Q: What is pseudonymization?

It’s when digitally stored data (information entered via a computer, mobile device, laptop, etc…) is encrypted in such a way where it makes it impossible for unauthorized people to trace it back to an individual.

The 5 key methods used to achieve pseudonymization are:

♒ Encryption (involving the rendering of the original data as unreadable and which cannot be rendered readable without an encryption key)

♒ Tokenization (involving the substitution of sensitive data elements with a non-sensitive elements, that hold no extrinsic or exploitable meaning or value)

♒ Blurring (involving obfuscation just like media outlets rendering the faces of anonymous sources unrecognizable)

♒ Masking (involving the masking of data where it still permits you to identify the data “example a credit card: XXXX XXXX XXXX 1964” without identifying the individual )

♒ Scrambling (involving a combination or obfuscation of alpha/numeric characters)

question sent in by Vincent.X from Sweden