Every document you file, share, or produce carries between 50 and 200+ hidden data points that opposing counsel can extract in seconds. Here's exactly what you're leaking — and how to stop it.
Exposes the attorney, paralegal, or expert who created or edited the document. In sensitive cases, this can reveal your litigation strategy team.
Photos taken with smartphones embed precise GPS coordinates. Filed as exhibits, they reveal exactly where you or your client were standing.
Word documents can contain the full history of every edit. Opposing counsel can recover deleted paragraphs, see what you changed, and reconstruct your drafting process.
Identifies the specific device and network used. In multi-party litigation, this can connect documents across cases or reveal shared resources.
Timestamps can contradict testimony. If a document was allegedly created on Monday but metadata shows it was last modified on Wednesday, you have a credibility problem.
Documents often contain links to internal file shares, client management systems, or external resources that reveal your firm's infrastructure and case organization.
| File Type | Fields | Risk Level | Common Exposures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Word (.docx) | 180+ | Very High | Author, revisions, tracked changes, comments, template, editing time |
| 50+ | High | Producer software, author, creation tool, XMP metadata, incremental updates | |
| JPEG/PNG Images | 200+ | Critical | EXIF: GPS, camera model, orientation, timestamps, thumbnail |
| Excel (.xlsx) | 120+ | Very High | Author, hidden sheets, named ranges, cell comments, formula references |
| PowerPoint (.pptx) | 100+ | High | Author, slide notes, comments, revision history, company name |
| Audio (MP3/WAV) | 40+ | Medium | Recording device, encoding software, GPS (smartphone recordings) |
| Video (MP4/MOV) | 80+ | High | Camera model, GPS, creation date, encoding software, duration |
Court admitted metadata as evidence of document tampering when revision history showed post-facto modifications to a key exhibit.
Metadata timestamps contradicted witness testimony about when documents were created, undermining credibility.
Photo metadata revealed the location where quality control images were actually taken — contradicting sworn declarations about inspection procedures.
Drag any document into ShieldDrop. In seconds, every metadata field — author names, GPS coordinates, tracked changes, revision history, device fingerprints — is permanently removed. Zero server upload. Zero data retention.
7-day trial · Card required · Cancel anytime