Pseudonymization

Pseudonymization is a technical approach to protecting personal information, involving the substitution of actual identifying information with substitute values or virtual identifiers.

Characteristics

Actual identifying information is retained but replaced with virtual identifiers, enhancing security. For example, real names may be replaced with encrypted codes.

Purpose

Primarily used when there is a need to enhance security while retaining some level of identifiable information. It is commonly applied in fields such as healthcare and research.

See Also

• De-identification
• Anonymization