diff --git a/commands/test/test-command.ts b/commands/test/test-command.ts
index 998b9c1..7337e69 100644
--- a/commands/test/test-command.ts
+++ b/commands/test/test-command.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { ActionRowBuilder, ButtonBuilder, ButtonStyle, EmbedBuilder, SlashCommandBuilder, Guild, Role, User, TextChannel } from 'discord.js';
 import { client, db } from '../../common';
+import { encrypt, decrypt } from '../../encryptionUtils';
 import cron from 'cron';
 import 'dotenv/config'
 
@@ -170,7 +171,12 @@ export const sendQuestion = async (interaction: any) => {
     const userContext = await db.db('contrabot').collection("users").findOne({ userId: interaction.user.id });
 
     let currentQuestionIndex = userContext?.currentQuestionIndex || 0;
-    let userResponses = userContext?.userVector || [];
+    let userResponses;
+    if (Array.isArray(userContext?.userVector)) {
+        userResponses = userContext?.userVector || [];
+    } else {
+        userResponses = userContext?.userVector ? JSON.parse(decrypt(userContext.userVector)) : [];
+    }
     var currentQuestionDisplay = currentQuestionIndex + 1
 
     if (currentQuestionIndex === 0) {
@@ -203,7 +209,7 @@ export const sendQuestion = async (interaction: any) => {
             components: [builder]
         });
 
-
+        const encryptedUserVector = encrypt(JSON.stringify(userResponses));
         // Update context for this user in the database
         await db.db('contrabot').collection("users").updateOne(
             { userId: interaction.user.id },
@@ -213,7 +219,7 @@ export const sendQuestion = async (interaction: any) => {
                     username: interaction.user.username,
 
                     currentQuestionIndex: currentQuestionIndex + 1,
-                    userVector: userResponses,
+                    userVector: encryptedUserVector,
                     feedbackRequestSent: false,
                     currentFeedbackQuestionIndex: 0,
                     invited: interaction.user.invited,
@@ -366,21 +372,41 @@ async function findMatchingUser(userId: string, userResponses: number[], guild:
                 continue;
             }
 
-            if (!Array.isArray(user.userVector) || user.userVector.length === 0) {
-                console.log(`Skipped: Missing or invalid userVector for userId ${user.userId}`);
+            let decryptedUserVector: number[]; // Explicit type declaration
+            if (typeof user.userVector === 'string') { // Check if it's a string
+                try {
+                    decryptedUserVector = JSON.parse(decrypt(user.userVector));
+                } catch (error) {
+                    console.error(`Failed to decrypt userVector for userId ${user.userId}:`, error);
+                    continue;
+                }
+            } else {
+                console.warn(`Skipped: userVector for userId ${user.userId} is not a string`);
+                continue;
+            }
+
+
+            if (!Array.isArray(decryptedUserVector) || decryptedUserVector.length === 0) {
+                console.log(`Skipped: Missing or invalid decrypted userVector for userId ${user.userId}`);
                 continue;
             }
 
             const differenceScore = userResponses.reduce((acc, value, index) => {
-                return acc + value * user.userVector[index];
+                return acc + value * decryptedUserVector[index];
             }, 0);
 
             if (differenceScore < lowestDifferenceScore) {
                 lowestDifferenceScore = differenceScore;
-                mostOppositeUser = { userId: user.userId, username: user.username, userVector: user.userVector, GuildMember: null };
+                mostOppositeUser = {
+                    userId: user.userId,
+                    username: user.username,
+                    userVector: decryptedUserVector,
+                    GuildMember: null
+                };
             }
         }
 
+
         if (mostOppositeUser) {
             const isMember = await guild.members.fetch(mostOppositeUser.userId).then(() => true).catch(() => false);
             if (!isMember) {
diff --git a/encryptionUtils.ts b/encryptionUtils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef301cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/encryptionUtils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import crypto from 'crypto';
+import 'dotenv/config';
+
+const IV_LENGTH = 16; // AES block size
+const ENCRYPTION_KEY = process.env.ENCRYPTION_KEY; // Must be 256 bits (32 characters)
+
+if (!ENCRYPTION_KEY) {
+    throw new Error("Missing ENCRYPTION_KEY in .env file.");
+}
+
+export const encrypt = (text: string): string => {
+    let iv = crypto.randomBytes(IV_LENGTH);
+    let cipher = crypto.createCipheriv('aes-256-cbc', Buffer.from(ENCRYPTION_KEY), iv);
+    let encrypted = cipher.update(text);
+
+    encrypted = Buffer.concat([encrypted, cipher.final()]);
+
+    return iv.toString('hex') + ':' + encrypted.toString('hex');
+}
+
+export const decrypt = (text: string): string => {
+    let textParts = text.split(':');
+    let iv = Buffer.from(textParts.shift()!, 'hex');
+    let encryptedText = Buffer.from(textParts.join(':'), 'hex');
+    let decipher = crypto.createDecipheriv('aes-256-cbc', Buffer.from(ENCRYPTION_KEY), iv);
+    let decrypted = decipher.update(encryptedText);
+
+    decrypted = Buffer.concat([decrypted, decipher.final()]);
+
+    return decrypted.toString();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/index.ts b/index.ts
index 9193a5e..9b14bbf 100644
--- a/index.ts
+++ b/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import 'dotenv/config'
 import { Events } from 'discord.js';
-import { sendQuestion, sendTestButton } from './commands/test/test-command';
+import { sendQuestion } from './commands/test/test-command';
+import { encrypt, decrypt } from './encryptionUtils';
 import { sendSurveyQuestions, Feedbackquestions } from './startSurvey';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path'
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ client.on(Events.InteractionCreate, async (interaction) => {
             // Fetch user's context from the database
             const userContext = await db.db('contrabot').collection("users").findOne({ userId: interaction.user.id });
 
-            const userResponses = userContext?.userVector || [];
+            const userResponses = userContext?.userVector ? JSON.parse(decrypt(userContext.userVector)) : [];
 
             // Update the userResponses based on button clicked
             if (buttonId === 'agree') userResponses.push(1);
@@ -99,11 +100,12 @@ client.on(Events.InteractionCreate, async (interaction) => {
             else if (buttonId === 'neutral') userResponses.push(0);
 
             // Update the userResponses for this user in the database
+            const encryptedUserVector = encrypt(JSON.stringify(userResponses));
             await db.db('contrabot').collection("users").updateOne(
                 { userId: interaction.user.id },
                 {
                     $set: {
-                        userVector: userResponses
+                        userVector: encryptedUserVector
                     }
                 }
             );