Column-level (or “cell-level”) encryption was introduced with SQL Server 2005. We can encrypt individual columns that are sensitive in nature.

Row-level security and column masking features in Azure SQL are meant to go beyond protecting data at rest. ... and Transparent Data Encryption is available in SQL Server 2008 edition and higher.

Stronger Security Via Always Encrypted in SQL Server 2016. Prior to SQL Server 2016, currently in CTP, your main method for encrypting a SQL Server application was to use a feature called Transparent ...

The next beta release of SQL Server will add what Microsoft calls native support for encryption, ... Triple DES or AES], but we can support cell-level encryption, ...