Anonymously Processed Information Creation Software V2.0NTT Social Informatics Laboratories

"Anonymously processed information" was defined as a new framework that promotes the use of personal data while protecting privacy, in The Act on the Protection of Personal Information revised in May 2017. Anonymously processed information creation software enables the creation of optimized anonymously processed information. It provides efficient anonymization processes required in a creation standard for anonymously processed information and evaluation functions for anonymously processed information in terms of both safety and utility. In March 2019, NTT developed a newer version of the system that equips expandable functions such as advanced processing techniques and original techniques, a processing report output function, and a system linkage function. As a result, this software enables all creation processes without operation interaction, from the input of personal data to the output of anonymously processed information linking with the existing other systems.

The anonymously processed information is a kind of personal data that has been processed from personal information so that it would be impossible to identify individuals and restore original personal information from it. This information can be used for other purposes and provided to third parties without the consent of individuals under regulations. However when data holders create anonymously processed information, there is a tradeoff between anonymity and utility. Processing data to be more secure and anonymous in compliance with laws, it would lose details and trends of the original data and be less useful for data users. Rich functions with advanced technology for processing and evaluation, an environment for trial and error, and skillful knowledge are required to satisfy the needs of both data holders and data users.

• Rich functions based on the latest R&D technology and knowledge (processing and evaluation)
• A useful user interface that enables efficient trial and error between processing and evaluation
• The system linkage feature that allows automatic process without human intervention, from the import of personal information to the export of anonymously processed information
• Extendable processing and evaluation functions according to data characteristics and purpose of use

• Data holders can do a business that creates anonymously processed information and provides it to third parties.
• Others can provide solutions that support the creation of anonymously processed information to data holders (customers).
• Data holders can process and use personal data to protect privacy as security control action. (Another application not to create anonymously processed information)

This software equips NTT's original anonymization function (Pk-Anonymization)^*1 that enables anonymization by minimum randomization, in addition to the existing anonymization methods, including all described in the Guidelines on the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (Anonymously Processed Information^*2). By applying these various techniques in combination and through repeated trial and error of processing and evaluation, we support the creation of anonymously processed information suits with the purposes of both data holders and data users.

1. *1Guidelines on the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (Anonymously Processed Information)
   Guidelines on the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (Anonymously Processed Information) (November 2016 (partially revised March 2017), Personal Information Protection Committee)
2. *2Pk-Anonymization
   An anonymization method that randomizes information in a record so that a person's record in a table can be identified at most a 1/k probability, offering an equivalent level of security with k-anonymity. NTT Laboratories holds the patent of this method.

NTT Secure Platform Laboratories - Data Security Project