As you run an enterprise, you probably have a host of PDF documents, including organizational policies, partner agreements, and client specific information. But, most of this information might be confidential and you would not want it to fall into the wrong hands.
So, you would have provided access rights to particular PDF documents for specific people in your organization or even for people outside, wherever applicable. However, if they are able to copy the PDF documents onto their systems, there is a good chance that such copied files can be accessed by an unauthorized person or passed on further by certain individuals (intentionally or unintentionally) for potential unauthorized access. This is why it is vital to take certain measures to ensure PDF copy protection of your files.
Let us look at how you can establish PDF copy protection in the long run.
PDF Copy Protection Overview
Copy protection is a critical aspect of PDF security and even PDF Digital Rights Management (DRM) and involves applying copy protection controls to your company’s PDF documents.
However, when talking about PDF copy protection, you need to understand that it is impossible to completely prevent people from copying PDF files. That being said, with the application of DRM, you can ensure that an authorized user can only access the PDF documents on one system and prevent any unauthorized distribution.
Now, it may also happen that certain users who subscribed to your PDF eBooks have not renewed their subscription. In such cases, they should no longer be able to access the PDF files, even though those documents have been downloaded onto their computer. All this is possible with DRM, achieved through the use of PDF copy protection software.
Key Functionalities of a PDF Copy Protection Tool
In simple words, the PDF files are encrypted and the users need cryptographic keys to decrypt the documents. Such keys are kept secret from the authorized users and locked to individual computers. In this way, even the authorized users cannot view the same files on multiple systems.
As discussed above, there may be times when your authorized users have downloaded the PDF documents onto their computers. These are nothing but copies of your original PDF files and the same can be forwarded or shared.
However, there are two ways in which your PDF copy protection solution can avoid any information leakage. The first is to lock the files to individual computers and avoid any further sharing, while the second is to make people enter some other information before they can view the PDF file. So, even if your copy protection tool cannot prevent the PDF documents from being copied, it can at least make sure that the files cannot be used.
In simple words, the PDF files are encrypted and the users need cryptographic keys to decrypt the documents. Such keys are kept secret from the authorized users and locked to individual computers. In this way, even the authorized users cannot view the same files on multiple systems.
And, although the PDF documents themselves may get shared, it will be impossible to share the decryption keys. So, any PDF files will be useless until the unauthorized person can get hold of the decryption key.
Thus, appropriate PDF copy protection software can ensure that no unauthorized access (read only, editing, and so on) is gained to your confidential PDF documents. But, what do you make of these PDF copy protection features? Feel free to share your feedback in the comments section below.