With its use expected to grow, it may be time for database and application vendors to consider a more aggressive push into the area.

Forrester analyst Noel Yuhanna believes data masking will eventually become a standard feature found in database management systems and packaged applications. Currently, the market is small—Yuhanna estimates about $22 million—but is expected to increase in the years ahead on the back of compliance regulations.

“Data privacy is one of the foundational pillars needed to ensure compliance with many emerging compliance standards like PCI, SarBox, Basel II, etc.,” said Al Smith, director of IBM’s Optim Engineering. “By de-identifying personal and sensitive data, significant risks can be mitigated and costs can be saved while providing support for compliance with privacy regulations and corporate governance standards.”

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