Posted: April 26th, 2022

What Can Cyber Thieves Do With Your Document Metadata

An 8 page paper covering the topic of What Can Cyber Thieves Do With Your Document Metadata and How To Prevent Metadata Information Disclosure.

The writer can go into expound on metadata and other topics concerning metadata if need be. Limit quotations to an average of no more than 3-5 lines, and use quotations sparingly.
Introduction
Whenever an individual picks a particular book from the book store, they are using metadata. Particular elements attracted the individual to pick the book. It could be the book’s title, the publisher, the cover art and not the content inside. Metadata refers to data about data. This kind of data comprises data such as the author’s name, last modification of the document, abstract, the date the document was authored, and other information concerning a document. Various office suites such as Microsoft Office and word-perfect office record their metadata in the word processing document, presentation and spreadsheets (Pesce, 2008). Document metadata can be exposed to the public unknowingly and knowingly through cybertheft. Cybercriminals steal document metadata for various reasons which they can use to create several kinds of harm. All in all, this kind of metadata information disclosure can be prevented through specific measures. The paper discusses what cyber thieves can do with one’s document metadata and how to avert metadata information disclosure.

Document Metadata
Document metadata is linked to a text-based file that ought to be invisible on the document’s face. Document metadata is not visible at the beginning of the document, and each document has its metadata. The document may have other features such as graphic images, photographs, tables, and charts with their metadata. Metadata provides a summary of preliminary information on data that can make finding and work with certain data occasions easier. Possessing the capability to sift through the metadata brings in locating certain documents or other data asset in various diverse ways (Pesce, 2008). Document metadata comprises of multiple elements such as abstract, title and author’s name. Document metadata in Microsoft word, for instance, contains the size of the file, date the document was created, author’s name, title, tags and comments.
All kinds of digital documents contain and generate metadata. It could be a song, a video, a word document or even a PDF document. The metadata generated could be deleted comments, texts and other content between the author and the editors. This content can be sensitive information that should not be exposed but instead safeguarded from the public’s eyes and unauthorized access. Various security measures are put in place to secure metadata from exposure as it of much importance.
Metadata lengthens the lifespan of data. The lifespan of average data may be short due to missing or unavailable metadata, making the data useless. Development and maintenance of comprehensive metadata improve the longevity of the data. It also enables recycling of data and sharing. Metadata holds details to data, easy to interpret and analyze as it contains details from the originator, among others. Metadata is also an essential factor in keeping historical data sets for long term data sets. It also enables reusing of data for various purposes and for the long term. Due to metadata’s richness with different information, it is essential to safeguard metadata from falling into the wrong hands.
What cyber thieves do with stolen document metadata
Cyber thieves can acquire document metadata illegally through hacking and phishing. They use this kind of data to harm those acquainted to it. For instance, in cases where they obtain personal information and security numbers, they can use the information to impersonate the actual owner of the data.
Cyber thieves can sell the data to other criminals on the dark web to the highest bidder. This collection can include millions of stolen data from individuals or organizations. Through their sale, they are able to make lots of money from the information they stole. The buyers of the data use diversely to facilitate their criminal activities.
Personal information that is stolen from document metadata fuels for stealing of victim’s identity. The cyber-thieves use the data to impersonate the victim. They use the data to gain benefits at the expense of the victim. In other instances, they copy the victim and commit fraud in their name. Online services require a lot of personal information (KH, 2019). Also, documents may contain loads of personal information that criminals steal and use to access victims credit cards to acquire loans with them.
Cyber thieves can use a victim’s metadata in account takeover. Login credentials found on metadata may be of much importance to hackers and other cyber thieves. They use a victim’s credentials to break into their accounts with payment details such as their shopping accounts. They take over the accounts and handle them in any way they please (KH, 2019). The hackers could even change the victim’s passwords, gaining full control of the accounts. This gives them a chance to control the account, including payment details.
Stolen metadata can be used as a target for phishing attacks and extortion. Through the stolen information, they lay targets on phishing attacks. Victims are scammed to give their personal information such as credit card details and security numbers to attackers who mask the scam as something legit. The criminals acquire a loophole to access sensitive information which they use to extort their victims.
Hackers and cyber thieves may use personal information stolen in metadata to harm companies and the involved organizations. Apart from the personal problem that arises from stolen personal information, the data can also destroy companies (KH, 2019). Criminals use the stolen data to target other personnel in the company, tricking them to giving more sensitive information or making payments. Criminals may also gain access to an organization’s network, spy on them and even infect their systems with malware.
Cyber thieves may also launch targeted attacks where they steal metadata of specific people. This can be launching a revenge mission to destroy individual relationships and reputations. Through the data, they steal, they can conduct further hacking to expose more vital information that could achieve their desired effects. Such data has resulted in cyberbullying and trolling when certain information gets disclosed to the web. In other instances, cyber thieves may use victim metadata for their malicious enjoyment and pleasures such as spying on them (KH, 2019). Their intention maybe not be harming them but know about their lives and moves.

Metadata Information Disclosure
Information leakage occurs when sensitive information is released to users. The information leaks may land to potential attackers who may launch attacks with the data. An attacker may disclose sensitive information about the users of particular websites and those acquainted to certain documents. Employees and individuals may disclose information without their awareness which may have dangerous results to individuals and a company. Metadata information maybe disclosed through hacks and cyber attacks and also when a document is uploaded to a website or shared on a blog, via messaging services and various online platforms. Whenever measures such as creating awareness and sanitizing of documents are put in place they can help mitigate and prevent exposure of metadata information.

