Method and apparatus for providing a data masking portal

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from an application for retrieval of data;

authenticating an end user associated with the request;

in response to the authentication, generating policy information based on input from the end user;

retrieving policy information corresponding to the application;

determining, by a processor, whether to mask the data based on the request and the authentication; and

in response to the determination, selecting a masking algorithm to apply to the data and outputting mask data using the selected masking algorithm,

wherein the determination whether to mask the data is further based on the policy information.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

classifying the request; and

invoking a service corresponding to the request, wherein the service specifies treatment of the request.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

loading a database driver for connection to a database configured to store the data.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the request is part of a transaction, the method further comprising:

logging the transaction for debugging and tracing.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the application includes either a Structure Query Language (SQL) application, a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), or a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) application.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the masking algorithm is dynamic.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a data masking proxy configured to receive a request from an application for retrieval of data, and to authenticate an end user associated with the request;

a masking configuration wizard configured to generate policy information in response to the authentication, based on input from the end user; and

a policy store configured to provide policy information corresponding to the application,

wherein the data masking proxy is further configured to determine, by a processor, whether to mask the data based on the request and the authentication, and in response to the determination, selecting a masking algorithm to apply to the data and outputting mask data using the selected masking algorithm, and

wherein the determination whether to mask the data is further based on the policy information.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein the data masking proxy is further configured to further classify the request, and to invoke a service corresponding to the request, the service specifying treatment of the request.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:

a database access engine configured to store a plurality of database drivers, wherein the data masking proxy is further configured to load one of the database drivers for connection to a database configured to store the data.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein the request is part of a transaction, the apparatus further comprising:

a report server configured to log the transaction for debugging and tracing.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the application includes either a Structure Query Language (SQL) application, a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), or a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) application.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the masking algorithm is dynamic.

13. A method comprising:

transmitting a request for data to a data masking portal, wherein the portal is configured to authenticate an end user originating the request, and to output, by a processor, mask data using a masking algorithm that is selected based on the request and the authentication; and

receiving the mask data from the portal,

wherein the portal is further configured to obtain policy information in response to a selection by the end user, the selection is made after authentication of the end user, and the determination whether to mask the data is further based on the policy information.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the portal is further configured to classify the request, and to invoke a service corresponding to the request, wherein the service specifies treatment of the request.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the portal is further configured to activities associated with the request for debugging and tracing.

16. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

executing either a Structure Query Language (SQL) application, a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), or a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) application to generate the request.

17. An apparatus comprising:

an application configured to transmit a request for data to a data masking portal, wherein the portal is configured to authenticate an end user originating the request, and to output, by a processor, mask data using a masking algorithm that is selected based on the request and the authentication,

wherein the application is further configured to receive the mask data from the portal, and

wherein the portal is further configured to obtain policy information in response to a selection by the end user, the selection is made after authentication of the end user, and the determination whether to mask the data is further based on the policy information.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17 , wherein the portal is further configured to classify the request, and to invoke a service corresponding to the request, wherein the service specifies treatment of the request.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 17 , wherein the portal is further configured to activities associated with the request for debugging and tracing.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising:

executing either a Structure Query Language (SQL) application, a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), or a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) application to generate the request.