Delete Metadata on Redacted Documents To Avoid a Data Breach

Did you delete metadata on redacted documents the last time you sent them?

If not, it’s easy to see the original information if you know where to look and then you might as well not have redacted them at all! This doesn’t just apply to ‘Top Secret’ documents anymore, it also poses a problem under GDPR.

For example, it’s easier to redact personally identifiable information (PII) you don’t want to share when sending a document to third parties or externally. Rather than getting consent from each user or changing your document (or database) altogether.

But.

Some people have been making mistakes. The ICO reported that in Q4, failure to redact data was one of the most common types of data security incidents. So, ultimately, if you don’t delete the metadata on redacted documents it can lead to a data breach! To remove the risk, it’s best to remove the metadata. Here’s how it’s done:

Delete Metadata on Redacted Documents in Word

1. Select and open the Word document you want to remove the data from.

1. Click on the “File” tab and select “Info” from the menu.

1. Choose “Check for Issues” and select all the data you want to check the document for:
  - - Comments, revisions, and versions
  - - Properties and personal information
  - - Headers, footers, watermarks
  - - Hidden text
  - - Document server properties
  - - Custom XML data
  - Ink

1. Click “Inspect” and review the results.

Choose “Remove all” to strip the document of metadata.

Delete Metadata on Redacted Documents in Excel

1. Select and open the Excel workbook you want to remove metadata from.

1. Select “File” > “Info” and under “Check for Issues” choose “Inspect document.”

1. Select the data you want to check:
  - - Comments and annotations
  - - Properties and Personal Information
  - - Hidden rows and columns
  - - Hidden worksheets and names
  - - Custom XML data
  - - Invisible content
  - - External links and embedded files
  - - Macros
  - Cached data

1. Choose “Inspect” and review the results.

Select “Remove all” on each type of information you want to remove.

NOTE: If an Excel workbook was saved as a shared file, some information can’t be removed. This includes document properties, personal information, comments, annotations, headers, and footers. To remove these, you first have to unshare the workbook. Should you remove hidden rows and columns with data, this can affect calculations and formulas.

Delete Metadata For PDFs

Unfortunately, in the free version of Adobe, access to metadata is limited. So whilst you can view the properties, you can’t edit or remove them. To remove you’ll need a subscription to Adobe Acrobat XI or a specialist tool. But, here’s how to do it with an Adobe Acrobat XI license.

1. In Adobe Acrobat XI, locate the Tools panel in the top right corner.

1. Open the “Protection” tab and locate the “Hidden information” heading.

1. Select “Sanitize document” and click “OK.”

1. To choose what to delete, select the “Remove Hidden Information” option.

Name your file and click “Save.”

Delete Metadata on Redacted Documents in PowerPoint

1. Select and open the Powerpoint presentation you want free from metadata.

1. Under the “File” tab, go to “Info” > “Check for Issues” > “Inspect document”

1. Select the data you want to check:
  - - Comments
  - - Properties and personal information
  - - Revision data
  - - Custom XML data
  - - Off slide and invisible content
  - Macros

1. Click “Inspect” and wait for the results.

Click on “Remove all” on all the information you want gone.

Delete Photo Metadata

Okay, this one might be a bit of a stretch as far as GDPR is concerned, but we figured we might as well show you how to do this as well whilst we were here! Also note that you can access photo metadata if you’re adding it to a document, so you’ll need to remove it before adding to a redacted document.

1. Right-click the image file and go to “Properties.”

1. Go to the “Details” tab.

1. Select “Remove properties and personal information.”

Select which data you want to remove.

Although it might seem like a faff! Incorrectly or failing to redact documents properly will lead to data breaches. Particularly when sending files publicly! so, delete metadata on redacted files and you should reduce your risk significantly.