Which data protection technique involves twisting the information in such a way that it remains unintelligible, even if the source code is obtained?

Obfuscation is a data protection technique designed to make information unintelligible without altering its utility for processing. This is particularly important in scenarios where the system’s source code may be exposed. By twisting or rewriting the code, obfuscation masks the original data or algorithms while still allowing the underlying processes to function.

This technique ensures that even if unauthorized entities gain access to the source code or the data itself, they will find it difficult to derive any meaningful insights because the actual workings or data elements are obscured. This type of security measure is generally utilized to protect sensitive information while not significantly disrupting its usability in applications.

In contrast, tokenization replaces sensitive data with unique identifiers called tokens, which can be mapped back to the original data but does not inherently alter the structure of the information itself. Anonymization focuses on removing any personally identifiable information but doesn't ensure the data remains functionally obfuscated. Encryption, while also a strong security measure, transforms data into a format that requires a key for decryption, but the structure of the data can still be discernible without the decryption key. Thus, obfuscation specifically emphasizes a method that makes the data unintelligible, fulfilling the criteria of the question effectively.