An organization's software developers need access to personally identifiable information (PII) stored in a particular data format. Which of the following is the BEST way to protect this sensitive information while allowing the developers to use it in development and test environments?
Data tokenization is the best way to protect sensitive information while allowing developers to use it in development and test environments. Tokenization involves replacing sensitive information with a non-sensitive placeholder, or token, which can be mapped back to the original data when necessary. This method maintains data integrity and provides a secure way to work with data without exposing the actual sensitive information. Unlike encryption, which requires secure key management and can be complex to implement in test environments, tokenization offers a safer and easier way to handle PII in such scenarios.
Data Encryption involves transforming sensitive data (like PII) into an unreadable format using cryptographic algorithms. Access to the original data is only possible with a decryption key, ensuring that even if the data is intercepted or accessed improperly, it remains protected.
It is C. Data tokenization: Data tokenization involves replacing sensitive data with a token or placeholder value while storing the original data securely elsewhere. This allows developers to work with realistic data without exposing the actual sensitive information. Tokenization maintains data integrity and security while allowing authorized users to use the data in development and test environments. It's a widely adopted method for protecting sensitive information while preserving usability.