns);
+                }
+                $request = $request->withParsedBody($body);
+                break;
+
+            case 'read':
+            case 'list':
+                $response = $next->handle($request);
+                $bodyStr = (string)$response->getBody();
+                $body = json_decode($bodyStr);
+
+                if (isset($body->records) && is_array($body->records)) {
+                    foreach ($body->records as &$record) {
+                        $record = $this->decryptRecord($record, $tableColumns);
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    $body = $this->decryptRecord($body, $tableColumns);
+                }
+                return ResponseFactory::fromObject($response->getStatusCode(), $body, JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE);
+        }
+
+        return $next->handle($request);
+    }
+}