Redact
Completely remove PII from the document, replacing it with a placeholder like [REDACTED].
Contact John Smith at john.smith@company.com
Contact [REDACTED] at [REDACTED]
Mask
Partially obscure PII while keeping some characters visible for reference.
Contact John Smith at john.smith@company.com
Contact J*** S**** at j***.s****@c******.com
Replace
Substitute detected PII with realistic fake data that maintains document readability.
Contact John Smith at john.smith@company.com
Contact Jane Doe at jane.doe@example.com
Hash (SHA-256)
One-way cryptographic hash that allows for consistent pseudonymization across documents.
Contact John Smith at john.smith@company.com
Contact a1b2c3d4 at e5f6g7h8
Encrypt (AES-256-GCM)
Reversible encryption that allows authorized users to recover original data with the correct key.
Contact John Smith at john.smith@company.com
Contact [ENC:xyz123] at [ENC:abc456]
Method Comparison
| Method | Reversible | Readable | Linkable | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redact | No | Partial | No | Legal, Public Records |
| Mask | Partial | Partial | No | Support, UI Display |
| Replace | No | Yes | No | Testing, Demos |
| Hash (SHA-256) | No | No | Yes | Research, Analytics |
| Encrypt (AES-256-GCM) | Yes | No | No | Temporary, Audit |