How to Protect PDF Today Blog

When creating a PDF eBook, you need to be careful that PDF security concerns are adequately addressed.

Many eBook authors and producers today neglect to protect their PDF in a thorough manner, and end up regretting their PDF security decision later. Because in a few short weeks, hundreds, if not thousand of unauthorized copies of their PDF are sure to become available online.

How do PDF thieves manage to get around the PDF protection many eBook authors choose to use? The primary method most PDF authors use is the password method. That is, a special password they send to authorised users of the PDF file by email. Together with instructions to use this password to enable opening of the PDF file, this goes a small way toward preventing massive copying.

But the PDF password method to open a PDF file alone, can never be very effective, for the simple reason that the password can be easily passed along with the PDF file itself. As part of a single zip file, attached to the PDF file.

This is the main weakness in PDF security using a password, alone. It’s too easy for others to pass around.
What other solutions are there? Adobe Acrobat does have other, more complex PDF security methods, but they are quite complex. And Adobe Acrobat is not a cheap program to buy in the first place.

A number of alternate, more secure PDF protection methods are available that not only place a protective shell around your PDF document, they also offer real-time monitoring of who is opening your PDF file and how often.

This is offers much greater security because not only do you know that your PDF file has been opened, you can also withdraw user access to your PDF files at any time you want.

If you have a question about how enhanced PDF protection and security systems like these work, please take a look at these Frequently Asked PDF Security Questions.