Release control / 01

Before the black boxes leave the building.

Eight checks for a redacted PDF before release. No upload, no account, and no claim that software replaces the final reviewer.

01Preserve the sourceKeep the original unchanged. Review and release from a separate working copy so the audit trail is clear.Check: Can you identify the source, working copy, and proposed release copy?
02Apply every redactionA marked region is not necessarily removed. Make sure annotations, comments, and drawing objects are actually applied.Check: Do any pending redaction marks or annotations remain?
03Test the text underneathSearch, select, and copy around each black box. A visual overlay can leave the original text recoverable.Check: Can copy-paste, search, or text extraction recover the hidden value?
04Check scans and imagesRemoving an OCR text layer does not remove information burned into a page image. Inspect both pixels and OCR.Check: Was sensitive content removed from the image itself?
05Clean the packageReview document properties, XMP, comments, thumbnails, attachments, layers, bookmarks, and hidden objects.Check: Does the exported package contain anything the visible pages do not show?
06Review the policy decisionsCheck both misses and unnecessary redactions. Names, dates, and numbers may need different treatment by context.Check: Does each keep or redact decision match the actual release policy?
07Reopen the final fileClose the editing tool and inspect the exact exported file a recipient will receive, not the in-app preview.Check: Does a fresh viewer show the intended pages, text, and redactions?
08Record final approvalHave an authorized reviewer approve the release copy and retain enough provenance to explain what was checked.Check: Who approved this exact file, under which policy, and when?