Adobe 22020737 Acrobat X Pro Manual - Page 230

Securing documents with passwords, Add password security

Page 230 highlights

USING ACROBAT X PRO 224 Security Securing documents with passwords Add password security You can limit access to a PDF by setting passwords and by restricting certain features, such as printing and editing. However, you cannot restrict saving copies of a PDF. The copies have the same restrictions as the original PDF. Two types of passwords are available: Document open password With a document open password (also known as a user password), users must type in the password you specify to open the PDF. Permissions password When you set only a permissions password (also known as a master password), recipients don't need a password to open the document. However, they must type the permissions password to set or change the restricted features. If the PDF is secured with both types of passwords, it can be opened with either password. However, only the permissions password allows the user to change the restricted features. Because of the added security, setting both types of passwords is often beneficial. Note: You cannot add passwords to a signed or certified document. All Adobe products enforce the restrictions set by the permissions password. However, if third-party products do not support these settings, document recipients are able to bypass some or all of the restrictions you set. Important: If you forget a password, you cannot recover it from the PDF. Consider keeping a backup copy of the PDF that isn't password-protected. 1 Do one of the following: • In a single PDF or component PDF in a PDF Portfolio, open the PDF and choose Tools > Protection > Encrypt > Encrypt with Password. (You can also choose File > Properties and select the Security tab.) If you don't see the Protection panel, see the instructions for adding panels at "Task panes" on page 9. • In a PDF Portfolio, open the PDF Portfolio and choose View > Portfolio > Cover Sheet. Then choose Tools > Protection > Encrypt > Encrypt With Password. (You can also choose File > Portfolio Properties and select the Security tab.) Note: If these options are unavailable, it's either because the document or PDF Portfolio already includes security settings, or the PDF was created in LiveCycle Designer ES. 2 If you receive a prompt, click Yes to change the security. 3 Select a compatibility level. This option sets the encryption level and key size. Encryption algorithm and key size are version specific. Ensure that your encryption level is equal to or lower than the recipients' version of Acrobat or Reader. 4 Select the document components to encrypt. To allow the document contents to be searched, leave the metadata unencrypted. To create security envelopes, use Encrypt Only File Attachments. 5 Select the type of password to add, and then type the password in the corresponding field. For each keystroke, the password strength meter evaluates your password and indicates the password strength using color patterns. If you are setting a permissions password, determine the level of access. Last updated 10/11/2011

