diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/mask_url.yml b/changelogs/fragments/mask_url.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7c3564984d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/mask_url.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+ - mask_url function in module_utils to allow for masking of auth data embedded in urls.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/urls.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/urls.py
index bc9cebd9ad9..2f0e58426eb 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/urls.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/urls.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import traceback
 import types  # pylint: disable=unused-import
 import urllib.error
 import urllib.request
+
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from functools import partial
 from http import cookiejar
@@ -314,6 +315,24 @@ class ParseResultDottedDict(dict):
         return [self.get(k, None) for k in ('scheme', 'netloc', 'path', 'params', 'query', 'fragment')]
 
 
+def mask_url(url: str) -> str:
+    """
+    Safely display a url by masking confidential data
+    from a string or the result from urlparse/split
+    """
+    if (parsed_url := urlparse(url)) and not parsed_url.username:
+        return url
+
+    netloc: str
+    mask = '****'
+    if parsed_url.password:
+        netloc = parsed_url.netloc.replace(f'{parsed_url.username}:{parsed_url.password}@', f'{mask}:{mask}@')
+    else:
+        netloc = parsed_url.netloc.replace(f'{parsed_url.username}@', f'{mask}@')
+
+    return urlunparse(parsed_url._replace(netloc=netloc))
+
+
 def generic_urlparse(parts):
     """
     Returns a dictionary of url parts as parsed by urlparse,
diff --git a/test/units/module_utils/urls/test_mask_url.py b/test/units/module_utils/urls/test_mask_url.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2a388d87f5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/module_utils/urls/test_mask_url.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# (c) 2026 The Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+
+from ansible.module_utils.urls import mask_url
+
+
+# for test data use 'secret' as part of any parameter that requires masking, avoid elsewhere
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'url, wanted',
+    (
+        ('http://nothingtoseehere.com', ('nothingtoseehere.com', 'http')),
+        ('http://nothingtoseehere.com:80/stuff.asp?he=no', ('http://nothingtoseehere.com:80/stuff.asp?he=no',)),
+        ('http://nothingtoseehere.com:80?password=intheclear&user=wrongbutweignore', ('wrongbut', 'intheclear', 'password')),
+        ('https://secretuser@hideme.com/index.html', ('hideme.com', 'index.html', '*')),
+        ('https://secretuser@hideme.com/index.html?token=nothidden&user=alsonothidden', ('token', 'nothidden', 'alsonothidden', 'user')),
+        ('https://secretuser:secretpass@hideme.com/randomfile.html', ('randomfile.html')),
+        ('https://secretuser:secretpass@hideme.com:443/protected.html', ('protected.html', '443')),
+        ('ftp://secretuser:secretpass@files.insecure/subdir/intheclear.txt', ('subdir', 'intheclear.txt', 'ftp', 'files.insecure')),
+        ('sftp://secretuser:secretpass@files.secure/subdir2/encrypted', ('encrypted', 'sftp')),
+        ('ftps://secretuser:secretpass@file.secure/yolo.asc', ('yolo.asc', 'file.secure')),
+        ('ftps://file.server/yolo.asc', ('yolo.asc')),
+        ('ftps://secretuser:secretsecret@file.server/yolo.asc', ('file.server/yolo.asc')),
+    )
+)
+def test_mask_url(url, wanted):
+
+    masked = mask_url(url)
+    assert 'secret' not in masked
+
+    for notmasked in wanted:
+        assert notmasked in masked