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https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LANG-1400?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel&focusedCommentId=16524115#comment-16524115
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ASF GitHub Bot commented on LANG-1400:
--------------------------------------
Github user greenman18523 commented on the issue:
https://github.com/apache/commons-lang/pull/335
Hello @stokito
> As I understood you are telling about more safety and do not unmask any
symbol if incoming string is too short while implementation which I proposed
will try to show at least some symbols from start.
For example mask("123456", 4, 4) = "12****" which makes hidden symbols more
guessable.
But, to be honest, if someone uses so short password then it doesn't matter
if it will be shown.
Yes, safety is my main concern. But in cases of arbitrary length data (e.g.
names, addresses, messages), it's harder to say that one approach (the one
implicitly specified in the method) on how many chars are masked or not is the
correct. Also as a programmer I would like to have the flexibility to specify
it, since regulations can differ world-wide.
But since your approach is meaningful in cases of specific-length data, I
guess we can have two method, sharing one implementation.
`public static String mask(final String str, int unmaskedStart, int
unmaskedEnd, final char mask)`
and
`public static String mask(final String str, int unmaskedStart, int
unmaskedEnd, int minMasked, final char mask)`
with one calling the other.
I agree that the methods should be failsafe, otherwise we will need to
place boilerplate code before calling them and I think it should be a
one-liner, since as you say, main usage will be in logs.
Performance wise I think it is ok, and above all better to not rush on this
matter, since it might not be needed.
P.S. I wouldn't use this for passwords, as anything can tip a malicious 3rd
party, even the length. Better to not print anything.
> StringUtils: Add method for masking strings
> -------------------------------------------
>
> Key: LANG-1400
> URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LANG-1400
> Project: Commons Lang
> Issue Type: Improvement
> Components: lang.*
> Reporter: Sergey Ponomarev
> Priority: Minor
>
> It would be great to have a function which allows to mask the original str by
> replacing it's
> characters with the specified character-mask. For eaxmple to mask credit card:
> {code}
> mask("3566002020360505", 4, 4, '*') = "3566********0505"
> {code}
> Thus the number was hidden by asterisks while first and last four digits are
> unmasked and seen.
> Common use case is to hide sensitive information from logs, by using it in
> toString() of classes or in inputs to log calls.
> I think this is "must have" functionality for Commons Lang library because
> from my experience in almost all bit projects what I saw was their home grown
> masking function.
> I think this is very important also because this is required for masking
> credit card numbers by PCI compliance. Also new GDPR rules requires to hide
> personal info as much as possible so masking of First and Last names now is
> required by laws.
> To make the world safer place the utility for masking should be already
> existing in platform to avoid situations when developer think "this is
> better to mask but I don't have enough time now so let's do this latter"
> until leak happens.
> IMHO this should be implemented even in `String` class itself.
> From my experience what I saw was usually few masking usages and styles:
> 1. masking of passwords and names: only first and last symbols are shown,
> mask char is `*`
> 2. masking of credit cards: only first and last 4 or 6 symbols are shown,
> mask char is `*`.
> 3. credit card number shortest masking of last symbols i.e.
> `mask("4242424242424242") == " *4242"` but it's not so often used, I just
> wanted to mention.
> 4. not masking but showing a length just so see that value was passed. This
> can be easily achieved by usual `String.legth()` method.
> There is already some pull request
> [https://github.com/apache/commons-lang/pull/332] but I decided to create the
> ticket because we also need to support masking for ToStringBuilder and I
> would like to propose [PR with my own implementation of mask()
> function|https://github.com/apache/commons-lang/pull/335].
> If you accept my PR then I'll send another one with a new annotation
> @ToStringMasked in accordance to
> [@ToStringExclude|https://commons.apache.org/proper/commons-lang/apidocs/org/apache/commons/lang3/builder/ToStringExclude.html]
> which will mark that fields should be masked. Possible usage I see like:
> {code}
> @ToStringMasked(unmaskedStart = 4, unmaskedEnd = 4)
> String creditCardNumber;
> @ToStringMasked(unmaskedStart = 1, unmaskedEnd = 1)
> String password;
> {code}
>
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