Masking data with the Optim data privacy application

The IBM® InfoSphere® Optim™ data privacy application allows you to mask data in CSV and XML files using a graphical user interface or a command-line interface.

After the application is installed, you can mask sensitive data using

A command-line interface (CLI) that uses user-defined configuration files to identify the data to be masked, or

A graphical user interface (GUI) that includes selection menus and other tools to specify the appropriate parameters for each masking job. When the GUI is used to create a data privacy or masking service, the application automatically creates an appropriate configuration file for that data privacy service.

You can mask data in CSV and XML files with the GUI and the CLI. You also can mask CSV data in Hadoop from a command-line interface in Red Hat Linux®.

Note: Before you mask CSV data in Hadoop, read the information in Prerequisites and restrictions for masking in Hadoop, and then do the steps described in Masking in Hadoop.

The data masking capabilities of the application are enabled through a set of callable functions called Optim Data Privacy Providers (ODPP). The capabilities included in ODPP are easily applied to other IBM products, third-party products, and client-created programs. This flexibility allows clients to standardize their data privacy policies across their enterprise. This, in turn, allows users to run end-to-end regression testing, while remaining aligned with company policies and government regulations concerning data privacy.