KVKK and PDF Documents
Law No. 6698 on the Protection of Personal Data (KVKK) has introduced strict rules in Turkey for the processing, storage, and sharing of personal data. PDF documents — contracts, invoices, resumes, medical records — are especially important since they are the format most commonly containing personal data.
What Personal Data Can Be Found in a PDF?
- TC Kimlik (Turkish national ID) number
- Full name, address, phone number, email
- Bank account numbers (IBAN)
- Health information (discharge summaries, prescriptions)
- Resume details (date of birth, photo)
- Signatures in contracts
PDF Sharing Rules Under KVKK
1. Purpose Limitation Principle
PDFs containing personal data may only be shared for the stated purpose. Sending a customer's invoice to an accountant is authorized sharing; sending it to a third party may constitute a violation.
2. Data Minimization
Before sharing, perform redaction (blacking out) on fields containing unnecessary personal data. For example, black out the TC ID number before having a contract reviewed.
3. Secure Transmission
When sending a PDF:
- Use an encrypted connection (HTTPS) instead of email
- **Protect the file with a password** (128-bit AES)
- Limit the access period when sharing a link
KVKK-Compliant PDF Operations
PDF Redaction (Blacking Out Personal Data)
Our PDF Redaction tool uses artificial intelligence to automatically detect and permanently black out personal data such as TC ID numbers, IBANs, and phone numbers in a PDF. Instead of the classic "black box" method, it applies genuine redaction — the text isn't just painted over, the data is completely removed from the PDF.
PDF Password Protection
Add 128-bit AES encryption to a document with our PDF Encryption tool. Send the password through a secure channel (Signal instead of WhatsApp, encrypted messaging instead of SMS).
Secure Deletion
Copies of the PDFs you share can accidentally end up left behind in email drafts, your downloads folder, or cloud storage. Under KVKK's "deletion and destruction" obligation, make sure these copies are securely destroyed.
What to Do in the Event of a Data Breach?
Under KVKK Article 12, once a data breach is discovered, it must be reported to the Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK) within 72 hours. Depending on the nature of the breach, administrative fines can range from 1,500 TL to 1,000,000 TL.
Conclusion
To comply with KVKK:
- Redact PDFs that contain personal data
- Add password protection
- Share only with authorized individuals
- Destroy documents whose retention period has expired