When we think of identity theft in the present, we often think of cybercriminals who hack into databases, pulling out scores of Social Security numbers and other pieces of identifying information. Unfortunately, we often make it easier for criminals to gain access to personally identifiable information (PII) by improperly redacting information in public documents or by not redacting it at all. These types of unforced errors can often be combatted by being better equipped with knowledge of redaction requirements and techniques.
Before you, as an individual, representative, or organization, begin redacting a document, it’s important to know how to do it. One of our most popular blogs looks at three ways to redact a document, including using Extract Systems’ automated redaction software, ID Shield. We’ve seen numerous times in the past that people will attempt to redact a document, only to leave the underlying information visible through metadata or simply by highlighting the redacted text.
Once you know how to successfully redact a document, it’s important to make sure you know the regulations of where the document is going and what needs to be redacted. For example, in some jurisdictions, redaction is the responsibility of the filer while in others, a court or public records office may be required to redact.
What needs to be redacted?
Here are the most important pieces of PII to redact for a court filing:
Social Security number
Financial account number
Date of birth
Home address
Minor names
Medical information
What can be tricky are cases in which this information must be used in a document to properly show differentiation between multiple people or for other reasons. In instances like this, where the above fields can’t be redacted, it’s important to only use a portion of the information. For instance, the last four digits of a Social Security or bank account number, a year of birth, or initials for a minor.
To summarize, you need to be sure you know whose responsibility is to redact, how to redact properly, and what needs to be redacted.
The benefit to using a tool like ID Shield is that the software will read through documents like a human would, regardless of structure, and identify desired items for redaction. The software removes metadata and burns in new pixels into the document, ensuring that the underlying information is irretrievable.
If you’re interested in learning more specifically about how our solution works, please reach out and we’d be happy to set up an introductory phone call or demonstration of the software.
About the Author: Chris Mack
Chris is a Marketing Manager at Extract with experience in product development, data analysis, and both traditional and digital marketing. Chris received his bachelor’s degree in English from Bucknell University and has an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. A passionate marketer, Chris strives to make complex ideas more accessible to those around him in a compelling way.