[NEWS] Acrobat PDF Protection is not Very Secure

From: support@securiteam.com
Date: 10/22/01 

From: support@securiteam.com
To: list@securiteam.com
Subject: [NEWS] Acrobat PDF Protection is not Very Secure
Message-Id: <20011022073327.DCB6F138C9@mail.der-keiler.de>
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001 09:33:27 +0200 (CEST)

The following security advisory is sent to the securiteam mailing list, and can be found at the SecuriTeam web site: http://www.securiteam.com
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  Acrobat PDF Protection is not Very Secure
------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY

Most companies use Acrobat's Portable Document Format (PDF) to produce
good looking files and many companies use the built-in security feature in
Acrobat to protect their documents. A method has been found to easily
unprotect such PDF files.

DETAILS

HP released a nice document called:
"Building a Windows NT bastion host in practice", this document is a PDF
protected document that mean you can only print the document, you cannot
do copy and past or any modification.

The document is protected using standard method. Here is how you can test
this.

Create a PDF document and protect it by following these steps:

1) Open the PDF file.
2) From Acrobat Exchange menu choose File/Save-AS.
3) A dialog Box will open in Security Drop Down field choose STANDARD (it
is the only choice).
4) Once you clicked STANDARD you will see another Dialog windows title
(Security) fill in:
    1) Put a password in "Change Security Options" field.
    2) Under "Do Not Allow" Check Changing the document check
       Selecting Text and Graphics, and Finally Check
       Adding or changing Annotations and Form Fields.
   3) Click OK to close the security 'Dialog Box'.
5) Now your document is protected and you will see that you cannot do any
copy or text selection you can only print.

To unprotect the PDF you just created, or any other protected document you
have received:
1) Open the PDF.
2) From Acrobat Exchange menu choose File/Save-AS.
3) A dialog box will open in Security Drop Down field none.
4) A dialog box will popup in modal form with this message.
    Are you sure you want to change the security Method?
5) Click OK then Click Save.
6) Now you have an unprotected document.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The information has been provided by <mailto:adonis1@videotron.ca>
NtWaK0.

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