Some platforms request personal details like phone numbers and ZIP Codes in hashed form. You can add a short string to the beginning of your tokens in Ringba to send the tag values as a SHA-256 hash instead of in plain text.
With the prefix, Ringba prepares and hashes the value at the moment the request is sent. You don't need a separate service between Ringba and the platform to do it.
Instructing Ringba to Hash a Tag Value
You can instruct Ringba to hash a tag value before sending by typing sha256: immediately after the opening bracket of any token. Everything else about the token stays the same.
For example, if your regular token looks like this:
[tag:Geo:ZipCode]
You can instruct Ringba to hash the ZIP Code value by adding sha256: to the beginning like this:
[sha256:tag:Geo:ZipCode]
When Ringba sends the request, it replaces the plain-text tag value with the hash of the value, written as 64 lowercase hexadecimal characters. For example, a ZIP Code of 90210 is sent as:
b83c588da0c6931625f42e0948054a3ade722bfd02c27816305742ed7390ac6cNote: If you use the Token button to add tokens to a URL, you still must manually type sha256: after the opening bracket. The Token button does not add this for you.
How Ringba Prepares Values Before Hashing
Before hashing, Ringba removes spaces, tabs, and line breaks from the start and end of the value and converts it to lowercase. This way, the same email or ZIP Code always produces the same hash.
Ringba doesn't make any other changes: it doesn't remove internal spaces, dashes, or other punctuation.
Hashing Phone Numbers
Most platforms want to receive the caller ID as digits only, including the country code but no plus sign. For these platforms, the best tag to use is InboundNumber:Number-NoPlus. With the prefix, the token looks like this:
[sha256:tag:InboundNumber:Number-NoPlus]
You should not use [tag:InboundNumber:Number] or [Call:InboundPhoneNumber] unless your platform requires a value with a plus sign at the beginning.
The following example shows adding hashed tokens in the Body field of a pixel:
{
"phone": "[sha256:tag:InboundNumber:Number-NoPlus]",
"zip": "[sha256:tag:Geo:ZipCode]"
}When the pixel fires, Ringba replaces the tokens with the hashed tag values:
{
"phone": "d6736136ea896c1bfdc553e0e86e702c70d060d805696ca3e4e9e0961353860a",
"zip": "b83c588da0c6931625f42e0948054a3ade722bfd02c27816305742ed7390ac6c"
}Important: If the body includes a JSON array, write it with double brackets ([[ ]]) in Ringba, because single brackets open a token. See Pixels for more details.
Where You Can Use It
The sha256: prefix works anywhere you can use a token, not only in tracking pixels. In a tracking pixel, you can use it in the URL, the headers, and the request body.
For a list of commonly used tokens, see Most Common Tokens.
Sending Hashed Values FAQ
Does hashing protect my data?
No. The sha256: prefix sends values in the format some platforms require. It isn't a security feature. Ringba still stores and displays the original values in your account. Common values like phone numbers and ZIP Codes can also be matched to their hashes by trying likely values.
Which hash types are supported?
SHA-256 is the only supported hash type.
The platform I'm sending the hashed values to isn't using them correctly. What could be wrong?
Check that the value before hashing is in the format the platform expects. For phone numbers, use Number-NoPlus instead of Number. Ringba only trims the value and converts it to lowercase, so any other formatting the platform requires must already be in the tag's value.
What happens if a tag has no value?
Ringba sends an empty field. It doesn't hash an empty value, so the platform never receives a hash that looks valid but can't match.
How can I check the hashed value that was sent?
On the Call Details report, expand the call and find the Pixel Fire event. It shows the URL as it was sent, with hashed values in place of the tokens. Values in the body and headers aren't shown there.
What should I do if I need help?
If you have any questions or need additional help, please reach out to our support team via chat or email at support@ringba.com.