Risk levels L0–L3

Four levels

Level	Typical files	Handling
L0 Ordinary	Quotations, drafts, internal material	Replacement allowed
L1 Sensitive business	Business files with personal or commercial data	Replacement allowed, with a prompt to review
L2 Signed or issued	Files with signature wording or issuance details	Confirmation required; output pages get an “EDITED COPY” mark
L3 Official or certified	Certified copies, officially issued certificates	Not changed in place

Which signals are used

Signals include wording such as “Certified True Copy” (in Chinese or English), names of issuing authorities, document types, verification QR codes, machine-readable zones (MRZ) on identity documents, red seals, and signature and contract wording. “Draft” or “Unsigned” does not count as signed.

The exact thresholds and rule combinations are not published, so that they cannot be used to get around the check.

Batch and command line

• In batch processing, each file is checked separately: L3 files are skipped, and L2 files are processed only when “Also process signed or issued files” is ticked.
• In command-line mode, L2 files are changed only when PDF_RISK_CONFIRM=1 is set. L3 files are not changed in place.

Why it works this way

PDF Text Replacer is for correcting files you have the right to change. For certified copies and officially issued certificates there is no legitimate business reason to edit in place, so the app refuses. This rule cannot be turned off in the enterprise edition either. For more, see Risk controls.

FAQ

Does the check need an internet connection?

No. It runs entirely on your computer.

What if the level is wrong?

If an ordinary file is rated too high, you can still use secure redaction, or contact us with feedback. The rule that L3 files are not changed in place cannot be turned off.

Is secure redaction limited by risk level?

No. Redaction only removes information, so files at any level can be redacted.