Microsoft SQL Server Dynamic Data Masking
Limit sensitive data exposure by masking it to non-privileged users.
Overview
Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) is a security feature integrated into Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and Azure Synapse Analytics. It works by obscuring sensitive data in the result sets of queries, without changing the data in the database itself. This allows organizations to limit the exposure of sensitive information to specific users, such as application developers or support staff, who may need to query production databases but should not see all the data.
✨ Key Features
- Real-time, on-the-fly data masking
- Policy-based masking at the column level
- Multiple masking functions (default, email, random, custom string)
- No changes required to application code
- Natively integrated with SQL Server and Azure SQL
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Completely integrated into the database engine, offering high performance.
- Simple to configure using standard T-SQL commands.
- Included with the product at no additional licensing cost.
Unique Value: Provides a simple, performant, and cost-effective way to implement real-time data masking for applications built on SQL Server and Azure SQL.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- Masking credit card numbers or social security numbers for customer service representatives querying a live database.
- Hiding salary information from developers who need to troubleshoot application issues against a production database.
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Static data masking for creating secure, shareable copies of databases for testing (as DDM only works on live queries).
- Masking data in non-Microsoft database platforms.
🏆 Alternatives
While less feature-rich than third-party dynamic masking tools, its native integration means there is no performance overhead or additional software to manage.
💻 Platforms
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Email Support
- ✓ Phone Support
- ✓ Dedicated Support (Azure Support Plans tier)
🔒 Compliance & Security
💰 Pricing
✓ 14-day free trial
Free tier: Included with SQL Server (2016 and later) and Azure SQL Database.
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