# PDF encryption security?



## NaphtaliPress (Jul 5, 2006)

I asked this question in the publisher's forum but after finding the paper on PDF security below thought I would post this to the computer/tech forum. It appears that there is no such thing as a secure PDF. Are there alternatives to PDF? Do they have the same problems or similarly are not really secure?
White Paper on PDF security


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## crhoades (Jul 5, 2006)

Rule of thumb on security. Nothing is secure. If the Pentagon can be hacked, so can documents. Usually you want to go with high encryption rates as well as layers of security. But it also depends on the audience. In your case with pdf files for puritan works, I would think pdf security would work fine.

The software product that I manage for work uses crypkey as a security wrapper. It works great. Can it be hacked. Of course. I found the hack code online before we even purchased the product but it was at such a level that noone that would buy our product would have the inclination or the capacity to try it. Crypkey may work for you as well. They have an automated server licensing mechanism that would work as well. Of course this all will cost $$...


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## NaphtaliPress (Jul 5, 2006)

Thanks Chris. Not much comfort.  You may be right that standard pdf security is fine for our little market; though I have seen at least one Christian book seller of Puritan ebooks that clearly altered another's product and was reselling as their own. So I'm not convinced that the risk level for misuse is low in the Reformed/Puritan ebook market, though with more original "new edition" products it may be less than the example I have in mind. Do you have a website for Crypkey so I can check it out? Thanks again.



> _Originally posted by crhoades_
> Rule of thumb on security. Nothing is secure. If the Pentagon can be hacked, so can documents. Usually you want to go with high encryption rates as well as layers of security. But it also depends on the audience. In your case with pdf files for puritan works, I would think pdf security would work fine.
> 
> The software product that I manage for work uses crypkey as a security wrapper. It works great. Can it be hacked. Of course. I found the hack code online before we even purchased the product but it was at such a level that noone that would buy our product would have the inclination or the capacity to try it. Crypkey may work for you as well. They have an automated server licensing mechanism that would work as well. Of course this all will cost $$...


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## crhoades (Jul 5, 2006)

http://www.crypkey.com

You're probably already aware, but Acrobat allows you to place security on the document to not allow altering. There are ways around it of course. There is actually a really simple way to bypass it but for the sake of publishers, I shall not post it. When my time frees up, I plan on starting a digital publishing company. Everything will be released directly into digital .pdf files so if I spot anything, I'll let you know. I'll also ask when appropriate to be let into the forum to make sure I won't duplicate efforts...


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## NaphtaliPress (Jul 5, 2006)

> _Originally posted by crhoades_
> http://www.crypkey.com
> 
> You're probably already aware, but Acrobat allows you to place security on the document to not allow altering. There are ways around it of course. There is actually a really simple way to bypass it but for the sake of publishers, I shall not post it. When my time frees up, I plan on starting a digital publishing company. Everything will be released directly into digital .pdf files so if I spot anything, I'll let you know. I'll also ask when appropriate to be let into the forum to make sure I won't duplicate efforts...



Thanks Chris; email me the work around if you don't mind (not that I plan to use it but best to know the defect and one's potential enemy).


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## NaphtaliPress (Jul 5, 2006)

Does Logos have a proprietary encryption for their digital library or are they subject to the same weaknesses of PDFs?


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## crhoades (Jul 5, 2006)

Proprietary. I'm not aware of a way of decompiling logos books. As always there is the caveat of being able to copy and paste. That's a good thing unless you are the holder of the copyright...I have a couple thousand works in Logos and would love to add more...hint, hint!

With the advent of the internet, book scanners etc., copyright's are a difficult thing nowadays. It really comes down to honesty on the viewer's end.


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