Chapter 6 – Test Tools
Synthetic Data – ISTQB Definition
Last Updated: July 12, 2026 · SoftwareTestPilot QA Team
Official ISTQB Definition
Test data that has been generated to represent characteristics of real data without exposing personal or sensitive information.
In simple words
Fake but realistic data used in testing so you don't touch real PII.
Exam tip
Synthetic data is the GDPR/CCPA-safe answer to 'we need production-like test data'.
Related terms
- Test Data Preparation ToolSoftware that generates realistic, compliant test data (Faker, Mockaroo, GenRocket).
- Data MaskingTake real data and scramble the sensitive bits (names, SSNs) so the shape is real but the values are fake.
- Test DataThe concrete inputs you feed into a test — users, products, edge-case values.
Practice this term in the ISTQB Mock Test
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