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Metadata contained within documents serves a valid purpose
in many circumstances, such as facilitating the collaboration
among a group of people. However, many are not aware of
the type of information stored with their documents,
spreadsheets, and presentations. Due diligence is required by
responsible users to ensure that sensitive information is not
leaked to third-parties. Until then, forensic investigators
could have access to a plethora of hidden document
information. This paper examines how metadata is used in
PDF documents and documents, spreadsheets, and
presentations created in Microsoft Office and OpenOffice.org.
Several instances are examined where metadata has led to the
discovery of hidden information. This paper also shows how
metadata is stored in documents, spreadsheets, and
presentations created in the aforementioned applications.
Finally, this paper will test and discuss the functionality of
several tools available to users and investigators that test for
the presence of metadata.
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