Embodiments are directed to securing data using attribute-based encryption. In an embodiment, a computer system encrypts a portion of data with an attribute-based encryption, including associating the encrypted portion of data with one or more encryption attributes. The computer system sends the encrypted portion of data and the one or more encryption attributes to a data store, which stores the first portion of data along with the one or more encryption attributes. The computer system also defines one or more access controls for the portion of data that include an identity of at least one user permitted to access the portion of data. The attribute-based encryption allows the encrypted portion of data to be provided by the data store upon request by the identified user when the request includes one or more search attributes that are relevant to the one or more encryption attributes.