Five tips to protect your confidential PDF documents
A few simple habits before emailing a sensitive document.
1. Always add a password
For any document containing personal, financial, or medical information, a password is the bare minimum to consider before sending it.
2. Check the metadata
A PDF can contain the author's name or the software used in its metadata; keep that in mind for sensitive documents.
3. Remove unnecessary pages
An appendix or a page with information that doesn't concern the recipient doesn't need to be shared; remove it before sending.
4. Add a watermark for drafts
A "CONFIDENTIAL" or "DRAFT" watermark discourages unintended distribution beyond the intended recipient.
5. Send the password separately
Never put the password in the same email as the protected file; a second channel (text message, call) limits the risk if it's intercepted.
FAQ
Do these habits replace real end-to-end encryption?
No, these are complementary best practices; for very high security needs, specialized tools exist.