A set of electronic documents, such as emails, may include private information. A privatized image is generated to represent the set of electronic documents by identifying probable-pixel and proven-pixel locations within a subset of images. The subset of images is used to create blurred and obfuscated image having the private information distorted.

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a reading unit, a document cover and a lock part. The reading unit is provided on an upper portion of the apparatus main body in an openable and closable manner, and readable an image of a document. The document cover is provided on an upper portion of the reading unit in an openable and closable manner, and presses the document placed on the reading unit. The lock part holds one of the reading unit and the document cover in a closed state when the other of the reading unit and the document cover is in an opened state.

Provided is an image forming system that simply and securely protects printed matter that is not so important, but that the user does not wish others to view. An external apparatus receives a simple-security setting for image data for which there is a printing instruction, includes the simple-security setting in the printing instruction, and transmits the printing instruction to an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus, when a simple-security setting is included, adds a mark image to the image data for which there is a printing instruction, and prints the image data. A projector, by an imaging unit, captures an image of the discharge tray, and when a mark image is detected, generates a projection image on which a security image is arranged, and projects the projection image toward the discharge tray.

An image formation device includes an image formation section that forms an image on a transfer medium, and a control section that acquires a read image for which the image formed on the transfer medium is read, the control section has a function of determining abnormality regarding the read image, and a function of performing masking processing on the read image in a case where user content is included in the read image.

Provided is an image forming system that simply and securely protects printed matter that is not so important, but that the user does not wish others to view. An external apparatus receives a simple-security setting for image data for which there is a printing instruction, includes the simple-security setting in the printing instruction, and transmits the printing instruction to an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus, when a simple-security setting is included, adds a mark image to the image data for which there is a printing instruction, and prints the image data. A projector, by an imaging unit, captures an image of the discharge tray, and when a mark image is detected, generates a projection image on which a security image is arranged, and projects the projection image toward the discharge tray.

An image capturing apparatus receives a request for image capturing commission from an information processing apparatus, saves a captured image file obtained by image capturing, transmits the captured image file, to the information processing apparatus and disable access to the saved captured image file.

An image processing apparatus includes a processor configured to: in a case of printing data to be printed, perform masking processing on a predetermined concealed portion according to a predetermined access policy; and perform a process of embedding and outputting inquiry information for inquiring about the concealed portion in the data to which the masking processing has been performed.