If you attach a file,
please be careful that it does not contain confidential data (address, telephone, ID#s, etc.). This is a public forum, searchable through Google and other web search engines, most of which will also search inside the documents you attach here.
Work with a new copy of your document
Be careful if you use these methods to anonymize a document, that you save it to a new file and
don't save the changes to your original document. Use File > Save As, then give it a new name before you make any of these changes.
Anonymize your data
You can often remove confidential data while preserving the structure of a document by using OOo's Find and Replace feature. E.g. you can use
- Edit > Find & Replace
Search for: [a-z]
Replace with: x
Options: Match case: YES, Regular expressions: YES
Replace all.
Repeat the above using
[A-Z] and
X to scramble the upper case letters, and
[0-9] and
0 to scramble numeric data.
Replacing the letters and numbers in a confidential letter like this:
Risa Dodson, Human Resources Director
MegaCorp
968-7141 Magnis Street
Westminster SC 81229
Risa.Dodson@MegaCorp.com
November 26, 2008
Dear Ms. Dodson,
In response to your job posting for a Senior Software Engineer, I have attached my resume for your review.
I would like to schedule a time to discuss my qualifications and see how they fit with your needs for a Senior Software Engineer. Please do not hesitate to contact me to arrange a time. I am available by phone at (111) 222-3333 or via email at bob.smith@smithhome.com.
I look forward to your response.
Bob Smith
As requested, my salary history is:
Financial Services Corp: starting salary $80,000 current salary: $97,000+ bonuses
XYZ Software: starting salary $60,000 ending salary: $72,000
Produces this:
Rxxx Dxxxxx, Hxxxx Rxxxxxxxx Dxxxxxxx
MxxxCxxx
000-0000 Mxxxxx Sxxxxx
Wxxxxxxxxxx SC 00000
Rxxx.Dxxxxx@MxxxCxxx.xxx
Nxxxxxxx 00, 0000
Dxxx Mx. Dxxxxx,
Ix xxxxxxxx xx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxx x Sxxxxx Sxxxxxxx Exxxxxxx, I xxxx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxx.
I xxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxx x xxxx xx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx x Sxxxxx Sxxxxxxx Exxxxxxx. Pxxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx xx xx xxxxxxx x xxxx. I xx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxx xx (000) 000-0000 xx xxx xxxxx xx xxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.
I xxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxx xxxxxxxx.
Bxx Sxxxx
Ax xxxxxxxxx, xx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xx:
Fxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx Cxxx: xxxxxxxx xxxxxx $00,000 xxxxxxx xxxxxx: $00,000+ xxxxxxx
XYZ Sxxxxxxx: xxxxxxxx xxxxxx $00,000 xxxxxx xxxxxx: $00,000
This takes only a few seconds and preserves the essential structure of the document, including formatting, but makes it very difficult for anyone to discern personal details from it. Change the upper-case letters also if your text contains private information in all upper-case.
Remove personal information
If you upload a document, it may contain "metadata" that could reveal confidential information. This includes information shown under Tools > Options > OO.org > User Data.
If you have entered personal information there, you can prevent this information from being included when you save a document by setting the option Tools > Options > OO.org > Security > Options > Remove personal information on saving.
If you change any of the security options,
make sure that you change them back to the appropriate settings before you continue with your regular work.
Remove saved changes
A document may also reveal personal information through saved changes. If the document includes the saved changes, someone could take the 'x'ed-out document above and "undo" the changes to get back to the original.
Changes are saved only if Edit > Changes > Record is ON.
You can remove any saved change information using Edit > Changes > Accept or Reject > Accept All, then saving the document.