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A case study in PDF forensics: The Epstein PDFs

This article details a PDF forensics case study on a small, random selection of the Epstein PDF files released by the US Department of Justice (DoJ). The tranche contains 4,085 PDF files, with an estimated 5,879 remaining unreleased. Key findings include:

  • A difference in PDF version reporting between forensic tools.
  • The presence of two incremental updates.
  • The discovery of a hidden (orphaned) document information dictionary revealing the software used in processing.
  • The DoJ avoided JPEG images to prevent metadata leakage.
  • Overall, the DoJ’s sanitization workflow could be improved to reduce file size and information leakage.
Peter Wyatt

By Peter Wyatt
December 2025

A case study in PDF forensics: The Epstein PDFs

This article details a PDF forensics case study on a small, random selection of the Epstein PDF files released by the US Department of Justice (DoJ). The tranche contains 4,085 PDF files, with an estimated 5,879 remaining unreleased. Key findings include:

  • A difference in PDF version reporting between forensic tools.
  • The presence of two incremental updates.
  • The discovery of a hidden (orphaned) document information dictionary revealing the software used in processing.
  • The DoJ avoided JPEG images to prevent metadata leakage.
  • Overall, the DoJ’s sanitization workflow could be improved to reduce file size and information leakage.
Peter Wyatt

By Peter Wyatt
December 2025

Apple tags PDF

November 2019 by Duff Johnson
Article


Apple’s desktop suite, Pages, Keynote and Numbers, now supports creation of tagged (and thus, accessible and reusable) PDF.

Duff Johnson
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October 2019 by Duff Johnson
Duff Johnson
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As of October 7, 2019, websites and mobile applications in the U.S. will be assessed as “public accommodations”, and the … Read more

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October 2019 by Thomas Zellmann
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To survive a great flood Noah brought pairs from every species aboard his ark. But is this approach – gathering … Read more

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September 2019 by Duff Johnson
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Earlier this year we covered the release of the Mueller Report covering the Special Counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in … Read more

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August 2019 by Dietrich von Seggern
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This article was recently updated. The new version was posted on February 16, 2021. PDF is one of the most … Read more

Article

August 2019 by Elizabeth Thede
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Instead of retrieving and searching each file in its associated application, a search engine needs to review all files together … Read more

Article

July 2019 by Roman Toda (Normex)
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Users printing to PDF are throwing away information that could be reused by downstream applications. Find out how “Deriving HTML … Read more

Article, For members only

July 2019 by Frode Hegland
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The Visual-Meta approach take the metadata out of of the document internals and presents it as an appendix at the … Read more

Article

July 2019 by Duff Johnson
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What are the essential characteristics and optimal functional requirements of email messages and necessary related information in a PDF technology-based … Read more

Article, PDF Association news

June 2019 by Dietrich von Seggern (callas software GmbH)
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Dietrich von Seggern from callas software is just back from Electronic Document Conference (EDC) in Seattle. His short summary: It … Read more

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June 2019 by Duff Johnson
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The US Access Board who sets policy for US federal agencies and contractor’s deliverables has agreed to require PDF/UA.

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