Sample Protected PDF File?

Question

Greetings,
Does anyone have a PDF file that has been protected by rights management (or can create a simple one).  I want to test some things but can not find a sample file.  Specifically, I'm trying to determine if a PDF file can be limited to 1 printing.  And if so, can someone use one of the many free PDF printer driver creators to print it to a new PDF file - thereby defeating the purpose.
Thanks,

Answer 1

TJ, I work on the busienss side of Adobe LC solutions.  So, I am always looking for the business side of the issue. Some of the technical issues get people hung up and they do not really think through the process after they find one little hang up.
If you do allow anything to be printed which has been protected by RM, the only real way to deter people from giving it to someone that is not authorized to see it, is to use watermarks on the printed version and on the screen vesions also (stop people form using Snag It etc.).  Typically the indivuals name that has the right to open and print it.  If your name was printed as a large water mark they would show up on copies and make it difficult to photo copy it is unlikely you would be as willing to let the docuemtn get into the worng hands.  With that siad that does not prevent accidental loss or theft of the printed version.  If the document security is that high you may jsut need to convince the people not to allow printing.
It amazes me how something like this will get a comany off track and potentially cause them not to use a solution like RM.  The bottom line is if the document is worth protecting then it probablay worth the added inconvenence that comes with RM.  That includes the potential chance of less portability.
I have talked to many companies that think if they password protect a PDF it is safe, when most of us in the busienss know that there is a lot of freeware and low cost product that will open a password protected document without even asking for a password.  When I see people questioning the features of RM I can't help but feel they need to re-think the possitive featurees in a product like RM and ask themselves; what will it cost my company or me if this information gets in the wrong hands.  Everything from Board of Director notes to Propritary Training materials.  I worked with a company that sales training to tens of thousands of people every years.  Within weeks of the time new training materials are released in their classroom you can find the PDF version on the web.  Thier competiors use thier ideas to produce similar trainig classes and many students give copies to thier friends and co-workers for free.  By the way, they are password protected.  For 1% of thier annual income from the training they could have protected their training manuals, but they elected not to.  I am confident they loose much more tahn 1% to the free copies and the competior taking adavantages of the millions they spent ceated the training.  Before you decide not to use a solution like RM, ask youself how safe the information is in its current format.