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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

Using PDF/UA in accessibility checklists

June 2018 by Duff Johnson
Article


PDF/UA, like PDF itself, is internally complex, but used correctly, actually makes things easier.

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May 2018 by PDF Association staff
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Richard Cohn, Principal Scientist at Adobe and the co-author of PDF 1.0, gave the opening keynote at the PDF Days … Read more

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April 2018 by PDF Association staff
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Our Executive Director Duff Johnson gives some personally information about his experience with the “PDF universe” and much more.

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April 2018 by Duff Johnson
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In a recent article I discussed using PDF as a container to organize, transport and archive collections of content. Since then … Read more

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April 2018 by PDF Association staff
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Here are five reasons why industry professionals in marketing, business development and sales should attend at PDF Days Europe 2018.

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April 2018 by PDF Association staff
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To maximize both the opportunities and the benefits of testing, the third PDF 2.0 interop workshop makes it possible for … Read more

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March 2018 by PDF Association staff
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PDF Days Europe, the annual PDF technology education event, will take place from 14 to 16 May 2018 in Berlin … Read more

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March 2018 by PDF Association staff
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PDF Days Europe, the annual PDF technology education event, will take place from 14 to 16 May 2018 in Berlin … Read more

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February 2018 by PDF Association staff
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Following the success of our previous interop workshops in Cambridge, England and Boston, Massachusetts, the 3rd PDF 2.0 Interop Workshop … Read more

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February 2018 by PDF Association staff
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Fittingly for the tenth anniversary of PDF’ becoming an ISO standard, standardization will play a significant role this year. The … Read more

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February 2018 by PDF Association staff
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Richard Cohn, Principal Scientist at Adobe, one of the two co-authors of the original PDF specification in the era of … Read more

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