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.

Contents

  1. Desktop-Based Document Metadata Scrubbers
  2. Server-Based Document Metadata Scrubbers
  3. Further Reading

1. Desktop-Based Document Metadata Scrubbers

  • BatchPurifier - Batch metadata removal tool. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2007-2019 documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with file extension .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Can also remove metadata from OpenOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
    Developer: Digital Confidence. Price: Starts at $19.
  • cleanDocs Desktop - Add-in for Microsoft Outlook that can remove metadata from Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and PDF documents attached to email messages. Can Also convert documents to PDF. Also includes a tool for batch metadata removal.
    Developer: DocsCorp. Price: Starts at $41
  • ConfidentSend - Add-in for Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird that can remove metadata from email attachments. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2007-2019 documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with file extension .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Can also remove metadata from OpenOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
    Developer: Digital Confidence. Price: $29.
  • Document Cleaner - Batch Microsoft Office metadata removal tool. It can remove metadata from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents with file extensions .doc, .xls and .ppt. 
    Developer: Pointstone Software. Price: Free for personal use.
  • Doc Scrubber - Batch Microsoft Word metadata removal tool. Supports Word 97-XP documents with a .doc file extension.
    Developer: BrightFort. Price: Free.
  • BigHand Scrub - 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.
    Developer: BigHand Price: ?
  • Metadact - 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: Litéra. Price: ?.
  • Metadata Assistent - Add-in for Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes 8.5-9.0 that can remove metadata from email attachments. It can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2000-2019 documents (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), OpenOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats. It can also convert documents to PDF. Also includes a tool for batch metadata removal.
    Developer: PayneGroup. Price: $98.
  • 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: ?
  • Metashield for Outlook - Add-in for Microsoft Outlook that can remove metadata from Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) attached to email messages. 
  • Developer: Eleven Paths. Price: ?

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: ?
  • cleanDocs Server - Server-based metadata removal 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: DocsCorp. Price: ?
  • MailValve EX - Metadata removal add-in for Microsoft Exchange server. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office 2007-2019 documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with file extension .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Can also remove metadata from OpenOffice 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 OpenOffice documents (.odt, .ods, .odp, and .odg), PDF documents, as well as other file formats.
  • Metashield for Exchange - Metadata removal add-in for Microsoft Exchange server. Can remove metadata from Microsoft Office documents. (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
    Developer: Eleven Paths. Price: ?

3. Further Reading