What is it?
The replacement of identifying data with made up values.
Pseudonymisation is also known as coding.
It can be irreversible, where the original values are disposed.
It can be reversible, where the identity database is securely kept and not shared.
When to use it?
When data values need to be uniquely distinguished.
The dataset contains names of persons who obtained their driving licenses. Instead of suppressing the "Person'" attribute, it was replaced with pseudonyms, because the organisation wanted to be able to reverse the pseudonymisation if necessary.
Before anonymisation:
| Person | Pre-Assessment Result | Hours of Lessons Taken |
|---|---|---|
| John Rohit | B | 25 |
| Stella Campbell | D | 26 |
| Ming Siew Lee | A | 30 |
| Poh Boon | B | 32 |
| Siva Vasanth | C | 29 |
| Siti Raudhah | A | 25 |
After anonymisation:
| Person | Pre-Assessment Result | Hours of Lessons Taken |
|---|---|---|
| 4135891 | B | 25 |
| 3229873 | D | 26 |
| 4398642 | A | 30 |
| 783127 | B | 32 |
| 583419 | C | 29 |
| 983429 | A | 25 |
For reversible pseudonymisation, the identity database is securely kept in case there is a future legitimate need to identify individuals.
Identity database:
| Pseudonym | Person |
|---|---|
| 4135891 | John Rohit |
| 3229873 | Stella Campbell |
| 4398642 | Ming Siew Lee |
| 783127 | Poh Boon |
| 583419 | Siva Vasanth |
| 983429 | Siti Raudhah |
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