Mask IP Address but keep it unique (or almost unique)

Question

Hi group!
Currently, we take on the box IP Address field and assign it to an eVar using processing rules. We have a condition that check an eVar used like flag that make us save the IP into the eVar or not. That help us to enable IP Addresses on reports, depending on business decision for that site.
Now, I have a new requirement. We would like to keep IP Address assigned to an eVar. But we would like to mask it, to not display real IP to reports users, but we would like to keep it as unique for being used to breakdown reports.
I think in something like this. For example, if I have this IP Address 192.168.100.25, I would like to convert it to: ABC.DEF.GHI.JK, or another option: 192.168.ABC.DEF. Is this something we could do using processing rules? Any other way to solve this requirement?
Thanks,

Jennifer_Dungan · Accepted Answer

Sorry, I missed that you were using Processing Rules... I was thinking you were grabbing directly and passing into an eVar.

The thing is... Adobe needs the majority of the IP address to properly populate Country, Region and City...

There are two features built into Adobe: Replace the last octet of IP with 0 and IP Obfuscation feature... the first will take the last digits of the IP and replace them with 0 (allowing Adobe to continue to process the GEO Location information), but hiding the detailed specific value. (The city accuracy might be slightly impacted.). IP Obfuscation will turn the IPs into unrecognizable strings; but it may impact your bot rules... It sounds like maybe the first option is your best bet?

Both settings can be found in the suite's general settings

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/docs/analytics/admin/admin-tools/general-acct-settings-admin.html?lang=en

Jennifer_Dungan · Answer

You could potentially run the IP address through an encryption or cipher.... Some of these require a third party service, but there is a way to do some simple "local" cipher...

Technically they can be decoded, but you are looking for more of a way to keep the data sort of obscured from your business team, as opposed to "super locked down security" I would imagine....

There is code here about using a simple cipher (that doesn't require a third party service) - I think it's the third answer at the time of posting this:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18279141/javascript-string-encryption-and-decryption

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