Optimum (fast and tough to break) algorithm for encryption of plaintext in a sql file

public string Encrypt(string Data, string Password)
        {
            byte[] clearBytes = System.Text.Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(Data);


            PasswordDeriveBytes pdb = new PasswordDeriveBytes(Password,


                new byte[] { 0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x1C, 0x1D, 0x1E, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x0F, 0x20, 0x21, 0xAD, 0xAF, 0xA4 });
            MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream();

            Rijndael alg = Rijndael.Create();
            alg.Key = pdb.GetBytes(32);

            alg.IV = pdb.GetBytes(16);
            CryptoStream cs = new CryptoStream(ms, alg.CreateEncryptor(), CryptoStreamMode.Write);

            cs.Write(clearBytes, 0, clearBytes.Length);
            cs.Close();
            byte[] encryptedData = ms.ToArray();
            return Convert.ToBase64String(encryptedData);


        }

        public string Decrypt(string Data, string Password)
        {
            byte[] clearBytes = Convert.FromBase64String(Data);


            PasswordDeriveBytes pdb = new PasswordDeriveBytes(Password,


                new byte[] { 0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x1C, 0x1D, 0x1E, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x0F, 0x20, 0x21, 0xAD, 0xAF, 0xA4 });
            MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream();

            Rijndael alg = Rijndael.Create();
            alg.Key = pdb.GetBytes(32);

            alg.IV = pdb.GetBytes(16);
            CryptoStream cs = new CryptoStream(ms, alg.CreateDecryptor(), CryptoStreamMode.Write);

            cs.Write(clearBytes, 0, clearBytes.Length);
            cs.Close();
            byte[] decryptedData = ms.ToArray();
            return System.Text.Encoding.Unicode.GetString(decryptedData);


        }

It all depends on what you want to do with your data:

If you only want to check if the value entered is correct (like passwords) then a SHA1 operation would work perfectly and without hassle.

If you want to get the data back, then don't hash it, use any library out there that could offer you the level of encryption that you are looking for.

You should explain that at the beginning in order to get better help.

Good luck...