What role does data masking play in secure test data management?

Data masking plays a crucial role in secure test data management by protecting sensitive information. It involves replacing or scrambling real data with fictional but structurally similar data, ensuring that sensitive information is not exposed during testing. This is essential for compliance with data protection regulations and safeguarding confidential information. By implementing data masking, organizations can create realistic test scenarios while mitigating the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive information during the testing process.