Question 3

Masking is the appropriate technique to protect the privacy of the customer.

Masking allows a customer service representative to verify a customer's private information without exposing the complete data. This technique ensures that sensitive information remains confidential while still enabling necessary verification.

A) Hashing

Hashing is a one-way function that transforms data into a fixed-size string of characters, which is typically not reversible. While it is useful for storing passwords securely, it does not allow for verification of original data in a way that a customer service representative could utilize without access to the original data.

B) Tokenization

Tokenization replaces sensitive data with unique identification symbols or tokens that retain essential information without compromising security. Although it provides a level of security, it may not be the best choice for situations where partial visibility of the original data is necessary for verification.

C) Masking

Masking is the correct option as it involves obscuring specific data within a database to protect it while allowing users to access the non-sensitive parts. This technique is ideal for customer service environments where representatives can verify essential information without being exposed to the full dataset.

D) Encryption

Encryption secures data by converting it into a coded format that can only be read with the appropriate decryption key. While effective for protecting data at rest or in transit, it does not facilitate the selective visibility of information required for customer verification in this context.

Conclusion

Masking is definitively the right choice because it allows necessary verification of customer information while safeguarding privacy. Other options either do not provide the required partial access or focus on data security rather than facilitating practical, safe interactions for customer service purposes.