A method and apparatus for processing an electronic document in a secure manner is provided. A scanner may verify that the configuration state of a file server has not changed since a prior configuration state by issuing a request to a security server. The security server may process the request to determine whether the configuration state of the file server has changed since the file server was registered with the security server. The security server may also verify that the scanner issued a request to store an electronic document using a file server or that the file server received the request. A storage medium of a file server may be protected against unauthorized removal of the storage medium by storing, separate from the storage medium, a password required to access the storage medium, and when the file server is powered on, the password is provided to the storage medium.