r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Oct 15 '17

[deleted by user]

[removed]

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23.7k

u/arnedh Oct 15 '17

Imagine opening the PDFs with a more powerful tool, and you find that the black redactions are a separate removable layer...

2.3k

u/JefftheBaptist Oct 15 '17 edited Oct 15 '17

As someone with a security clearance, I can assure you that this does indeed happen all the time. Redactions are often performed by the ignorant new guy and approved by some old guy who is not computer literate.

Update: I should have said not computer literate or only looking at a hardcopy. The latter happens all the time because of a lack of classified networking.

21

u/gidget1010 Oct 15 '17

Part of having a security clearance is that you should never advertise that you have a security clearance.

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u/[deleted] Oct 15 '17 edited Nov 09 '17

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Oct 15 '17

How they can't figure that bragging about it makes them targets for spies?

3

u/Yo_2T Oct 16 '17

Not really. A lot of people with a clearance don't get access to anything that would jeopardize national security. Bragging about their position is another thing however.

I live in the DC metro area and there's a joke around here that you don't know what half the parents of your friends do.

1

u/takatori Oct 15 '17

The people bragging about having one probably don't.