Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus and computer-readable medium to effect maintenance and/or purging of a document file in a multi-user document of file management system operating over a network. The document management system stores all document files in encrypted form. An exemplary method to assure full and complete purging of a document comprises generating an encryption key for the document, storing the encryption key in a central key storage accessible over the network by multiple users, producing an encrypted version of the document using the encryption key, storing the encrypted document in a central file storage medium, enabling a user to retrieve the document using the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted document when accessing the central file storage medium, and when necessary purging all copies of the document from the document management system by purging or deleting the encryption key.