What is Data Masking?
Data masking (also known as data scrambling or obfuscation) is the process of replacing personal and sensitive data with realistic "dummy" data. The masked data preserves the original structure, format, and relationships, so it behaves like real data, while ensuring individuals cannot be identified.
Why Does it Matter?
Sentinel’s data masking solution enables organisations to safely use data in testing and development environments without exposing personal information. It reduces security and compliance risk, supports GDPR and data protection requirements, and allows realistic User Acceptance Testing (UAT) across multiple systems, without compromising privacy.
Protects personal data and supports GDPR compliance
Enables safe testing across multiple systems
Preserves realistic data structures (names look like names, dates look like dates)
Keeps data fully usable for testing without putting real individuals at risk
Prevents 'leakage' from test systems by removing real contact details that might otherwise be used to send test emails / SMS messages to real people
Benefits
The Sentinel Advantage to Masking
1
Analyse Your Data Needs
We help you to understand which fields should be masked, and which masking rule is appropriate for each field.
2
Apply Consistent Masking
Our masking engine transforms sensitive information in the same way across all your systems, keeping relationships, workflows, and processes intact.
3
Secure Use of Real Data (Where Needed)
If parts of your project require real information, we support you with secure environments and strict controls.
Key Features
GDPR-compliant data masking for all non-production systems
Consistent masking logic applied across multiple databases
Fast processing for repeated data refreshes
Safe default values for sensitive fields (email, phone, etc.)
Preserved structure: dates stay dates, names stay names
Works with any systems, databases, or UAT landscape
Full quality checks and controlled data handling
Built using “data protection by design” principles
Trusted by public sector organisations such as Local Government
Available in 50+ languages