Test with realistic data, without exposing your customers

Nebula Data Masking replaces personal and sensitive data in copies of your production databases with realistic values. Your developers, testers and analysts work with data that looks and behaves like the real thing, while the real names, identifiers and account numbers never leave production.

What changes for your teams

  • Data that still works

    Masked values keep their format. Personal identification numbers and IBANs stay valid, with recalculated check digits, so applications and validations behave as they do in production.

  • Consistent across tables

    The same input always becomes the same masked value, so links between tables and systems are preserved.

  • Fast on large tables

    Tables are processed in parallel threads, without staging tables or changes to your schema. Jobs can be paused and resumed where they stopped.

  • Every action on record

    Who defined, started or changed what is kept in an audit log and can be sent to your SIEM in real time.

How it works

From a production copy to a safe test environment

  1. 1Copy of productionData is copied
    • Oracle
    • PostgreSQL
    • Microsoft SQL Server
    • IBM Db2
  2. 2RulesSensitive columns are mapped
    • A masking rule for each column
    • Defined once and reused
  3. 3Nebula Data MaskingValues are replaced in place
    • Parallel jobs
    • Progress and logs live
  4. 4Your teamsThey work with safe data
    • Testing and development
    • Analytics
Nebula masks the data in the target database itself, so no sensitive values pass through another system.
The interface

Everything is set up and run from the browser

The Nebula Data Masking interface with the list of built-in masking algorithms
Rules, environments, jobs, users and the audit log are managed in one web application. Nothing is installed on the users' computers.

Masking methods

Each sensitive column gets a rule, and each rule uses one of eight built-in methods:

  • Character substitution. Letters and digits are replaced with others of the same kind, Latin or Cyrillic, so the value keeps its structure.
  • Personal identification numbers. Bulgarian EGN and personal numbers of foreigners are replaced with structurally valid numbers.
  • IBAN. A valid IBAN with the same country code and a recalculated checksum.
  • Dates. Dates are shifted at random within a range you set, or consistently for dates of birth.
  • Lookup lists. Values are replaced with entries from a list you maintain, such as names or cities.
  • Shuffling. The same characters in a different order.
  • Constants and empty values. A field is cleared or set to a fixed value.

Built for your database team

  • Any table structure. Simple and composite keys are handled, and so are tables without a primary key.
  • Light on the database. Queries use the primary key index, parallel threads do not compete for locks, and connections are released while a job is paused.
  • Your own scripts. SQL scripts can run before and after a job, for example to disable and re-enable triggers.
  • Notification on completion, with a full log for each table.

Security and control

  • Access by role. Six predefined roles, from administrator to audit viewer, are assigned to groups. Users and groups can be synchronised from your Active Directory.
  • Audit trail. Every action is logged and forwarded to your SIEM over Syslog.
  • Runs in your environment. Nebula is delivered as a dedicated appliance inside your network, so your data stays with you.

Nebula Data Masking is developed by IBS Group and complements the data protection policies of your data governance programme.

Talk to us about data masking

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