The PDF redaction problem: TSA may have been using old software

Publication:  Beta News

“The problem with the release of a Transportation Security Administration security screening manual was not, as many news outlets reported yesterday, the fact that it appeared “out there on the Internet.” As US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters this morning, according to the Washington Post, the TSA manual was supposed to have been posted on the Internet — it was part of a cache of documents intentionally posted to a government procurement Web site…”

“… The real problem is that the portions of the PDF document that were supposed to have been redacted — or removed from the file and replaced with blackouts — were not actually removed…”

“…Acrobat Professional 8 was the first version of Adobe’s software to contain its own built-in tools for true redaction. Until then, Adobe directed customers to an add-on product that is still on the market, manufactured by Appligent, called Redax….”

“… Borstein went on to recommend that customers invest in Appligent’s Redax tool….”

“…Again, Adobe recommended Appligent’s Redax tool for securely redacting text through Acrobat, especially when the source material is unavailable….”

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