In the context of user input, what does the 'Text Masking' attribute in the Text Box Tool provide?

The 'Text Masking' attribute in the Text Box Tool serves two significant purposes. First, it allows for the formatting of input values by controlling how the data appears as the user types. This can be particularly important for guiding users to enter data in a specific way, such as requiring a certain number of digits (for phone numbers, for instance) or specific formatting for dates.

Secondly, text masking is crucial for providing security for sensitive data, such as passwords or confidential information. When text is masked, it is visually obscured, meaning that characters are replaced with symbols (like asterisks) when displayed, preventing onlookers from easily reading the sensitive input.

Since the 'Text Masking' attribute encompasses both the formatting of input values and security for sensitive data, the most appropriate choice encompasses both aspects, which justifies the selection of the option that includes both of these features.