How secure are crippled PDF files?

[Nigel_DeFreitas@adobeforums.com]

Let's say I have a PDF file that has the following document controls in place:
1. Disabled Printing
2. Disabled Copying
3. Disabled Save As...
4. A Watermark

Would it be possible for me to use the Acrobat SDK to read this document and re-enable these functions? Or could I implement my own viewer/parser using the PDF specs to read out the contents of the document and retain their formatting?

Thanks.

[Bernd Alheit]

Do you have the permission password?

[Leonard_Rosenthol@adobeforums.com]

The PDF Reference from Adobe makes it clear that use of the specification to access "protected content" without proper use is not permitted and will cause enforcement of our IP policies.

Leonard Rosenthol
Adobe Systems

[Nigel_DeFreitas@adobeforums.com]

Thanks for your prompt responses.

No - the end user will not have access to the password we use to protect the document, however they will be able to view and read it.

Leonard,
What exactly do you mean by "will cause enforcement of our IP policies"? Does this mean that in court we can claim that the intellectual property (IP) rights of our protected document were violated?

i.e. We'd need to know about it first, and then take the offender to court. Is this written into the PDF specification as well?

Thanks.

[Leonard_Rosenthol@adobeforums.com]

My comment is about Adobe pursuing the developer of any tool that processes a PDF in violation of the rights embedded into the document. It has nothing to do with how users treat your documents - that's something you need to deal with.

If you are concerned about security, then you should choose a solution that is designed for enterprise or government level security such as Adobe's LiveCycle Rights Management Server.

Leonard