Public Preview of Column-Level Security for Masking Sensitive Data

Data Masking in Customer Interactions: Key Points

• Overview: Data masking (also known as de-identification or obfuscation) protects sensitive information by replacing it with masked strings. This ensures that only authorized users can view the original data, while unauthorized users see the masked version.

• Purpose: Helps prevent exposure of sensitive information such as credit card numbers and social security numbers during customer interactions.

• Preview Feature:

  • This is a preview feature, meaning it is available for early access and feedback but isn't intended for production use.
  • May have restricted functionality compared to the final release.

• How Masking Works:

  • Masking Rules: Define how data should be masked using regular expressions to identify patterns like credit card numbers or email addresses.
  • Rules Setup:
    • Create a solution in Power Apps.
    • Add components and select "Secured masking rule" from the Security menu.
    • Define a rule with a Name, Display Name, Description, Regular Expression, and Masked Character.
    • Test the rule with sample data.

• Creating Masking Rules:

  • Start with predefined rules or create custom ones.
  • Example Regular Expression for social security numbers: \d(?=\d{2}-\d{2}-\d{4}|\d-\d{2}-\d{4}|-\d{2}-\d{4}|\d-\d{4}|-\d{4})
  • Enter the masked character (e.g., #) and test with sample data.

• Managing Masking Rules:

  • View and manage masking rules in the Power Apps portal.
  • Add masking rules to secured columns and adjust security profiles for column access.

• Permissions:

  • Read: Allows users to see masked values; unmasked values require specific permissions.
  • Read Unmasked: Enables viewing unmasked values, either for individual records or multiple records.
  • Update and Create: Permissions can be set to allow users to update or create records.

• Viewing Masked Fields:

  • Masked values are shown in grids, forms, and Excel reports.
  • Copilot and search functionalities might display masked values or occasionally unmasked values.

• Known Limitations:

  • Search: Secured columns might return unmasked results during searches.
  • Copilot: May occasionally return unmasked values.
  • Forms: Current forms display masked values; future updates may include options to view unmasked values with proper permissions.

• Links:

• For detailed configuration and examples, refer to Microsoft Documentation.

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