These forums are now Read Only. If you have an Acrobat question, ask questions and get help from one of our experts.

How can I prevent someone from Converting a PDF to Word, then editing?

deanna_kay
Registered: Nov 13 2007
Posts: 18

I am new to Security, and was testing today by first converting a Word document to PDF, then adding security settings.

I was surprised to find, though, that after I saved my Secure PDF, that I could open it up and convert it using PDF Converter (software).

Is there some way to prevent this? Othewise, a person could convert a PDF to Word, make changes, then save as PDF again and who would know unless they compared documents?

Thanks for any help. This may be a "duh" for most of you, but I'm just learning!

:-)

gkaiseril
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
What were the exact items you locked down? Setting an open password only prevents a user from opening the PDF, but once opened they can do anything if no other actions are restricted.

If you alow printing, one could scan the printed PDF and OCR it into a Word docuemnt.

And not all non-Adobe applications respect Adobe's security.

George Kaiser

deanna_kay
Registered: Nov 13 2007
Posts: 18
This is a contract, a Word document. It contains contract terms and pricing, as well as a .jpg signature dropped onto the page.

Please tell me HOW I can secure this document, so that we can send it to our client via email, allow the client to print a hard copy, physically sign the contract, and FAX back to us.

Hopefully we can prevent conversion of the document to Word and modification of the document. I understand if a person prints a doc they can scan a doc to .pdf, but I'm thinking in this case we must allow the client to print hard copy. WWYD???

Anyone? Bueller??? (Couldn't resist.) Thanks for any help you can provide.
gkaiseril
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
Since you have not told anyone what you se, I would use the standard password Acrobat Security and lock everything except low resolution printing. Assigning a non-blank password of 8 or more characters including at least one number and one special character and save and close the PDF.

Of course you could just print and fax the document to the client and then the client could just sign and fax back the signed document.

In either case, I would compare what was sent to what was returned.

George Kaiser

deanna_kay
Registered: Nov 13 2007
Posts: 18
Thanks for your response.

What is the difference (security speaking) between Lo-res and hi-res printing? As in, why restrict Hi res?

Bear with me...I'm learning!

d