Data masking is based on the premise that sensitive data can be transformed into less sensitive but still useful data. This is necessary to satisfy application testing use cases that require representative and coherent data, as well as analytics that involve the use of aggregate data for scoring, model building and statistical reporting. The market for data protection, DM included, continues to evolve with technologies designed to redact, anonymize, pseudonymize, or in some way deidentify data in order to protect it against confidentiality or privacy risk.
Security consulting firms are advisory and consulting services (see 'Definition: Cybersecurity' ) related to information and IT security design, evaluation and recommendations. These services are procured by various stakeholders in an organization, including boards of directors, CEOs, chief risk officers (CROs), chief information security officers (CISOs), chief information officers (CIOs), and other business and IT leaders for the purpose of obtaining and ensuring acceptable risk levels for a specific client organization.