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118
  • 119
  • 120
  • 121
  • 122
  • 123
  • 124
  • 125
  • 126
  • 127
  • 128
  • 129
  • 130
  • 131
  • 132
  • 133
  • 134
  • 135
  • 136
  • 137
  • 138
  • 139
  • 140
  • 141
  • 142
  • 143
  • 144
  • 145
  • 146
  • 147
  • 148
  • 149
  • 150
  • 151
  • 152
  • 153
  • 154
  • 155
  • 156
  • 157
  • 158
  • 159
  • 160
  • 161
  • 162
  • 163
  • 164
  • 165
  • 166
  • 167
  • 168
  • 169
  • 170
  • 171
  • 172
  • 173
  • 174
  • 175
  • 176
  • 177
  • 178
  • 179
  • 180
  • 181
  • 182
  • 183
  • 184
  • 185
  • 186
  • 187
  • 188
  • 189
  • 190
  • 191
  • 192
  • 193
  • 194
  • 195
  • 196
  • 197
  • 198
  • 199
  • 200
  • 201
  • 202
  • 203
  • 204
  • 205
  • 206
  • 207
  • 208
  • 209
  • 210
  • 211
  • 212
  • 213
  • 214
  • 215
  • 216
  • 217
  • 218
  • 219
  • 220
  • 221
  • 222
  • 223
  • 224
  • 225
  • 226
  • 227
  • 228
  • 229
  • 230
  • 231
  • 232
  • 233
  • 234
  • 235
  • 236
  • 237
  • 238
  • 239
  • 240
  • 241
  • 242
  • 243
  • 244
  • 245
  • 246
  • 247
  • 248
  • 249
  • 250
  • 251
  • 252
  • 253
  • 254
  • 255
  • 256
  • 257
  • 258
  • 259
  • 260
  • 261
  • 262
  • 263
  • 264
  • 265
  • 266
  • 267
  • 268
  • 269
  • 270
  • 271
  • 272
  • 273
  • 274
  • 275
  • 276
  • 277
  • 278
  • 279
  • 280
  • 281
  • 282
  • 283
  • 284
  • 285
  • 286
  • 287
  • 288
  • 289
  • 290
  • 291
  • 292
  • 293
  • 294
  • 295
  • 296
  • 297
  • 298
  • 299
  • 300
  • 301
  • 302
  • 303
  • 304
  • 305
  • 306
  • 307
  • 308
  • 309
  • 310
  • 311
  • 312
  • 313
  • 314
  • 315
  • 316
  • 317
  • 318
  • 319
  • 320
  • 321
  • 322
  • 323
  • 324
  • 325
  • 326
  • 327
  • 328
  • 329
  • 330
  • 331
  • 332
  • 333
  • 334
  • 335
  • 336
  • 337
  • 338
  • 339
  • 340
  • 341
  • 342
  • 343
  • 344
  • 345
  • 346
  • 347
  • 348
  • 349
  • 350
  • 351
  • 352
  • 353
  • 354
  • 355
  • 356
  • 357
  • 358
  • 359
  • 360
  • 361
  • 362
  • 363
  • 364
  • 365
  • 366
  • 367
  • 368
  • 369
  • 370
  • 371
  • 372
  • 373
  • 374
  • 375
  • 376
  • 377
  • 378
  • 379
  • 380
  • 381
  • 382
  • 383
  • 384
  • 385
  • 386
  • 387
  • 388
  • 389
  • 390
  • 391
  • 392
  • 393
  • 394
  • 395
  • 396
  • 397
  • 398
  • 399
  • 400
  • 401
  • 402
  • 403
  • 404
  • 405
  • 406
  • 407
  • 408
  • 409
  • 410
  • 411
  • 412
  • 413
  • 414
  • 415
  • 416
  • 417
  • 418
  • 419
  • 420
  • 421
  • 422
  • 423
  • 424
  • 425
  • 426
  • 427
  • 428
  • 429
  • 430
  • 431
  • 432
  • 433
  • 434
  • 435
  • 436
  • 437
  • 438
  • 439
  • 440
  • 441
  • 442
  • 443
  • 444
  • 445
  • 446
  • 447
  • 448
  • 449
  • 450
  • 451
  • 452
  • 453
  • 454
  • 455
  • 456
  • 457
  • 458
  • 459
  • 460
  • 461
  • 462
  • 463
  • 464
  • 465
  • 466
  • 467
  • 468
  • 469
  • 470
  • 471
  • 472
  • 473
  • 474
  • 475
  • 476
  • 477
  • 478
  • 479
  • 480
  • 481
  • 482
  • 483
  • 484
  • 485
  • 486
  • 487
  • 488
  • 489
  • 490
  • 491
  • 492
  • 493
  • 494
  • 495
  • 496

224
USING ACROBAT X PRO
Security
Last updated 10/11/2011
Securing documents with passwords
Add password security
You can limit access to a PDF by setting passwords and by restricting certain features, such as printing and editing.
However, you cannot restrict saving copies of a PDF. The copies have the same restrictions as the original PDF. Two
types of passwords are available:
Document open password
With a document open password (also known as a
user
password), users must type in the
password you specify to open the PDF.
Permissions password
When you set only a permissions password (also known as a
master
password), recipients don’t
need a password to open the document. However, they must type the permissions password to set or change the
restricted features.
If the PDF is secured with both types of passwords, it can be opened with either password. However, only the
permissions password allows the user to change the restricted features. Because of the added security, setting both
types of passwords is often beneficial.
Note:
You cannot add passwords to a signed or certified document.
All Adobe products enforce the restrictions set by the permissions password. However, if third-party products do not
support these settings, document recipients are able to bypass some or all of the restrictions you set.
Important:
If you forget a password, you cannot recover it from the PDF. Consider keeping a backup copy of the PDF
that isn’t password-protected.
1
Do one of the following:
In a single PDF or component PDF in a PDF Portfolio, open the PDF and choose Tools > Protection > Encrypt >
Encrypt with Password. (You can also choose File > Properties and select the Security tab.) If you don’t see the
Protection panel, see the instructions for adding panels at “
Task panes
” on page
9.
In a PDF Portfolio, open the PDF Portfolio and choose View > Portfolio > Cover Sheet. Then choose Tools >
Protection > Encrypt > Encrypt With Password. (You can also choose File > Portfolio Properties and select the
Security tab.)
Note:
If these options are unavailable, it’s either because the document or PDF Portfolio already includes security settings,
or the PDF was created in LiveCycle Designer ES.
2
If you receive a prompt, click Yes to change the security.
3
Select a compatibility level. This option sets the encryption level and key size.
Encryption algorithm and key size are version specific. Ensure that your encryption level is equal to or lower than the
recipients’ version of Acrobat or Reader.
4
Select the document components to encrypt.
To allow the document contents to be searched, leave the metadata unencrypted. To create security envelopes, use
Encrypt Only File Attachments.
5
Select the type of password to add, and then type the password in the corresponding field. For each keystroke, the
password strength meter evaluates your password and indicates the password strength using color patterns. If you
are setting a permissions password, determine the level of access.