Employers should be wary of sharing documents containing sensitive information without proper redaction. Failing to properly redact information in a document, including a PDF, can lead to the unintentional communication of private information.
Redacting a document involves removing words or phrases that should be kept secret or confidential. When sharing PDFs, be sure to follow the PDF software for proper redaction. Simply putting a block over text to be redacted does not accomplish the intended goal, because a recipient can copy the box, paste it in another document, and the underlying information will appear.
Most PDF software programs have a redaction feature. Adobe Acrobat and Foxit Phantom have tools that allow for the permanent removal of visible text and images from PDF documents.
