Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives

Re: Removing Sensitive Data from Paper Documents


From: Bob Bayn <bob.bayn () USU EDU>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:56:24 -0600

 Walters, Caroline (cw8de) [cw8de () ESERVICES VIRGINIA EDU] wrote:
"The only way to really redact PI from paper records is to either cut out the information from the document – or black 
it out with a sharpie or other marker and then copy the record (destroying the original and retaining the copy as the 
official).  If you simply black out the original and retain that you can usually (depending on the printing of the 
document) read through the black out to obtain the information."  ...

I am reminded of a discussion on this or the ICPL list some time back where someone provided a pdf of a copyright 
infringement presettlement offer from the recording industry.  The incident code in the URL was blacked out with a 
sharpie.  You couldn't see the code on the screen.  I happened to print it out for use as a visual aid in local 
discussions and was surprised to notice that I could fairly clearly see the original code in the dark grey box on the 
printout.



Bob Bayn        (435)797-2396      Security Team coordinator
  Stop by the "Security Bunker" in SER 301 to see our network
  visualizers showing the continual attacks by outsiders.
Office of Information Technology   at  Utah State University

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