Metadata removal tool

Metadata removal tool or Metadata scrubber is a type of privacy software that built to protect the privacy of its users by removing potentially privacy compromising metadata from files before they are being shared with other parties (e.g. by sending them as E-mail attachments or by posting them on the Web).

Metadata can be found in many types of files such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations, images, and audio files. They can include information such as details on the file authors, file creation and modification dates, document revision history, and comments.

Since metadata is sometimes not clearly visible in authoring applications (depending on the application and its settings), there is a risk that the user will not be aware of its existence or will forget about it, and if the file is shared, private or confidential information will inadvertently be exposed. The purpose of metadata removal tools is to minimize the risk of such data leakages.

The metadata removal tools that exist today can be divided into four groups:

• Integral metadata removal tools, which are included in some applications, like Microsoft Office 2007.
• Batch metadata removal tools, which can process multiple files.
• E-mail client add-ins, which are designed to remove metadata from E-mail attachments right before they are being sent.
• Server based systems, which are designed to automatically remove metadata at the network gateway.

See also

• Data loss prevention products

External links

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