In Salesforce, sensitive data like Social Security Numbers or Tax IDs is often protected using Classic Encryption or Shield Platform Encryption. When a field is encrypted, it appears as masked (e.g., XXXX-XX-1234) to most users, even if they have "Read" access to the Contact object.
To allow a specific subset of users (such as the HR Director or a high-level Compliance Officer) to see the actual, unmasked data, the View Encrypted Data system permission must be utilized.
Step-by-Step Implementation:
Create a Permission Set: The consultant should create a specific Permission Set named "PII Access" or similar.
Enable System Permission: Under the System Permissions section of the Permission Set, the consultant must locate and check the box for View Encrypted Data.
Assign to Users: This Permission Set is then assigned only to the specific users who require access to the sensitive identification numbers.
Security Principle: This follows the "Principle of Least Privilege." Users with this permission can see the data in plain text in reports, list views, and record pages, while all other users see the masked version.
Why other options are incorrect:
View All Data (Option A): This is a very broad and dangerous permission that grants access to almost all data in the org, but even "View All Data" does not automatically unmask encrypted fields unless View Encrypted Data is also present.
Manage Encryption Keys (Option B): This is a highly technical administrative permission for managing the security certificates and keys; it does not grant the ability to view field data.
View All Contacts (Option D): This provides object-level visibility but respects field-level security and masking.
