PDC Viewer Security & DRM Controls
Licensing Control
Before you can open a secure PDF file (PDC file) you have to install a Viewer and register your license, or have been given access to Safeguard Web or USB Viewers. Registration of the license verifies your account and enables you to open the secure documents you have been given access to.
PDF Decryption
When you view a secure PDF file (PDC file) for the first time, the Secure PDF Viewer software will check if it already has the correct key needed for decryption so that you can view it. If it does not, the Secure PDF Viewer will check with your publisher’s administration server to see if you have been granted access to the document, and the rights that pertain (you MUST be connected to the Internet at this point). If access is allowed then the decryption key is securely transferred from the administration server to the Secure PDF Viewer and you are then able to view the secure PDF document.
If access is not allowed, a message, set by the publisher, will be displayed telling you how they wish to be contacted so that you can gain access to the secure PDF file.
After a secure PDF document has been successfully opened, you may not need to connect to the Internet unless the publisher of the secured PDF document requires this or you take an action such as making a printed copy, that has to be verified online before it can be allowed.
If a publisher has protected documents to a publication that you have been granted access to, then once you have viewed one secure PDF document from that publication, you will not have to connect to the Internet again to use other secure PDF documents in that publication, unless the publisher’s controls require you to.
Why our own Secure PDF Viewer achieves security & independence
Secure PDF content cannot be compromised by other applications or the common Adobe PDF security flaws and cracks because:
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NO Plug-ins
PDF file security is not compromised by plug-in failures or conflicts. In fact, we believe that plug-ins are potentially so insecure that we prevent them from loading so they can’t compromise our security. See Adobe PDF plug-in vulnerabilities. |
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NO JavaScript
JavaScript is one of the commonest forms of malicious attack. We do not allow JavaScript to run in any of our installed Viewers since it can seriously compromise user’s computers – see PDF security issues. |
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NO Adobe Acrobat
We don’t have to update our PDF security product every time Adobe updates Acrobat in order for it to work. We don’t rely on the Adobe Viewer at any time. |
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NO Passwords
NO passwords are required or distributed to grant access to secure PDF content. |
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NO temporary files
Secure PDF documents are only ever decrypted on-the-fly in memory. Secure PDF files are never saved to disk in temporary format or to the Windows swap file. |
For a more detailed security overview see our DRM technology.
PDF DRM Controls for PDF Document Protection
When you protect PDF files you have to specify the document access controls to stop copying, prevent printing, disable print screen, and other DRM protection measures used to protect copyright and prevent intellectual property theft. The Viewer software enforces these PDF controls.
There are some general DRM controls that must always be present. Secured PDF content must always be protected from editing. Secure PDF documents must be locked to individual computers to make sure they cannot be shared. These controls cannot be achieved without the use of application software (a Secure PDF Viewer) that can effectively enforce these requirements.
You can check to see which secure PDF controls that have been applied to a document and who the publisher is just by placing the mouse over the protected document, or by right clicking on it, selecting Properties (last option on the panel) and then clicking on the Secure PDF file tab.
Users and publishers need to be aware of the secure PDF controls that are available, and that controls may overlap. A list of controls and their impacts is given below.
- The publisher may have placed controls on the secure PDF document that require you to connect to the Internet whenever you want to use a document, or connect occasionally, and the viewer will automatically enforce those controls. If an Internet connection is required, the secure PDF document will not open until the license has been checked.
- The publisher may only have licensed you to view a secure PDF document for a specific number of times. If that is the case you must be connected to the Internet in order to view the secure PDF document.
- The secure PDF document may no longer be usable after a certain number of views, prints, days from when you first viewed it, or it may be set to expire on a specific date.
- You may or may not be able to print a secure PDF document (the print icon therefore may or may not be enabled) and/or printing may be limited to a number of copies.
- When you print a secure PDF document a watermark image or text may be displayed on the printed document and this may include your name, company name, email address, and a date/time stamp.
- You may be prevented by the publisher from viewing a secure PDF document in thin-client and virtual environments unless you obtain a license for the environment.
- The publisher may have prevented use of certain devices. Use of the secure PDF file may have been prevented on Macintosh, Android, and iOS operating systems.
- The publisher may have restricted the location (i.e. office only) from where you can use secure PDF files.
- The viewer window size may be preset and fixed if the publisher has decided on that option, and/or certain viewer controls may not have been made available.
- The publisher may have licensed you to view a secure PDF file on one or more computers. However, one computer is the default license.
- Details of when your account with the publisher of the secure PDF file expires (if ever) and also when the secure PDF document you are viewing expires (if ever) are displayed at the bottom of the Secure PDF Viewer window in the status bar.
Printing Allowed
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