What is the purpose of data masking?

Data masking serves the purpose of allowing certain aspects of sensitive data to be visible while protecting other parts of that data. This is particularly important in situations where data needs to be shared for testing, development, or analytical purposes without exposing sensitive information. For instance, in a database containing customer information, the names might be masked, but other non-sensitive fields like the order number could remain visible. This way, the integrity of the data is maintained while minimizing the risk of sensitive information being disclosed.

The other options don't align with the specific purpose of data masking. Making data unreadable is more characteristic of encryption, which prevents any access to data rather than selectively exposing elements. Improving data retrieval speed does not relate to the concept of masking but focuses on performance enhancements in data access. Storing data securely also does not pertain directly to masking, as it typically involves encryption or access control measures rather than the intentional obscuring of parts of the data.