Posted on 01/22/2006 10:43:21 PM PST by Loud Mime
This is a PDF document.
"Abstract
There are a number of pitfalls for the person attempting to sanitize a Word document for release. This paper describes the issue, and gives a step-by-step description of how to do it with confidence that inappropriate material will not be released."
Read the rest at the site.
(Excerpt) Read more at fas.org ...
ping
Saving it as Rich Text File and bringing it back up in Word should suffice in most cases.
I don't see what is so wrong. The DoD frequently deals with confidential information, and some of the techniques used to sanitize documents for hardcopy release do not work for electronic release. The document describes how to delete text and reformat pages, and how to export a Word document to PDF so that metadata comments are not carried over. Basically, this is an idiot's guide on how to not do something stupid.
I say leave it in Times New Roman, all the default settings, etc, then just fax a printout of it to CBS. Usually works, and it becomes indistinguishable from a 30 year old typewritten memo.
There's nothing WRONG with these instructions. I'm just miffed at the Barret report's missing so much data.
Instructions like this are vital in business, too. I worked for a large networking hardware company (which shall remain nameless) and I recall spreadsheets developed for customers which had summary graphs. If you clicked on the summary graph, however, you would be led to complex pricing and technical analysis that should have never been let out of the company. This is a serious issue that is a serious conduit for the release of classified information no matter who you work for.
That's certainly the complicated way to accomplish a simple task.
1. Step one - edit and redact document.
2. Step two - print out the redacted document.
3. Step three - scan in redacted document, in PDF if your scanner supports that (if not, use the image type of your choice, and then plug the page sized images into a new document.)
4. If it isn't already in PDF format, convert it and email it. (Note, if you use Open Offie instead of Microsoft Offie, conversion is much simpler.)
All of the metadocument info is gone, and the file you are sending doesn't have text that can be uncovered or graphics that can be enlarged.
See post 8.
industrial strength PING!
Printing a document in Times New Roman and then redacting it with ink does not do a good job of obscuring information. Consider the following:
According to Joseph Quimby we should do something.If the name was adequately whited out before copying, it won't be visible at all. But suppose one has a list of plausible names. Plug them in and check the alignment.
to James Johnson we shouldOnly the last line exactly matches the letter width of the mystery text (Mark Johanson comes very close). While I understand that proportional spacing does offer some legibility and space advantages over Courier, it would have been better for security to design a font with a fairly small number of letter widths (like the ones used on IBM Executive typewriters). This would still offer the improved legibility but much lower "resolution" on letter spacing.
to Joseph Quimby we should
to Robert Baldwin we should
to Mark Johanson we should
to Joseph Quimby we should
to Joseph Quimby we should
If the reader has a list of names that are likely candidates, this would be an issue.
I'm learning a lot from these comments. Luckily, I don't have to redact material in my work. The photos I take or what I write is good for everybody.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.