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Privacy Masking for PII in Apptrove

This article provides an overview of the privacy masking feature for PII in Apptrove and helps you understand how it works.

Updated today

Overview

Privacy Masking for PII enables configurable front-end masking of sensitive user identifiers (PII) within Apptrove, ensuring enhanced data privacy while maintaining attribution accuracy and fraud detection capabilities.

Once enabled, all sensitive data is masked across the platform UI, logs, reports, and partner communications, without impacting the underlying attribution logic.

Objective

  • Mask sensitive user data (PII) across UI, reports, logs, and exports

  • Prevent exposure of raw PII to clients, partners, and agencies

  • Retain full functionality of attribution and anti-fraud systems

  • Ensure consistency across all integrated partners and agencies

Note:

This feature applies only at the UI and data output level.
Attribution logic and internal data processing remain unchanged.

Scope of Masking

The following identifiers will be masked:

  • IP Address

  • Phone Number

  • Email ID

  • Latitude

  • Longitude

How Masking Works

1. IP Address

All IPs are masked to a standard format:

  • 157.50.107.11 → 1.1.1.1

  • 223.181.125.150 → 1.1.1.1

2. Email ID

Partial masking applied to username and domain:

3. Phone Number

Only first 3 digits and last 2 digits are visible:

  • +91 7654321096 → (+91)765xxxxxx96

  • +1 4158882233 → (+1)415xxxxxx33

4. Latitude & Longitude

Coordinates are partially hidden:

  • 28.613939 / 77.209021 → 28.XXXXXX / 77.XXXXXX

  • 41.902782 / 12.496366 → 41.XXXXXX / 12.XXXXXX

Feature Configuration

Location in Dashboard:

Settings → Development Module → Privacy Masking Toggle

image-20260225-080045.png

Toggle Behavior

  • Disabled by default

  • Once enabled:

    • Applies across all partners and agencies

    • Masks data in:

      • Reports

      • Logs

      • Exports

      • Postbacks

Cooldown Rule (Important)

  • Once enabled, the toggle cannot be disabled for 72 hours (3 days)

If attempted during cooldown, the following error is shown:

“This setting can only be disabled after 3 days from activation. Please try again after the cooldown period ends.”

UI Behavior

1. Reporting Dashboards

  • All PII fields display masked values only

  • Filtering/search works on masked values

  • Geo reporting continues using derived location (country/region)

  • Latitude/Longitude:

    • Stored internally

    • Never shown in raw format

2. Raw Data Logs

  • PII fields show masked values

  • Column names remain unchanged

Anti-Fraud Functionality

IP Matching Logic

  • Full IP is used internally for:

    • Click-to-install matching

    • Fraud detection

  • UI displays only masked IPs

Supported Fraud Checks

  • Click IP = Install IP (exact match)

  • IP mismatch detection

  • Suspicious IP clustering

Export Behavior

Masking applies to all export formats:

  • CSV

  • API

  • Webhooks

  • S3 (upcoming)

Masked Fields in Exports:

  • IP Address

  • Phone Number

  • Email ID

  • Latitude

  • Longitude

Note:

  • Clients will never see raw IP data in dashboards, logs, or exports.

  • No option available to export raw PII.

Attribution Impact

Deterministic Attribution

  • No impact

  • Matching continues internally before masking

SRN Attribution

  • Unaffected for platforms like Meta and Google

  • Does not rely on UI-level PII visibility

Client Controls

  • Privacy Masking is enabled at the App level

  • Once activated, it applies universally across:

    • Reports

    • Fraud dashboards

    • Raw logs

    • Exports

    • Partner postbacks

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