Security
How to Safely Redact Sensitive Information in a PDF
Drawing a black box over text isn't enough. Learn how to truly scrub hidden data from your files.
By Maya OrtizAugust 23, 20261 min read
The black box mistake
Many users think they can just draw a black rectangle over a Social Security Number in a PDF editor. The problem? The text still exists underneath the shape. Anyone can drag their cursor over the box, copy the hidden text, and paste it elsewhere.
True redaction
True redaction requires wiping the text from the file's underlying code. When using proper redaction tools, the text characters are permanently deleted and replaced by a visual black box, making recovery impossible.
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