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Copy protect documents, reports, ebooks, elearning courses from piracy & sharing
Copy protection is all about controlling the authority to make copies of a piece of media. Copy protection software, therefore, looks to restrict who can make copies, and sometimes their type or quality. If you do not have copy protection, then pirates will quickly mass-share your work for free, regardless of your legal rights (copyright).
The practical limitations of making physical copies of works are usually copy protection enough. Even the humble paperback is not worth scanning and printing. Other than the serious number of hours needed to scan a paperback, the printing cost, unless you are a commercial printer, is simply prohibitive. You would not spend 12 hours of your time and $25 in ink to make a single copy when you can buy one in your local mall for $5.95.
In the world of computing, however, copying is a trivial and inexpensive activity. Copying a file from your downloads folder to a piracy site is literally child’s play. Clearly, the traditional limitations that ensure copy protection no longer work in the computer environment. Copy protection now has to be active rather than passive, especially since distribution via email or a cloud server costs nothing.
Protect your IPRSee why thousands of companies use Locklizard to safeguard their documents and increase revenue streams.
Copy protect documents, files, ebooks, reports & training courses from unauthorized copying
How can you achieve copy protection when making copies is so trivial?
The first thing to realize about digital copying is that there is nothing wrong with allowing the copying of files in themselves. The copy is only useful if you can interact with it, whether that be by opening and viewing it in an application or editing its code. All you really need to do is make sure that only the purchaser can use their copy.
The easiest way to do this is to lock use to an authorized user’s device. While technically a friend could look over their shoulder or borrow their device, so too could they lend a physical book. The important thing is that they cannot make new copies that can be used indiscriminately by users who have not paid.
Ultimately, then, copy protection is not a matter of literally stopping someone from copying a file. It’s about making those copies useless to those who do not have the right to use them. The only realistic way to achieve copy protection is through the use of cryptography. See PDF copy protection for more details on protecting PDFs against unauthorized copying.
What file types can you secure with software copy protection?
There is no one-size-fits-all software copy protection tool: they vary in what they can secure depending on their focus and underlying technology. Locklizard, for example, is purpose-built to protect PDF documents, offering advanced DRM controls and encryption specifically designed for this format. If you need to secure documents such as reports, training materials, eBooks, or manuals, Locklizard provides effective protection against copying, printing, and unauthorized distribution.
However, software copy protection more broadly can be applied to other file types through different DRM solutions:
 | Copy Protection Components |
Below are the main components of a good copy protection system. Each component adds a layer of security that helps enforce copy protection controls.
To copy protect a file in the PDF format, right-click on them in Windows File Explorer and select the menu option ‘Make Secure PDF’.
Then in Safeguard Secure PDF Writer, choose the copy protection to apply:
Distribute protected PDFs just like any other file – send by email, upload to a website, etc. It does not matter who downloads protected documents, as only authorized users can access them.
How to use Locklizard USB copy protectionUSB, flash, or pen drives are typically considered one of the least secure ways to share documents. Without USB copy protection, once they’re out there, they can be easily lost or stolen. Safeguard, however, allows you to conveniently hand documents to external parties on a USB device without having to worry. This is how it works:
Protecting to a USB with Safeguard
Configuring USB publication with Safeguard
Documents are encrypted with copy protection on USB flash drives, ensuring secure offline access.
Secure USB Viewer
Download copy protection softwareDownload copy protection software with DRM controls to protect your intellectual property – copy protect PDF files, documents, ebooks, reports, training and elearning courses against piracy and sharing.
Prevent unauthorized access and misuse – protect against copying, printing, editing and sharing of your content. DRM copy protection software that ensures the security and use of your information with US Gov strength encryption, transparent key management, DRM and licensing controls. There are no useless passwords, plugins or JavaScript that users can remove, share, or bypass.
Read our customer testimonials and case studies to see why thousands of organizations use Locklizard PDF security to share documents securely and sell PDFs securely.
FAQs
Yes. Safeguard Portable USB allows you to encrypt and apply digital rights management controls to a document and then publish it to a USB device (flash drive, PEN drive, etc.). On publish, the documents and encryption keys are transferred to the USB drive and locked there, along with the secure viewer application. The document can then be opened directly from the USB device with no additional software required. Users can view files offline with full protection – there is no need for an Internet connection.
If you mean protecting the text and images on the website itself, then no. The browser just doesn’t have enough control or obfuscation to prevent a user from copying or downloading text and images from a website using their browser’s developer mode. JavaScript can be both edited and disabled to bypass protection.
It’s better to put sensitive content inside of a PDF document, use DRM software to protect it, then provide it as a download on your site. The document copy protection will be far more effective, preventing copy and paste, printing, editing, screen capture, and more.
Well, you can copy the file itself as many times as you want, but any decent copy protection software still stop you from doing anything with its contents. If you’re asking how to make a copy of the file’s contents, then the method of bypass varies depending on the copy protection software used to secure it. If the file in question is a password protected PDF or Word file, the answer is easy: use a cracking app such as Elcomsoft or an online tool. Alternatively take a screenshot and run it through an optical character recognition tool. If you are in possession of a Locklizard-protected .pdc file, the only route to copy it is to ask the Publisher to enable printing or screenshotting.
No, doing so is pretty much impossible in the modern era. Every file uploaded to a messaging application, website, etc. is a new copy. Instead, it ensures that these copies can still only be opened by authorized users and that all DRM controls are enforced both online and offline. See How to protect a PDF from being copied.
Bypassing copy protection that was applied using Locklizard is difficult. The only route users can take is to take a picture of their screen with their phone, but dynamic watermarks will quickly identify them if they share that photo with others.
As for other copy protection solutions:
See ebook DRM which covers ebook formats and software protection solutions to prevent piracy.
There are various methods you can use to protect a PowerPoint presentation from being copied. Password protection is not effective so consider IRM or DRM for stronger security.
Does Locklizard copy protect video files or images?
Locklizard only protects files in the PDF format and videos embedded in PDFs will not play after they are encrypted. Embedded images will still be viewable and will be protected against copying, editing and screenshots.
What is the best way to protect my digital media from piracy?
Using a DRM solution. For video files and video games the leading solutions are Widevine and Denovo. For PDF documents, we believe that Locklizard is the best choice.
