How to Share Sensitive Documents Securely

Sharing sensitive documents online can feel stressful, but don’t worry. A few smart steps will let you send personal details, contracts, and other sensitive documents safely. Our guide will walk you through the most working methods to protect your files.

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What you need to know before sending sensitive documents

We often need to send something important that may contain information we don't want to share with too many people or strangers. This feeling is very familiar to us, especially when you've got to send something official. For example, it might be a contract, a passport scan, a bank document with details of your accounts, medical records, or anything similar. Your brain suddenly goes: "Well… is it okay to just email this?" If you want the short answer it's a no.

You must realize that our world is full of risks regarding using the internet. We all use cloud storage, different messaging apps, and public Wi-Fi, which are not great options for sending secure documents.

Let's look at some options that will help you share sensitive documents more securely. Read on to find out how to reduce your stress and feel confident when sending private information.

What is a sensitive document?

Let's start with defining the main term. A sensitive document or a document with sensitive data isn't necessarily a big secret. Every person has examples of such documents they use in their daily life. For example: passport or ID details, personal address, phone numbers, banking information or invoices, bank account data, contracts, legal documents, medical data, and so on.

In other words, sensitive content is anything you wouldn't want to post online is sensitive information for you.

What are the risks?

There are very real risks that come with sharing sensitive information and they can harm your privacy and cause serious problems. Here are some things that can happen:

  • Email accounts get hacked
  • Cloud files get overshared
  • Phone numbers get leaked
  • Leaked information leads to scams
  • People forward things they shouldn't
  • PDFs stay in inboxes for years

Now that we know what can go wrong, let's talk about how to protect your documents and feel more secure.

1. Don't just attach and hope for the best

Be responsible when it comes to sending sensitive files. For example, basic email attachments are not private at all. If you send your passport scan through Gmail or a digital version of an official contract, you're leaving it out in the open.

2. Use a safe platform

File sharing within safe and protected platforms will let you avoid risks. Here are some options:

  • Proton Drive is based on end-to-end encryption. It's a solid platform that will make you feel comfortable and safe when sharing sensitive files.
  • WeTransfer Pro also gives you strong passwords and delivery confirmation but it doesn't offer true end-to-end encryption.
  • Google Drive with restrictions If you have to use Google Drive, at least limit access to specific people. Disable the download option, and send a separate password via another channel.

3. Encrypt the file before sending

If you're using a questionable or unsafe platform, it's still a good idea to protect the file itself. Encrypt the file before sending it. That simple step can help avoid a whole lot of problems:

  • On Mac, you can use ZIP + password via Terminal
  • On Windows, use 7-Zip or WinRAR
  • Cross-platform tools like Cryptomator or ExifCleaner can help

Also, consider not naming your file something like "my_bank_password.pdf."

4. Share the password smartly

This one's important. Never send the file and its password in the same message. Share it separately from the file. You can:

  • Send the file via email, and the password via text
  • Call the person and tell them the password by phone
  • You can also use secure messengers like Telegram or Signal
  • Send the file within one messenger, and the password later or via another app

5. Anonymize your PDF before sharing

Even if your PDF looks clean, it may still contain:

  • Hidden metadata (names, dates, software info)
  • Tracked changes
  • Comments
  • Previously deleted (but still recoverable) text

What to do? There's a game-changing option to use a proper redaction tool.

What does it mean to redact a PDF?

Sensitive information in PDF files can be removed or just hidden. These are two completely different concepts. When you redact a PDF, it means that you remove all sensitive information from it permanently. You are not just covering the images or text with black bars. No, instead of just making your sensitive data invisible in the document, you anonymize it.

It is crucial for many different types of documents that contain commercial secrets, confidential business data, names, addresses, phone numbers, metadata, legal data, medical records, and so on.

If you have specific programs, you can use them as different options for PDF redaction:

  1. If you have Adobe Acrobat Pro, which is a paid version of Adobe Acrobat, you can open the PDF in this program, go to Tools, and choose the Redact option. Full stop. After you click Mark for Redaction, highlight the text or any other data in the area you want to permanently remove, and agree to permanent removal. After that, you just save your PDF and you're all set.
  2. You can use online tools, like PDFized, and don't pay for additional software. Just upload your file online by dragging and dropping it safely, remove with the AI-powered system all sensitive information from your document, and it becomes permanently replaced with black boxes with nothing under them. Then you download your file to your device.

The main benefits of using online PDF anonymizing tools like PDFized, is that if you choose a trustworthy online PDF redaction instrument, you get:

  • redaction of all data types, for example, logos, text, metadata, and other sensitive information
  • a user-friendly interface makes your experience with an online PDF redaction tool much easier and more pleasant
  • the content is removed completely. It's not just hidden from your PDFs. It's very important
  • the documents are redacted automatically. For example, you can redact several documents using AI technology that recognizes all the sensitive parts and replaces them with black boxes
  • using such tools also guarantees you a high level of privacy and safety

Note that drawing a black box over a line of text doesn't delete it. Anyone can uncover it, so you have to redact and anonymize the file properly.

6. Set an expiration date

Use secure file-sharing platforms that let you set expiration dates. This ensures your files don't float around the internet forever. Many platforms allow you to limit downloads, expire links automatically, or revoke access at any time.

7. Don't share files using public Wi-Fi

Uploading a passport scan while waiting at your gate at the airport? Not a good idea. Airport Wi-Fi is one of the least secure networks out there. Instead:

  • Use your phone's hotspot
  • Use a trusted network

An advice: you can use a VPN if you have no other option

8. Instruct the person receiving the file

Think about who's getting your document. Let them know it contains sensitive info, and ask them to be careful. It's okay to double-check or remind them because it's your privacy matter.

What else can you do?

If sharing sensitive documents is something you do often (for example, if you're a lawyer, project manager, wedding planner, etc.), you must create a system:

  • Build your own upload platform with security in mind
  • Create a checklist for redacting and protecting files
  • Write a template email that explains how to access your documents
  • Use strong, unique passwords for different platforms

Add always to a "final check" step before uploading anything.

What to avoid if you want to secure your documents

Here's your shortlist:

  • Don't screenshot your passport
  • Don't send it via Instagram
  • Don't upload to Dropbox and forget it for years
  • Don't send the file and password in the same message
  • Don't draw black rectangles over text and think it's gone
  • Don't assume "no one would care" about your private data

Always protect yourself and your data.

Wrap Up

Now you know how to share sensitive documents securely and don't feel worried that some information may be leaked. Whether you want to safely send a contract, a passport scan, a bank document, or a medical record you can do it now without any hesitation. Sensitive documents can bring risk with them, and you must know that you don't just attach and hope for the best. You must be responsible when it comes to sending files with sensitive information.

You can do it through a safe file-sharing platform for example, like WeTransfer Pro or Google Drive with restrictions. You also need to encrypt the file before sending it. For example, on Mac or Windows, you can use specific programs. Be very attentive to the process of sharing passwords and do it smartly. Also, you can anonymize your PDFs before sharing by using an online tool that helps to do it with the power of AI. Files will be safe if you set an expiration date, don't share them over public Wi-Fi, especially at airports, and consider the person receiving the file, providing them with proper instructions. We wish you good luck!