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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

PDF 2.0 Application Note: Associated Files

October 2018 by PDF Association staff
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This Application Note provides technical background to the definition of Associated Files in PDF 2.0. It is intended for developers who want to learn about the Associated Files feature in … Read more

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October 2018 by PDF Association staff
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The PDF Association has started to overhaul its website, with the first such change being a new search engine, installed … Read more

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October 2018 by PDF Association staff
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The PDF Techniques Accessibility Summit’s objective is to establish a broad-based understanding of how PDF files should be tagged for … Read more

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September 2018 by PDF Association staff
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The typical adoption curve for PDF technologies until approximately 2007 tended to track with that of the original PDF developer. … Read more

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September 2018 by PDF Association staff
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New in PDF 2.0, black point compensation (BPC) is a colour management technique allowing for the alignment of the darkest … Read more

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September 2018 by PDF Association staff
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The industry-supported PDF/A validator created by an EU project, veraPDF is one of four finalists for the Digital Preservation Award … Read more

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August 2018 by PDF Association staff
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PDF Processing Steps allows packaging and product developers and designers to specify post-print workflow components with a PDF file in … Read more

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August 2018 by PDF Association staff
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The Future of Email Archives report calls for the development of email archiving specifications leveraging PDF.

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August 2018 by PDF Association staff
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The PDF Techniques Accessibility Summit will identify best-practices in tagging various cases in PDF documents. Questions to be addressed will … Read more

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August 2018 by PDF Association staff
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The US Defense Department’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is launching a SafeDocs project to develop methods and tools … Read more

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July 2018 by Duff Johnson
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My hospital emailed me a medical records release form as a PDF. They told me to print it, fill it, … Read more

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