Document metadata is hidden information added to electronic document files, either automatically or by users. Document metadata can cause sensitive data leakage if not removed before sharing the documents. This metadata can reside in all document types, including text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Common types of document metadata include document properties, comments, tracked changes, and slide notes.
Document metadata can be removed with a type of software known as document metadata scrubber.
Contents
- Desktop-Based Document Metadata Scrubbers
- Server-Based Document Metadata Scrubbers
- Further Reading
1. Desktop-Based Document Metadata Scrubbers
- BatchPurifier - Batch metadata removal tool. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2007-2021 documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with file extension .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Can also remove metadata from LibreOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
Developer: Digital Confidence Price: Starts at $19 per computer (perpetual license)
___________________________________________________________________________ - ConfidentSend - Add-in for Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird that can remove metadata from email attachments. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2007-2021 documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with file extension .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Can also remove metadata from LibreOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
Developer: Digital Confidence Price: $29 per computer (perpetual license)
___________________________________________________________________________ - BigHand Metadata Management - Add-in for Microsoft Outlook that can remove metadata from Microsoft Office documents attached to email messages. Can Also convert documents to PDF. Also includes a tool for batch metadata removal. (formerly known as iScrub and Scrub)
Developer: BigHand Price: ?
___________________________________________________________________________ - Document Cleaner - Batch
old Microsoft Office 2003 metadata removal tool. It can remove metadata from
old Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents with file extensions .doc,
.xls and .ppt.
Developer: Pointstone Software Price: Free for personal use
___________________________________________________________________________ - Doc Scrubber - Batch old Microsoft Word metadata removal tool. Supports old Word 97-XP documents with a .doc file extension.
Developer: BrightFort Price: Free
___________________________________________________________________________ - MetaClean mail solutions for desktop
- Add-ins for Microsoft Outlook, Outlook 365, and Mozilla Thunderbird that can remove metadata from Microsoft
Office documents (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) attached to email
messages. Can also remove metadata from LibreOffice documents (.odt,
.ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
Developer: Adarsus Price: ? (free for personal user)
___________________________________________________________________________ - Metadact Desktop - Add-in for Microsoft Outlook that can remove metadata from Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) attached to email messages. Can Also convert documents to PDF. Also includes a tool for batch metadata removal.
Developer: Litera Price: $69 per user per year
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Metadata Cleaner - Metadata removal tool for Linux. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2007-2021 documents (Word,
Excel, PowerPoint) with file extension .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Can also
remove metadata from LibreOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and
.odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
Developer: Romain Vigier Price: Free (open source)
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- MetaReveal - Add-in for Microsoft Outlook that can remove metadata from Microsoft Office documents attached to email messages. Can Also convert documents to PDF.
Developer: BEC Legal Systems Price: ?
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2. Server-Based Document Metadata Scrubbers
- Clearswift SECURE Email Gateway - Server-based email filtering and email security software. It can remove metadata from Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and PDF documents attached to email messages.
Developer: Clearswift Price: ?
___________________________________________________________________________ - Clearswift SECURE Exchange Gateway - Server-based email filtering and email security software for Microsoft Exchange server. It can remove metadata from Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and PDF documents attached to email messages.
Developer: Clearswift Price: ?
___________________________________________________________________________ - MailValve EX - Metadata removal add-in for Microsoft Exchange server. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2007-2021 documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with file extension .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Can also remove metadata from LibreOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
Developer: Digital Confidence Price: Starts at $50 per user license
___________________________________________________________________________ - MailValve GX - Server-based metadata removal software for SMTP servers. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2007-2019 documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with file extension .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Can also remove metadata from LibreOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
Developer: Digital Confidence Price: Starts at $70 per user license
___________________________________________________________________________ - MetaClean for Exchange -
Metadata removal add-in for Microsoft Exchange server. Can remove
metadata from Microsoft Office documents. (Word, Excel,
PowerPoint) Can also remove
metadata from LibreOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg),
PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
Developer: Adarsus Price: Starts at 1€ for user per year
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