PhotoSanitize Enterprise can generate a PDF Certificate of Sanitization for images that have successfully completed sanitization and verification.
The certificate records information about the operation and identifies the relevant files. It is intended for situations where retaining a formal processing record is useful, such as organizational image preparation, professional delivery, or internal audit procedures.
Requirements for generating a certificate
Certificate generation is available only in Enterprise. Every image included in the certificate selection must have a successful sanitization result and a successful verification result.
An image that was analyzed but not sanitized cannot qualify. Neither can an output whose verification failed or was never completed.
The sanitized files must also remain available so their recorded information and fingerprints can be checked during certificate generation.
These requirements distinguish a Certificate of Sanitization from an ordinary report, which may describe images in several different processing states.
Creating the certificate
- Sanitize the intended images using the appropriate profile.
- Confirm that each one has successfully completed verification.
- Check the images that should be included in the certificate.
- Choose Certificate of Sanitization from the reporting commands.
- Select the PDF destination and save the certificate.
If the selection contains an ineligible image, PhotoSanitize prevents successful certificate generation for that selection. Review the queue and verification results, then correct the problem or exclude images that are not intended to be certified.
Information recorded
The Certificate of Sanitization identifies the processing operation and includes information about the PhotoSanitize version and the included images.
Depending on the operation, its records can include source and output details, the selected sanitization profile, file sizes, processing times, SHA-256 fingerprints, and verification results.
A certificate identifier is also included to distinguish the document.
This makes the certificate useful for associating a group of sanitized files with their recorded processing and verification results.
What the certificate establishes
A Certificate of Sanitization records that the included images met PhotoSanitize’s requirements for successful sanitization and verification.
It does not mean that an independent third party examined the photographs, nor does it establish that every visible privacy risk was identified. It should not be treated as a guarantee of anonymity, authenticity, legal compliance, or suitability for public distribution.
The PDF certificate is a processing record. It is not automatically equivalent to a separate cryptographically signed document or an external certification.
Where an organization requires formal approval before publication, that approval remains a separate procedure.
Retaining the certificate
Keep the certificate with the sanitized files and any supporting reports relevant to the operation. The recorded SHA-256 values help identify the exact output versions covered.
If a photograph is edited after certification, its file contents and fingerprint may change. The edited file should not be treated as byte-for-byte identical to the certified output.
For organizational recordkeeping, protect the certificate and associated images against unauthorized alteration and maintain a clear relationship between the records and the files they describe.