How to Black out Text in Electronic Documents
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Jennifer Bell
May 21, 2008, 4:15:04 PM5/21/08
to VisibleGovernment_atoi
In doing some research for this project, I started to wonder if there
was an easy way for governments to redact (censor) documents
electronically -- since this is something they will inevitably want to
do. I came across an article on Slashdot describing how AT&T
accidentally disclosed that it keeps secret rooms for the NSA via
ineffective redaction. Apparently, someone used Word to draw black
lines over text, then published the document with Adobe, not realizing
this doesn't actually remove the text from the document. Yikes!
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/22/138210
If you follow the links, it's a kick to highlight the blacked out text
of the PDF, copy it, and paste it into another document -- sort of
like dipping paper with writing in invisible ink into a lemon juice
bath.
After a few of these incidents, Microsoft came out with a plugin for
Word 2003 that allows redaction:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=028c0fd7-67c2-4b51-8e87-65cc9f30f2ed&displaylang=en
But strangely, Microsoft doesn't guarantee that all associated meta
deta is also removed.
Recognizing this, Adobe also publishes a method for redacting
documents where you draw black lines, then publish the document as a
series of images only (see p 11 of the link below), then re-assemble
the PDF from the images. To me, this seems pretty fool proof:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/Redaction.pdf
Of course, for complete certainty, you can always black out the
documents with marker then scan them.
The problems of censorship...
Jennifer
was an easy way for governments to redact (censor) documents
electronically -- since this is something they will inevitably want to
do. I came across an article on Slashdot describing how AT&T
accidentally disclosed that it keeps secret rooms for the NSA via
ineffective redaction. Apparently, someone used Word to draw black
lines over text, then published the document with Adobe, not realizing
this doesn't actually remove the text from the document. Yikes!
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/22/138210
If you follow the links, it's a kick to highlight the blacked out text
of the PDF, copy it, and paste it into another document -- sort of
like dipping paper with writing in invisible ink into a lemon juice
bath.
After a few of these incidents, Microsoft came out with a plugin for
Word 2003 that allows redaction:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=028c0fd7-67c2-4b51-8e87-65cc9f30f2ed&displaylang=en
But strangely, Microsoft doesn't guarantee that all associated meta
deta is also removed.
Recognizing this, Adobe also publishes a method for redacting
documents where you draw black lines, then publish the document as a
series of images only (see p 11 of the link below), then re-assemble
the PDF from the images. To me, this seems pretty fool proof:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/Redaction.pdf
Of course, for complete certainty, you can always black out the
documents with marker then scan them.
The problems of censorship...
Jennifer
dwight.hines
Jul 16, 2008, 9:21:02 PM7/16/08
to VisibleGovernment_atoi
Redaction used to be a real problem when the information was only
available on paper. But, with modern databases, the use of the "find"
command means it is easy, even trivial to take a copy of the original
database (you don't want anyone to delete the master file), locate the
words or terms that are exempt by law from being public, delete them.
Then copy the database to a disk. Obviously, if someone has poor
skills with databases or wordprocessing documents, they will be a
hazard, but training can take of that. The main thing is to identify
data when they come in and mark them or not even collect those data.
Manual redaction took hours and was a reason for high costs -- labor,
for doing the redactions. E-redactions are much much quicker and
more thorough, and cheaper.
Dwight Hines
On May 21, 4:15 pm, Jennifer Bell <visiblegovernm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> In doing some research for this project, I started to wonder if there
> was an easy way for governments to redact (censor) documents
> electronically -- since this is something they will inevitably want to
> do. I came across an article on Slashdot describing how AT&T
> accidentally disclosed that it keeps secret rooms for the NSA via
> ineffective redaction. Apparently, someone used Word to draw black
> lines over text, then published the document with Adobe, not realizing
> this doesn't actually remove the text from the document. Yikes!
>
> http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/22/138210
>
> If you follow the links, it's a kick to highlight the blacked out text
> of the PDF, copy it, and paste it into another document -- sort of
> like dipping paper with writing in invisible ink into a lemon juice
> bath.
>
> After a few of these incidents, Microsoft came out with a plugin for
> Word 2003 that allows redaction:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=028c0fd7-67c...
available on paper. But, with modern databases, the use of the "find"
command means it is easy, even trivial to take a copy of the original
database (you don't want anyone to delete the master file), locate the
words or terms that are exempt by law from being public, delete them.
Then copy the database to a disk. Obviously, if someone has poor
skills with databases or wordprocessing documents, they will be a
hazard, but training can take of that. The main thing is to identify
data when they come in and mark them or not even collect those data.
Manual redaction took hours and was a reason for high costs -- labor,
for doing the redactions. E-redactions are much much quicker and
more thorough, and cheaper.
Dwight Hines
On May 21, 4:15 pm, Jennifer Bell <visiblegovernm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> In doing some research for this project, I started to wonder if there
> was an easy way for governments to redact (censor) documents
> electronically -- since this is something they will inevitably want to
> do. I came across an article on Slashdot describing how AT&T
> accidentally disclosed that it keeps secret rooms for the NSA via
> ineffective redaction. Apparently, someone used Word to draw black
> lines over text, then published the document with Adobe, not realizing
> this doesn't actually remove the text from the document. Yikes!
>
> http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/22/138210
>
> If you follow the links, it's a kick to highlight the blacked out text
> of the PDF, copy it, and paste it into another document -- sort of
> like dipping paper with writing in invisible ink into a lemon juice
> bath.
>
> After a few of these incidents, Microsoft came out with a plugin for
> Word 2003 that allows redaction:
>
Jennifer Bell
Jul 27, 2008, 3:53:58 PM7/27/08
to VisibleGovernment_atoi
Just to make sure I understand: do the agencies mail you a disk or CD
when you ask for electronic records?
What percentage of your access to information requests are returned on
a disk or CD?
Jennifer
when you ask for electronic records?
What percentage of your access to information requests are returned on
a disk or CD?
Jennifer
Don Kelly
Jul 27, 2008, 5:32:52 PM7/27/08
to visiblegove...@googlegroups.com
I've actually heard of requests that have been delivered as a CD
containing TIF files. The documents were then sent to a fax machine to
accomplish the blacking-out.
containing TIF files. The documents were then sent to a fax machine to
accomplish the blacking-out.
Don/
On Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 3:53 PM, Jennifer Bell
<visibleg...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Just to make sure I understand: do the agencies mail you a disk or CD
> when you ask for electronic records?
>
--
karfai [AT] gmail.com
http://www.strangeware.ca
http://blog.strangeware.ca
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