Configurable data masking for software testing

• US 7,917,770 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infosys Technologies Limited (Infosys Limited)
• Original Assignee: Infosys Technologies Limited (Infosys Limited)
• Inventors: Sastry, Kolluru Venkata Surya Narayana, Kizhakkel, Sujith, Sethumadhavan, Rajiv, Gopinath, Ashok
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US11/869,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26- 30, 713/176, 713/189, 713193-194, 380/54, 380205-209
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management

Abstract

A data masking tool can support a wide variety of data sources and execution mechanisms. For example, any of a wide variety of data masking techniques can be achieved via a web interface, API, command line, SOA, or the like. Connectivity to mainframe environments can be achieved. Multiple data source types and data to and from different technology platform types can be supported. The tool can support interfacing with a metadata management tool. High quality randomness can be provided by a Mersenne Twister random number generator. The tool can be useful for performing data masking during software testing without having to write data masking code.

Claims

1. A data masking tool encoded on one or more computer readable storage media not consisting of a signal, the data masking tool comprising:

a masking rule engine configured to apply a plurality of masking rules to source data, the masking rules comprising static substitution rules, dataset substitution rules, random substitution rules, shuffling rules, and encryption rules; and

an application programming interface configured to receive a command to perform data masking on the source data as indicated by specified masking configuration data, wherein the application programming interface is configured to receive an indication of the specified masking configuration data;

wherein the masking configuration data comprises an indication of which of the plurality of masking rules are to be applied to the source data; and

wherein the data masking tool is configured to apply the masking rule engine to the source data and generate masked data as indicated by the masking configuration data.

2. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein:

the data masking tool is configured to output masking configuration data as extensible markup language (XML); and

the data masking tool is configured to input masking configuration data as XML.

3. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein:

the data masking tool is configured to connect to a metadata management tool, receive metadata regarding the source data from the metadata management tool, and store the metadata regarding the source data as data masking configuration information.

4. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein:

the data masking tool is configured to be executed from a web-driven user interface, a command line, a service oriented architecture endpoint, and a hosting application.

5. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein:

the data masking tool is configured to accept source data in a flat file format; and

the data masking tool is configured to accept source data in a database format.

6. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein:

the data masking tool is configured to accept source data from a plurality of different technology platform types.

7. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein:

the data masking tool is configured to accept source data in a flat file format;

the data masking tool is configured to determine from the source data in the flat file format, column names of a table represented in the flat file format; and

the data masking tool presents columns for the table represented in the flat file format with the column names in a user interface by which a user can select data masking rules for respective of presented columns.

8. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein the application programming interface is configured to receive a location of a masking configuration file containing the masking configuration data.

9. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein the application programming interface is configured to receive a location of the source data.

10. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein the data masking tool is configured to be invoked by a custom transformation in a host application.

11. The data masking tool of claim 10 wherein the source data resides on a mainframe computer system.

12. The data masking tool of claim 10 wherein the host application serves as a broker between the data masking tool and a mainframe computer system.

13. The data masking tool of claim 10 wherein the host application serves as a broker between the data masking tool and a database.

14. The data masking tool of claim 1 wherein:

the masking rule engine is configured to shuffle records via a Mersenne Twister random number generation technique.

15. A method of masking data, the method comprising:

in a computing environment comprising at least one processing unit and memory, receiving a call to an application programming interface configured to receive a command to perform data masking on source data as indicated by specified masking configuration data, wherein the application programming interface is configured to receive an indication of the specified masking configuration data, and wherein the masking configuration data comprises an indication of which of a plurality of masking rules are to be applied to the source data;

in the computing environment comprising the at least one processing unit and memory, responsive to receiving the call to the application programming interface, reading the specified masking configuration data and applying a masking rule engine to the source data, wherein the masking rule engine is configured to apply a plurality of masking rules to source data, the masking rules comprising static substitution rules, dataset substitution rules, random substitution rules, shuffling rules, and encryption rules; and

in the computing environment comprising the at least one processing unit and memory, outputting masked data via the masking rule engine as indicated by rules in masking configuration data.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media not consisting of a signal and comprising computer-executable instructions causing a computer to perform a method of masking data, the method comprising:

receiving a call to an application programming interface configured to receive a command to perform data masking on source data as indicated by specified masking configuration data, wherein the application programming interface is configured to receive an indication of the specified masking configuration data, and wherein the masking configuration data comprises an indication of which of a plurality of masking rules are to be applied to the source data;

responsive to receiving the call to the application programming interface, reading the specified masking configuration data and applying a masking rule engine to the source data, wherein the masking rule engine is configured to apply a plurality of masking rules to source data, the masking rules comprising static substitution rules, dataset substitution rules, random substitution rules, shuffling rules, and encryption rules; and

outputting masked data via the masking rule engine as indicated by rules in masking configuration data.