Data Mask Studio vs PostgreSQL Anonymizer

Data Mask Studio is a free Windows desktop application for masking sensitive data in CSV files and local HTML content. Users can choose columns to preserve, mask, or exclude; normalize, rename, or compose columns; and reuse profiles for batch work. CSV files can be processed individually or in batches, with selective restoration available later. Its deterministic tokens can keep repeated values consistent across records and files. The app can also restore known codes in local HTML files and dashboards while preserving their markup. Original values and mappings remain in an encrypted local vault, which is needed for restoration. The maker says tokens use HMAC-SHA256, vault data uses AES-256-GCM, and Windows DPAPI protects local keys. Processing stays local, without telemetry or automatic synchronization. Additional tools include password-protected portable backups, vault integrity audits, diagnostics, temporary-file cleanup, and controlled compaction. Large files use bounded-memory streaming. Releases offer a per-user Windows installer and portable ZIP. The app is licensed under GPL-3.0-only. It does not guarantee irreversible anonymization, and its executables are not digitally signed yet, so Windows may show a SmartScreen warning.

PostgreSQL Anonymizer is an extension for masking or replacing personally identifiable and commercially sensitive data in PostgreSQL databases. Masking rules can be written in SQL with PostgreSQL DDL and kept in the database schema. Its documented approaches include anonymous dumps, static and dynamic masking, replica masking, masking views, and data wrappers. Functions can randomize, fake, partially scramble, shuffle, add noise, generalize, or apply custom transformations. A masked role can export anonymized data through pg_dump; masking rules should then be removed from the dump. Identifier detection searches common names in English and French, but may flag non-identifiers or miss identifiers. Installation instructions cover Linux and self-hosted PostgreSQL. The extension can be built from source on macOS, without community support there; Windows use is described through PostgreSQL on WSL2, as there is no native build. Installation requires superuser privileges, so a cloud database provider must offer the extension in its catalog. The plan is free. Commercial support is available separately.