PDF Security and Digital Signature Properties

PDF Security and Digital Signature

The PDF security settings change the viewing, extracting, printing, and form filling permissions of your output PDF document. You can also apply Digital Signature to your PDF which identifies you as the author of the document as much as a conventional handwritten signature does.

PDF Security

Digital Signature

PDF SECURITY

Enable PDF Security

Select this option to turn PDF Security on (The security settings must be honored by the PDF viewing application in order to secure a document. Adobe Acrobat® as well as other PDF related products from BCL Technologies honor PDF security.)

The PDF security settings change the viewing, extracting, printing, and form filling permissions of your output PDF document. For example, de-selecting the print feature means that users will be prevented from printing the your PDF document.

Security Type

Two security types are available:

40 bit security: compatible with Adobe Acrobat 4.0®
128 bit security: compatible with Adobe Acrobat 5.0®

Owner Password

This option sets the Owner Password. The owner password allows the owner of the document to access various permissions from within a PDF viewing application. For example, in Adobe Acrobat®, the owner can click [File -> Document Security] and enter the owner password to change document settings.

User Password

This option sets the User Password. After the PDF is created, users must enter this password before being able to view the file.

Printing

When the security type is set to 40 bit security, there are only two options for printing:

Allow Printing: Allows the user to print the PDF document
Do not Allow Printing: Prevents the user from printing the PDF document

When the security type is set to 128 bit security, there are three options for printing:

Permit Full Printing: Allows the user to print the PDF document

Permit Low Level Printing: Allows the user to print a low quality copy of the PDF document

No Printing: Prevents the user from printing the PDF document

Modification

When the security type is set to 40 bit security, there are only two options for modification:

Allow Modification: Allows the user to modify the PDF document (changing the position of information on the page, adding / removing pages, etc.)
Do not Allow Modification: Prevents the user from modifying the PDF document

When the security type is set to 128 bit security, there are three options for modification:

Permit Full Modification: Allows the user to modify the PDF document
Permit Assembly: Allows the user to add or remove pages
No Modification: Prevents the user from modifying the PDF document

Extraction

When the security type is set to 40 bit security, there are only two options for extraction:

Allow Extraction: Allows the user to extract information from the PDF document (copy, convert to RTF, etc.)
Do not Allow Extraction: Prevents the user from extracting information from the PDF document

When the security type is set to 128 bit security, there are three options for extraction:

Permit Copy/Extraction for all purposes: Allows the user to extract information from the PDF document
Permit Copy/Extraction for accessibility: Allows the user to extract information only for accessibility purposes
No Copy or Extraction: Prevents the user from extracting information from the PDF document

Form Filling

When the security type is set to 40 bit security, there are only two options for form filling:

Allow Annotating/filling forms: Allows the user to annotate or fill out forms in the PDF document
Do not Allow Annotating/filling forms: Prevents the user from annotating or filling out forms in the PDF document

When the security type is set to 128 bit security, there are three options for form filling:

Permit Form Filling or Annotating: Allows the user to fill out forms or annotate the PDF document
Permit Form Filling : Allows the user to fill forms, but not annotate the PDF document
No Form Filling or Annotating: Prevents the user from form filling or annotating the PDF document

DIGITAL SIGNATURE

If this option is selected, you will be prompted to insert a Digital Signature every time easyPDF Printer Driver generates a PDF file.

Click on the the "Configure..." button to setup your Digital Signatures.

What is Digital Signature

A digital signature identifies the person signing a document as much as a conventional handwritten signature does. Unlike conventional signatures, however, a digital signature also stores information about the person signing the document. Signatures also help prevent unwanted changes to a PDF document.

easyPDF Printer Driver supports two kinds of signatures: visible and invisible signatures. A visible signature appears both in the document and the Signatures tab. An invisible signature only appears in the Signatures tab. A document is best signed only after you have applied the final changes to it, so it doesn't have to be altered anymore.

Select or Create a Digital ID

To apply Digital Signature into your PDF document, you must first select the Digital ID that you would like to use to sign the PDF file. If you do not have a Digital ID, you can create a new one.

Create a new Digital ID

Click the "New" button to create a new self-signed Digital ID. You will be the owner of this Digital ID, and when you sign a PDF file using this ID, other people can verify that your signature is valid by comparing it with your certificate (you can send them your certificate before hand. See Export Certificate below for more information on how to distribute your certificate).

Delete

Click [Del] to remove the Digital ID from the easyPDF Printer Driver Digital ID Bank. Click [View] to view the Digital ID details.

View

Click [View] to view the Digital ID details.

Export

You can export either your Certificate or your Digital ID.

Export Certificate

When you attach your digital signature to a PDF file, anyone who needs to verify that you signed the document must have a copy of your certificate. To export your certificate, click [Export...] and select [Certificate]. Please note that people can also obtain a copy of your certificate by choosing to trust a document that you have signed. However, physically giving them a *.cer file that they can install and trust is a better practice.

Export Digital ID

You may need to export a copy of your Digital ID file (e.g. giving someone else the power to sign documents on your behalf). To export your Digital ID, click [Export...] and select [Digital ID]. Please note that this file is encrypted and, and you must enter your password to sign a document with this Digital ID.

Signature Details

You can change the signature details associated with a particular PDF file such as "Reason for Signing," "Contact Information," and "Location." This information will be included with your signature.

Signature Location

If you would like your signature to appear as a graphic on the first page of the PDF file, select the [Visible] checkbox. You can then set the size of the graphic by changing the width and height percentages. You can then click anywhere inside the "position box" to choose the coordinates where the graphic should appear.