When should I use Dangerzone?¶

Dangerzone is the right tool for some situations and the wrong tool for others. The short rule:

Decision guide¶

¹ Using Tails, or an equivalent system like Qubes is strongly recommended when handling untrusted files. ² Removing de-anonymization vectors from files is surprisingly difficult, and sometimes downright impossible, so proceed with extra caution.

Use Dangerzone when...¶

• You received a document or an image and want to open it. This is the main use case: an email attachment, a file from a tip line, a download from a site you don't fully trust. Dangerzone will render any malware or tracking in there ineffective.
• You want to remove the metadata from a document. The safe PDF carries none of the original metadata: no author name, no editing history, no camera model, no GPS position, nothing. Actually, if the document contained comments that weren't rendered, they will disappear as well.
• You move a document from an untrusted environment to a trusted one. For example from a machine used to browse the web to a machine that holds sensitive material. Converting on the way in keeps the trusted side clean.

Don't use Dangerzone when...¶

• You need to keep editing the document. Dangerzone rasterizes the file: the result is a picture of each page. This will remove formulas in a spreadsheet or macros in a Word document (that's actually the whole point!). If you must edit a document you don't trust, your best chance is probably to do it in a disposable environment instead.
• The file is video or audio. Dangerzone only handles documents and images (see supported formats). For removing metadata from media files, use Metadata Cleaner or mat2. For opening untrusted media, there is no Dangerzone equivalent. Your best chance is probably to do it in a disposable environment instead.
• You want to know whether a file is malicious. Dangerzone can't tell you if a file is safe. It just creates a copy that is. (Sorry, malware detection is another story)
• You need to protect a source from fingerprinting of the document's content. Dangerzone removes metadata and the file's structure, but doesn't change what is visible on the page: printer tracking dots, watermarks, unique wording, or steganography all survive because they are part of the picture. See the FAQ.

Examples¶