Section:

Sanitize PDFs - Node.js (JavaScript) Sample Code

This is sample code for using Apryse SDK to remove hidden, non-visual content within PDF documents. Using pdftron.PDF.Sanitizer ensures that if metadata, form data, bookmarks, hidden layers, markup annotations, JavaScript, or file attachments are present in a document, that content is permanently destroyed and is not simply disabled or obscured. Sample code is provided in Python, C++, C#, Java, Node.js (JavaScript), PHP, Ruby, and VB.

Implementation steps

To sanitize files with Apryse Server SDK:

Step 1: Follow get started with Server SDK in your preferred language or framework.
Step 2: Add the sample code provided in this guide.

Learn more about Apryse Server SDK.

1//---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2// Copyright (c) 2001-2026 by Apryse Software Inc. All Rights Reserved.
3// Consult legal.txt regarding legal and license information.
4//---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5
6using System;
7using System.IO;
8using System.Collections;
9
10using pdftron;
11using pdftron.Common;
12using pdftron.Filters;
13using pdftron.SDF;
14using pdftron.PDF;
15
16using NUnit.Framework;
17
18//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19// PDFNet's Sanitizer is a security-focused feature that permanently removes
20// hidden, sensitive, or potentially unsafe content from a PDF document.
21// While redaction targets visible page content such as text or graphics,
22// sanitization focuses on non-visual elements and embedded structures.
23//
24// PDFNet Sanitizer ensures hidden or inactive content is destroyed,
25// not merely obscured or disabled. This prevents leakage of sensitive
26// data such as authoring details, editing history, private identifiers,
27// and residual form entries, and neutralizes scripts or attachments.
28//
29// Sanitization is recommended prior to external sharing with clients,
30// partners, or regulatory bodies. It helps align with privacy policies
31// and compliance requirements by permanently removing non-visual data.
32//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33
34namespace MiscellaneousSamples
35{
36
37	[TestFixture]
38	public class PDFSanitizeTest
39	{
40
41		[Test]
42		public static void Sample()
43		{
44			const string input_path =  "TestFiles/";
45
46
47            // The following example illustrates how to retrieve the existing
48            // sanitizable content categories within a document.
49			try
50			{
51         	    using (PDFDoc doc = new PDFDoc(Utils.GetAssetTempFile(input_path + "numbered.pdf")))
52    		    {
53		            doc.InitSecurityHandler();
54
55			        SanitizeOptions opts = Sanitizer.GetSanitizableContent(doc);
56			        if (opts.GetMetadata())
57    			    {
58	    			    Console.WriteLine("Document has metadata.");
59	    		    }
60			        if (opts.GetMarkups())
61			        {
62				        Console.WriteLine("Document has markups.");
63			        }
64			        if (opts.GetHiddenLayers())
65			        {
66				        Console.WriteLine("Document has hidden layers.");
67			        }
68                    Console.WriteLine("Done...");
69			    }
70			}
71			catch (PDFNetException e)
72			{
73				Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
74				Assert.True(false);
75			}
76
77
78    	    // The following example illustrates how to sanitize a document with default options,
79    	    // which will remove all sanitizable content present within a document.
80    		try
81    		{
82         	    using (PDFDoc doc = new PDFDoc(Utils.GetAssetTempFile(input_path + "financial.pdf")))
83        	    {
84    		        doc.InitSecurityHandler();
85
86			        Sanitizer.SanitizeDocument(doc);
87    				doc.Save(Utils.CreateExternalFile("financial_sanitized.pdf"), SDFDoc.SaveOptions.e_linearized);
88                    Console.WriteLine("Done...");
89    			}
90    		}
91    		catch (PDFNetException e)
92    		{
93    			Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
94    			Assert.True(false);
95    		}
96
97
98	        // The following example illustrates how to sanitize a document with custom set options,
99	        // which will only remove the content categories specified by the options object.
100    		try
101    		{
102         	    using (PDFDoc doc = new PDFDoc(Utils.GetAssetTempFile(input_path + "form1.pdf")))
103        	    {
104    		        doc.InitSecurityHandler();
105
106    		        SanitizeOptions opts = new SanitizeOptions();
107		            opts.SetMetadata(true);
108        		    opts.SetFormData(true);
109        		    opts.SetBookmarks(true);
110
111			        Sanitizer.SanitizeDocument(doc, opts);
112    				doc.Save(Utils.CreateExternalFile("form1_sanitized.pdf"), SDFDoc.SaveOptions.e_linearized);
113                    Console.WriteLine("Done...");
114    			}
115    		}
116    		catch (PDFNetException e)
117    		{
118    			Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
119    			Assert.True(false);
120    		}
121
122		}
123	}
124}
125

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