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CoolSpools Spool Converter User Guide V6R1
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www.ariadnesoftware.co.uk
PASSWORD
–
PDF Security
Parameter
PASSWORD
Applies to
commands:
CVTSPLSTMF, CVTSPLPDF
The PASSWORD (PDF passwords) parameter allows you to password-protect your
PDF files and/or restrict the operations that can be performed on them.
Password protecting a PDF file allows you to e-mail it safe in the knowledge that, if
the e-mail goes astray or is intercepted, it will not be possible to open the PDF file
without the necessary password. Similarly, sensitive business documents can be
stored safely on your company server and will not be accessible by anyone who has
not been given the passwords to open them.
Restricting access rights to a file allows you to control what operations can be
performed on it, for example whether it can be modified or printed or text copied from
it). You can do this in conjunction with a password or without one.
PDF passwords are implemented using Adobe's standard encryption method. This
highly secure encryption technique employs the RSA Data Security, Inc. MD5
Message-Digest algorithm (described in Internet RFC 1321, The MD5 Message-
Digest Algorithm) and the public-domain ArcFour encryption algorithm.
Prior to version 1.4 of the PDF specification, PDF's standard encryption handler
limited the encryption key to 5 bytes (40 bits) in length, in accordance with U.S.
cryptographic export requirements, and 40-bit encryption is still the default. However,
you can also use the *PWD128BIT and *RST128BIT options to request 128-bit
encryption.
A PDF file may be allocated an "owner" password and a "user" password.
The "owner" password gives full access to all features of the document, i.e. entering
the "owner" password in Adobe Acrobat (as opposed to Acrobat Reader) will enable
you to modify, copy, print and annotate the document.
The "user" password gives either full access or limited access to the document,
depending on the user privileges that were granted when the file was created.
The privileges that can be granted are:
whether the document may be printed
whether text in the document may be copied
whether the document can be modified (requires Acrobat)
whether notes can be added to the document (requires Acrobat)
