MS SQL Connection security

[Inf51]

I am developing a website in PHP/MySQL but need it to be able to insert some data into a Microsoft SQL Server running locally on a client's LAN.

 

I've opened up a port on the client's firewall and restricted access to only accept connections from the remote web server and I can successfully get my PHP script running on the web server to connect to the local MS SQL server and insert data.

 

My concern though is that from what I have read the connection from my PHP script running on the web server to the MS SQL server on the LAN is not encrypted and data is sent in the clear and due tot the nature of the data I need it to be secure.

 

My ideas are to setup a local web server and have the remote script post the data via a script on the local web server using https or continue using a direct connection to the MS SQL Server but have PHP encrypt the data before sending it.

 

Has anyone done anything similar to get a website to update a local database or have any recommendations on how to get PHP to encrypt the data or connect to the local database via a local webserver?

 

Thanks.