Obfuscation Techniques in Data Security:

Steganography:

• Conceals a message with another to hide its very existence
• Involves altering image or data elements to embed hidden information
• Primary goal is to prevent the suspicion that there’s any hidden data at all
• Used alongside encryption for added security
• Detection is challenging due to hiding data in plain sight

Tokenization:

• Substitutes sensitive data with non-sensitive tokens
• Original data securely stored elsewhere
• Tokens have no intrinsic value
• Reduces exposure of sensitive data during transactions
• Commonly used for payment systems to comply with security standards

Data Masking (Data Obfuscation)

• Disguises original data to protect sensitive information
• Maintains data authenticity and usability
• Used in testing environments, especially for software development
• Reduces the risk of data breaches in non-production settings
• Common in industries handling personal data
• Masks portions of sensitive data for privacy, e.g., credit card digits, social security numbers