What is the Brightspace PII Data Anonymizer?
The Brightspace PII Data Anonymizer (Anonymizer) replaces user PII in the Learning Management System (LMS) using various definitions, such as replacing usernames with newly generated GUIDs and randomly replacing first and last names of users using a dictionary of common names.
Can I request Data Anonymization without a Refresh?
Data Anonymization does not require a refresh; it is typically done with a Refresh.
A maintenance page is required for Anonymizer on the test site but will not have any impact on production; Data Anonymization can take several hours for large clients.
How do I undo the anonymization of a Brightspace Environment?
The non-production environment needs a Test Site Refresh to undo anonymization.
What comes with the Default Data Anonymizer?
The Default Anonymizer affects fundamental user PII and maintains user information for users in Cascading Roles or Tool Roles; Details in Spoiler area.
Basic User Information
→ Both Legal and Preferred First Name and Last Name.
→ Middle Name, Email Address and Username.
User Profile Information
→ We anonymize the entire User Profile for all users.
→ This includes Favorite Memories, Hobbies, Hometown, Nickname, Phone numbers, etc.
Additional User Information
→ EmailSignature, GoogleUrl, FacebookUrl, LinkedInUrl, TwitterUrl and Dropbox Email.
User Contact Information
→ We anonymize the entire Contact Info sheet for all users.
→ Address, Phone Numbers, Websites, Email Address, etc.
User Contacts
→ We anonymize all of the User's Contact lists for all users.
→ Address, Phone Numbers, Websites, Email Address, etc.
User Login Attempts
→ The originating IP Address and Username is anonymized for Login attempts.
All Email
→ We anonymize all email in the LMS for all users including the Cascading and Tool users.
→ This includes To, From, ReplyTo, CC, BCC, Title, Body and Attachments.
Why do Admins, Developers, and other Faculty users still have anonymized elements?
It is not currently possible to truly protect certain roles or users from the anonymizer. The anonymizer anonymizes everything specified in the config for all users regardless of role without exception.
We harvest core user data for the cascading/tool users before the anonymization and then reinsert it into those user records after the anonymization.
We effectively un-anonymize core user elements for users in a Cascading Role or Tool Role. Admin, Developer and Helpdesk Roles are all Cascading Roles, whereas students are never in a Cascading Role.
Tool Roles included in the un-anonymize process is fluid and currently are ‘D2LMonitor', 'CourseCatalog’, 'LTI Advantage User', 'SIS Integration User', and 'SIS Integration'.
We harvest use the following elements to un-anonymize users associated with Tool and Cascading roles.
LegalFirstName, LegalLastName, UserName, ExternalEmail
How did all the student users get back in the LMS the day after the anonymizer?
Test Site User Integrations (SIS/IPSIS/Banner) can either create duplicate or update anonymized users if they are setup to use a strict integration side ownership of users.
It is important that you tune your Test Site User Integrations to not fix broken users if you want an anonymization run.
How do I get additional Tools Anonymized?
There are more than 10,000 points in the LMS where anonymization is possible. It is possible to over-anonymize an LMS to the point where test isn’t a useful environment.
An IC engagement, including an initial commit for multiple refreshes in the same week, to tune the anonymizer configuration to the unique requirements. The anonymizer config will be preserved and can be used on every refresh that you request going forward.