document security

Document Security

Document Security: DRM Protect & Secure Documents, control, track use


Secure documents no matter where they reside:

  • Stop unauthorized access
  • Stop sharing and distribution
  • Strong US Gov strength encryption, DRM and licensing controls

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Document security management and protection systems


When we talk about document security we can have many different ideas as to what security is actually wanted or needed, and what it is there to achieve.  In this article we will look at the three principal approaches used today, how they rely upon each other and where they differ.

The principal approaches are encryption, DRM and collaboration.

Document Security Components

  • Encryption

    Underpinning all digital security systems is encryption. If your prospective document security system does not use this, then forget it because it is just smoke and mirrors.  Encryption is the technology that hides documents from those who are not authorized, and verifies that the content the originator created is unchanged.

    If you are an authorized recipient of encrypted information you have the ability to do anything you like with that information once you have removed the encryption.  That is the Achilles’ heel. The recipient of documents that have been encrypted can go on to use them in any way they wish, and to alter them in any way they wish.  That does not mean they can pretend that someone else originated them.  And that is a valuable protection, provided you can be bothered to look closely at the authenticity of documents you receive.  But judging by the number of people taken in by fake messages from financial institutions or amazing offers from Nigeria, maybe looking to see if a document is real is not a top priority.

    Encryption therefore is just the building block of document security but has limited controls.

  • DRM – Digital Rights Management

    DRM looks to take care of continuing control(s) over information.  Whether it’s a song, film or a book, DRM uses and then goes beyond the capabilities of pure encryption in enforcing persistent controls over the ability to use the content.  It is used to limit the ability to distribute (Copyright being the right to make copies and distribute!) or to print, or to view.

    Historically, DRM has been used when one entity wants to grant access to its information to another entity, but under controlled conditions.  This can be for making sure employees cannot take key documents with them if they leave, or that those who have bought a book, or a training course, cannot pass it on to anyone else without the publisher’ s permission (and, no doubt, a fee).

    The combination of digital rights management controls and encryption ensure documents cannot be shared with others, copied, modified or printed.  The use of copy and paste and screen grabbing is usually prevented (depending on the vendor).  Also, some DRM systems enable you to lock document use to specific locations (say an office in the US).  This can be an important security feature if you want to prevent mobile device users using documents from insecure or unauthorized locations.

    If you are looking therefore for complete control over your document security then a solution using digital rights management is what you need to purchase.

  • Collaboration

    Collaboration is an important aspect of document security where document modification is required.  Often it does not make use of encryption technology, but relies on access control mechanisms to identify who authorized users are, and to link those identities to the input they made to a specific document.

    As you can guess, collaboration is really a precursor activity to DRM.  The controls for collaboration are focused over making sure corporate administrators can be certain that only authorized persons had access to and could (or did) amend the document, and that it is properly authorized for distribution.  The document that is distributed will appear to be a finished item, and none of the internal management matters will be made available to anyone, either internally or externally.  The ability to prevent the use of simple cut and paste or stop screen grabbing by third party screen grabbers is usually not implemented.

    Collaboration tools require both ends to use the same software (and often the same version) so each party you need to communicate with must have the same infrastructure.

Making Document Security work for your organization

What can Document Security do for you?

The important question in document security is, “What are you trying to achieve?”

  1. If you are just sending confidential documents from point-to-point and are confident that the recipient will not share those documents with others then pure encryption is the right tool for you.
  2. If you need to allow document modification and track who has created/amended/authorized the content of a document, then Collaboration is for you.
  3. But if you want to administer the continuing use of document content and ensure documents are not shared with others then you need to pick a DRM solution.  Only DRM solutions provide the controls that you need to make sure your documents cannot be misused, either by staff or customers.

You need to be clear what your objectives are for securing documents, otherwise you can find yourself with the wrong kind of document security solution and wasted investment.

Why Locklizard for Document Security?

Document security software

Locklizard provides two different document security products to protect your documents against unauthorized use, sharing, and misuse.  Unlike other document security solutions, Safeguard and Enterprise document security does not require you or your recipients to install a specific infrastructure (i.e. Microsoft RMS) to securely use or exchange documents.  Documents are protected with encryption and DRM controls and are protected on your local computer – they can be distributed just like any other file.  There are no insecure passwords or public keys to manage.

Safeguard PDF Document Security

Safeguard PDF Security is document security software for PDF files.  You control who can access your documents, how long they can be used, where they can be used and when.  With Safeguard PDF document security you can stop or limit printing, expire and revoke documents at any stage, stop screen grabbing, and watermark documents with dynamic data to identify users.  Documents are locked to authorized devices and are only ever decrypted in memory so there are no unprotected files that users can distribute.  You can securely share or sell documents and control their use no matter where they reside.

Safeguard Enterprise Rights Management

Safeguard Enterprise is document security software for the larger organization.  It has all the document security features of Safeguard, plus you can log document use, lock user document access and use to specific countries and IP addresses (i.e. only an office location in the US), control sub-administrator access, flexible license checking and transfer, and reports.

With both our document security products, users view your secure documents using our FREE secure document viewers.  Users can either install our secure document viewer, or view secure documents in their browser or from a USB stick with our zero installation solutions.

“Safeguard is a cost-effective document security product that provides high security for our lesson plan books preventing them from being distributed and used without our knowledge.”

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How to Secure Documents with Safeguard Document Security

To secure a document

Select your PDF(s), then in Safeguard Secure PDF Writer, choose the document security controls you want to apply:

  1. Stop printing, allow printing or limit the number of prints.
  2. Add dynamic watermarks to viewed and or printed pages.  Dynamic variables replace actual user and system data when the document is viewed/printed so you only have to protect the document once for all users.
  3. Make the PDF expire on a specific date, after a number of views, after a number of prints, or after a number of days from opening.
  4. Allow or stop screen grabbing (even from remote connections) applications and prevent use of Windows print screen.
  5. Log document views and prints.
Safeguard’s default document security
  • Stops users editing, copying and pasting content
  • Locks PDF files to specific devices so they cannot be shared
  • There are no passwords for users to enter, manage, or remove
  • Revoke documents at any time regardless of where they reside

Secure Documents without Passwords

Locklizard takes your document security seriously.  We provide total document protection with US Gov strength AES encryption and public key technology to ensure your documents remain secure no matter where they reside.

  • Our Document Security products enable you to share documents securely without insecure passwords or plug-ins, and enforce access, location, expiry, and usage controls.
  • Our DRM controls persistently protect your documents and enable you to revoke documents at any time regardless of where they are.
  • Unlike password based document security systems, no keys are exposed to users or interfaces and documents are only ever decrypted in memory – see our DRM technology.
  • Our easy to use adminsitration system provides simple user and document management and unlike passwords, keys are transparently and securely managed for you.

See our customer testimonials or read our case studies to see why thousands of organizations use Locklizard to securely share and sell their documents.

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