How To Anonymize mySQL Data

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 21:28:55 +0000

Do you need to replicate your production mysql database into a test environment? Well, I did. But, I needed ensure the production data didn’t contain real data since it contained names, addresses, social security numbers and PHI. I needed to make this data to some offshore developers in the Philippines.

I searched for ‘mysql data anonymizer’, ‘mysql data sanitizer’, ‘anoymous mysql data’, ‘mysql data masking’, but didn’t find anything. Even tried posting on stackoverflow: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5058611/mysql-data-masking

I didn’t find an off-the-shelf product to buy, so here’s how I accomplished it using Microsoft SQL Server 2005. So, these instructions assume you have a Windows machine running SQL Server 2005. I ran Windows XP in Parallels from my Mac.

1) Download the ‘Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA)’ from Microsoft.

2) Convert the mySQL database in question to SQL Server 2005

3) Anonymize the data using ‘MSSQL.DataMask’ http://www.wintestgear.com/products/MSSQLDataMask/MSSQLDataMask.html

4) Convert the SQL Server database back to mySQL (http://www.convert-in.com/mss2sql.htm)

I know, a bit hackish. But, I couldn’t find an existing program to anonymize mysql data. I tried searching for mysql data sanitize as well.

If you have a better option, please let me know.

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How To Anonymize mySQL Data

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