PDF Security

Security can be set to restrict access to the PDF or to require a password for modification. Some functions, such as splitting the document or extracting pages, cannot be performed without first breaking its security, and doing so will revert the PDF to an unsecured state.

Some actions, such as certifying or digitally signing a document, automatically secure it.

This process can be performed on multiple PDFs at the same time. PDFs don't need to be open in Revu when you run the process. If a document is open in Revu, any changes resulting from the process are made to the document, but the document won't be saved or checked in (if relevant); you must save and check in the document manually. If a document isn't open in Revu, and it isn't checked out/locked by another user, Revu applies and saves the document changes automatically (without opening the document).

The Security icon on the Navigation Bar shows the current security settings of the active PDF. Select the icon for complete security details. In general, the icons indicate the following security states:

No security is defined.

Password is required to open the document.

Printing and editing are limited.

Password is required to open the document and printing and editing are limited.

While the icon visible in the Navigation Bar shows the current security settings of the active PDF, you might want to see more details that one icon can give you. To view more information about a PDF's current security settings, follow these steps:

  1. Open the desired PDF.

  2. Go to Document >  Security or click the Security icon on the Navigation Bar.

    The current security settings are shown. To change any of these settings, select Change Permissions and enter the PDF's password (if required). See Changing Permissions below for more information.

  1. There are several ways to access PDF security. Do any of the following:
    • Go to Batch >  Security.
    • Go to Document > Security, then select Change Permissions on the PDF Security dialog that appears.
    • Go to Document >  Document Properties, select the Security tab, and select Change Permissions on the PDF Security dialog that appears.
    • select the Security icon on the Navigation Bar, then select Change Permissions on the PDF Security dialog that appears.
    • Select Change Permissions from the Security menu on the Navigation Bar.

  2. The active PDF, if any, is automatically added to the process. To add more PDFs, use one or more of the following methods:

    • Files: Adds individual files from a network or local drive. Selecting this option causes the Open dialog to appear. Navigate to the appropriate location and select the desired files.
    • Open Files: Adds all files currently open in Revu.
    • Open Set: Adds all files contained in the current Set.
    • Folder: Adds all files in a selected folder on a network or local drive, but not files contained in any of its subfolders. Selecting this option causes the Select Folder dialog to appear. Navigate to the desired folder and select it.
    • Folder and Subfolders: Adds all files in a selected folder on a network or local drive as well as all files within any of its subfolders. Selecting this option causes the Select Folder dialog to appear. Navigate to the desired folder and select it.
  1. To use a saved security configuration, select it from the Preset menu.
  2. To define a new security configuration, set one or both of the available passwords as described below (see Security Configurations for more information about the effects of the available combinations):
    • To require a password to open the PDF:
      1. Select Require Password to Open the Document.
      2. Enter the password in the Open Password field.
      3. Enter the password again in the corresponding Confirm field. If the passwords do not match, the OK button will not be available.
    • To enable editing and/or printing of the PDF:
      1. Select Enable Permissions to Limit Printing and Editing.
      2. Enter the password in the Master Password field. This password will grant users who possess it access to all editing and printing functions; all other users will be limited to the functions selected below the password fields.
      3. Enter the password again in the corresponding Confirm field. If the passwords do not match, the OK button will not be available.
      4. Set the permissions for users who do NOT have the Master Password by selecting from the available options. Users with the Master Password will have access to all the normal functions within Revu.
    • To encrypt the PDF, select an option from the Encryption menu. The options are arranged in order of complexity, from simplest to the most complex. In general, choose the most secure encryption type that is compatible with the recipients' PDF reader. All three encryption types can be opened by Revu Windows version 10.1 and later and Revu Mac.
    • To save this configuration for later use, see Saving and Applying Quick Security Settings below.
  1. Select Save at the bottom of the dialog. The new security configuration will not go into effect until the PDF is saved.

Security settings may be saved so that the same settings can easily be used again when applying security to other PDFs.

  1. Set the desired permissions as described in Changing Permissions above.
  2. Select Save to the right of the Preset menu. The Save Document Security Policy dialog appears.
  3. Enter a name for this configuration and select OK.

To apply a saved security configuration, follow these steps:

  1. Open the desired PDF.
  2. Select the desired security configuration from the Security menu on the Navigation Bar.

When defining a security configuration, there are two passwords that can be set. It is not necessary to set both if this is not desired. When deciding which configuration to use, consider the following:

Open password only

  • Users will be prompted for the password when trying to open the PDF.
  • Even with the password, no user will be able to edit or print the PDF.
  • Previews of the PDF will be obscured.
  • Any user who can open the PDF will be able to access and change the document's security settings.

Master password only

  • Users will not be prompted for a password when opening the PDF.
  • Actions available to users are determined by the options selected under Set Permissions on the PDF Security dialog.
  • Previews of the PDF are not obscured.
  • Users will be prompted for the password when trying to access the document's security settings.
    • Accessing the document's security settings will also bypass any permission limitations established under Set Permissions for the user. For example, if Allow Changes was unchecked, users would normally be unable to make any changes to the PDF. However, a user with the Master password can use it to open the document's security settings, causing Revu to recognize them as a document owner and granting them full access to all functions.

Both Open and Master passwords

  • Users will be prompted for the password when trying to open the PDF. Either password will work.
  • Functions available to users who enter the Open password are determined by the options selected under Set Permissions on the PDF Security dialog.
  • Users who enter the Master password automatically have access to all, normal Revu functions.
  • The Master password is required to access the document's security settings.
  • Previews of the PDF are obscured.

Related topics

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