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Adding security to Adobe PDF files

You can limit access to all Adobe PDF files created by Create Adobe® PDF Online by giving the files passwords and restricting certain features such as printing and editing. You can limit the access only when you first create a PDF file. When files have restricted features, any tools and menu items related to those features are dimmed in Adobe Acrobat®.

A PDF file can have an open document password (user password) and a change security settings password (master password). If the file has both passwords, it can be opened with either one. When a file is opened with an open document password, the security restrictions are temporarily disabled. If you set any security restrictions in your file, you should also specify a change security setting password (master password); otherwise anyone who opens the file could remove the restrictions.

Adobe Acrobat uses the RC4 method of security from RSA Corporation to secure PDF files.

To add security to Adobe PDF files, select a security setting from the pulldown menu on the Convert a File, Web Capture, or Paper Capture page.

To create a named security setting:

  1. Go to Preferences, and select the edit setting image under Security Options.

  2. Click New to create a new security setting, or select an existing setting and click Edit.

  3. In the Security dialog box, specify any password protection you want:
    • In the text box next to Open the Document, enter the password users must enter before they can open the file.
    • In the text box next to Confirm the Open Password, re-enter the password users must enter before they can open the file.
    • In the text box next to Change Security Options, enter the password users must enter before they can set or change any security options.
    • In the text box next to Confirm the Security Password, re-enter the password users must enter before they can set or change any security options.

      Note: You cannot use the same password in both boxes.

  4. The encryption level is set by the PDF compatibility level selected in the General Job options panel. The 40-bit RC4 (Acrobat 3.x, 4.x Compatible) encryption level has a lower level of security, but is compatible with Acrobat 3 and 4. The 128-bit RC4 (Acrobat 5 Only) encryption level has a higher level of security, but is compatible only with Acrobat 5.

    Note: The 128-bit RC4 option is available only if you select Acrobat 5.0 compatibility in the General tab of the selected Optimization setting.

  5. For 40-bit RCA encryption, select options to define the level of user actions allowed:
    • No Printing to prevent users from printing the file.
    • No Changing the Document to prevent users from creating form fields, as well as making any other changes.
    • No Content Copying or Extraction, Disable Accessibility to prevent user from copying text and graphics, and disabling the accessibility interface.
    • No Adding or Changing Comments or Form Fields to prevent users from adding or changing these areas. (Users can fill in the fields.)

  6. For 128-bit RCA encryption, select options to define the level of user actions allowed:
    • Enable Content Access for the Visually Impaired to allow document contents to be used, which is required to support the Accessibility feature.
    • Allow Content Copying and Extraction to let users select and copy the contents of the PDF document. This option also lets facilities that need direct access to the contents of a PDF, such as Acrobat Catalog, get to those contents.

  7. Choose an option from the Changes Allowed menu to describe the kind of changes you'll allow users to make on the PDF document:
    • None to prevent users from doing anything with the file, including filling in signature and form fields.
    • Only Document Assembly to let users insert, delete, and rotate pages, and create bookmarks and thumbnails.
    • Only Form Field Fill-in or Signing to let users sign and fill in forms, but not create them.
    • Comment Authoring, Form Field Fill-in or Signing to let users do everything described in the previous options, plus add comments.
    • General Editing, Comment and Form Field Authoring to let users do anything to the document except extract contents, and print.

  8. Choose an option from the Printing menu to define the level of printing users are allowed:
    • Not Allowed prevents users from printing the document.
    • Low Resolution lets users print, but at a resolution that prevents the user from recreating the PDF file with different security settings. (Printing may be slower because each page will be printed as a bitmapped image.)
    • Fully Allowed lets users print at any resolution, directing high-quality vector output to PostScript and other printers that support advanced high-quality printing features.

  9. Click Save to name and implement your settings.

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