Adding security to pdf files, Security options – Adobe Illustrator CS3 User Manual
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ILLUSTRATOR CS3
User Guide
286
See also
“Printing and saving transparent artwork” on page 417
“About overprinting” on page 424
Adding security to PDF files
When saving as PDF, you can add password protection and security restrictions, limiting not only who can open the
file, but also who can copy or extract contents, print the document, and more.
A PDF file can require passwords to open a document (document open password) and to change security settings
(permissions password). If you set any security restrictions in your file, you should set both passwords; otherwise,
anyone who opens the file could remove the restrictions. If a file is opened with a permissions password, the security
restrictions are temporarily disabled.
The RC4 method of security from RSA Corporation is used to password-protect PDF files. Depending on the
Compatibility setting (in the General category), the encryption level will be high or low.
Note: Adobe PDF presets don’t support passwords and security settings. If you select passwords and security settings in
the Export Adobe PDF dialog box, and then click Save Preset, the passwords and security settings won’t be preserved.
Security options
You can set the following options when you create a PDF or when you apply password protection to a PDF. Options
vary depending on the Compatibility setting. Security options are not available for PDF/X standards or presets.
Compatibility
Sets the type of encryption for opening a password-protected document. Acrobat 6 and later lets you
enable metadata for searching.
Be aware that anyone using an earlier version of Acrobat cannot open a PDF document with a higher compatibility
setting. For example, if you select the Acrobat 8 option, the document cannot be opened in Acrobat 6.0 or earlier.
Require Password to Open the Document
Select this option to require users to type the password you specify to
open the document.
Document Open Password
Specify the password that users must type to open the PDF file.
Note: If you forget a password, there is no way to recover it from the document. It’s a good idea to store passwords in a
separate secure location in case you forget them.
Use A Password To Restrict Editing And Printing Of The Document
Restricts access to the PDF file’s security settings.
If the file is opened in Adobe Acrobat, the user can view the file but must enter the specified Permissions password
in order to change the file’s Security and Permissions settings. If the file is opened in Illustrator, Photoshop, or
InDesign, the user must enter the Permissions password, since it is not possible to open the file in a view-only mode.
Permissions Password
Specify a password that is required to change the permissions settings. This option is
available only if the previous option is selected.
Printing Allowed
Specifies the level of printing that users are allowed for the PDF document.
•
None
Prevents users from printing the document.
•
Low Resolution (150 dpi)
Lets users print at no higher than 150-dpi resolution. Printing may be slower because
each page is printed as a bitmap image. This option is available only if the Compatibility option is set to Acrobat 5
(PDF 1.4) or later.