How to prevent metadata information disclosure
The essential way of preventing metadata information disclosure is through raising awareness of the dangers of sharing document metadata. In an organization, employees receive training, sensitization, and monitoring on metadata and the data they share online and on other platforms. Many organizations offer security training practices to their employees and should be provided to all employees as anyone can expose data leaving a loophole for cyber thieves. Content on metadata should be provided as a way of building awareness as part of the existing process.
Sanitization of all documents shared with external parties should be conducted, ensuring that they don’t contain details to help hackers in their attacks. Through sanitization of the documents, sensitive and all confidential information and metadata are removed automatically. Erase can be applied in the document sanitization to ensure that the document is free from all metadata before sharing with a third party or any external party (Pesce, 2008). This information includes direct contact information, software numbers, and authors’ details that cyber thieves can take advantage of. It is hard for any kind of metadata information to be disclosed to the wrong hands with proper sanitization.
Another meaningful way of mitigating the risk of document metadata information disclosure is through maintaining separate storage for the sanitized documents. Once a document is sanitized, it is crucial to store it separately from unsanitized documents. This prevents mix up and release of unsanitized documents to the wrong hands. It is useful for workers entitled to providing information and documentation not present on the websites to customers and public information available to all employees (Pesce, 2008). The separate storage offers its benefits as the unsanitized documents can be saturated with metadata for internal content management.
Policies and procedures should be implemented on how to shift data. These policies may provide sanitization procedures to be followed in the document sanitization process. Laws should be introduced that documents are only distributed after sanitization. The guidelines should indicate when a document should be sanitized and spearhead the documents’ sanitization. This ensures that whoever is tasked with the procedure follows it to the letter and follow up can be done in case of any questioning required (Pesce, 2008). Specific people should be charged with publication and handling of documents to ensure they go through documents to ensure they are free of metadata before uploading and publication. This can reduce exposure of information, and easy mitigation in case of exposure as the source is known as one.

Introduction of clean up tools. Just as there are tools used to detect metadata in documents, organizations should introduce tools used in cleaning documents with the highest risk of exposure. These tools are often free or inexpensive and can be applied by organizations to limit the disclosure of metadata on documents. These cleanup tools include EXIF tool, Microsoft document cleaners, adobe acrobat and third-party tools. Microsoft document cleaners not only populate the documents with metadata but also remove the metadata. These products are perfect in removing metadata and all personal information leaving them free from exposure.
Adobe Acrobat and third-party tools can also be applied in cleaning up PDF documents conducted during PDF conversion (Pesce, 2008). These tools only leave behind information required in the utilization of documents. An example of cleaning tools is the clean docs that help users send pure and right information by cleaning all metadata. It also helps in metadata management and protection of desktop and mobile users. It is applicable for windows 10 and word 2016. It tends metadata at very high speeds. With the high speeds of cleaning, disclosure of metadata information is hard as cyber thieves cannot access the data.
Metadata information disclosure can also be prevented through implementing (DLP) data leakage prevention. DLP is the act of detecting and preventing disclosure of information to unauthorized personnel. It also referred to as data loss prevention or protection. Data loss prevention ensures that data is not leaked and is protected from improper access and mishandling. It involves three major activities of identifying the data to safeguard it against disclosure.
DLP also monitors thew various channels of data disclosure and acts in the prevention of data from disclosure. In monitoring and controlling the flow of sensitive data such as metadata, the DLP tool is configured with DLP policies. These policies consist of rules, conditions, exceptions and actions to take on files and files to evaluate, detect and prevent data leaks. DLP policies enable organizations to distinguish what data can be shared and what data not to share. It allows them to define where data can be transmitted, who is authorized to send and received the data and the means of sharing the data (Piquero et.al, 2011). The main intention of DLP is to safeguard specific sensitive information which could cause harm to individuals and the organization if disclosed to unauthorized parties such as cyber thieves. Such information includes personal information and financial information. Tools are deployed in finding sensitive information that requires safeguarding.
DLP tools protect data held in readable digital formation. Data leakage channels are monitored. Sensitive data can be disclosed or leaks through various channels such as blogs, emails and file transfers. Through monitoring, organizations establish how data is being used, understand the potential risks and detect possible leaks. DLP prevents data from leaking through intervening on the use and movement of data. These actions involve blocking of potential breaches in case an infringement is identified or suspected (Piquero et.al, 2011). Implementation of DLP helps determine the likelihood of hacker activity and take appropriate measures which safeguard the metadata from exposure.

Conclusion
In summary, this essay discussed metadata, the information that metadata can reveal and what cyber thieves can do with one’s document metadata. The paper also discussed the measures to put in place to prevent metadata information disclosure. Document metadata contains information such as personal details, author’s name and other details. Metadata is data about data that helps in organizing, finding and understanding data. Due to the richness of metadata with a variety of information; it is essential to safeguard metadata from falling into the wrong hands. Cyber thieves may use document metadata to impersonate their victims, to defraud them and even launch cyber-attacks. Metadata information disclosure can be prevented through sanitization of documents before upload and separate document storage. Different policies, such as DLP can also be implemented to protect data from exposure. In case of data exposure, remediation can also be done by removing the source through deleting and even cleaning up google.

References
Long, D. J., & Pitfield, D. B. (2011). U.S. Patent No. 7,987,217. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Pesce, L. (2008). Document Metadata, the Silent Killer. SANS Institute InfoSec Reading Room.
Katz, G., Elovici, Y., & Shapira, B. (2014). CoBAn: A context-based model for data leakage prevention. Information sciences, 262, 137-158.
Piquero, N. L., Cohen, M. A., & Piquero, A. R. (2011). How much is the public willing to pay to be protected from identity theft? Justice Quarterly, 28(3), 437-459.
KH, R. (2019). What Cyber Criminals Can Do with Your Metadata. SmartData Collective. Retrieved 31 December 2020,

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