how to protect from editing or converting to text a pdf file?

Question

I am using a version of Ms Office of 2010, it was a beta version of public domain (I dont recall the name, but I believe it was called Blue version or something like that). I usually make my documents using the MS Word and then saving it like a pdf file using the function to publish as a pdf file within Word. The problem that I have is that some people are converting my documents into text, putting their name on it, and credited my work to them; so I would like to know if there is a way to:

• protect with a password the editing of my document
• protect it from converting into txt, with a password if its possible
• maybe but a digital signature in which it says my name as an author

I want that the people who access it can only read it, and nothing more.

I am using MS Word 2010 and Foxit Pdf (an old version), I usually do not use Adobe Acrobat.

Thanks

Answer 1

Depending on how determined these people are to steal your work, I think what you're asking to do is essentially impossible, especially since you seem mostly concerned with the copying of the content even to a .txt file. This is a problem with Digital Rights Management in general - it's likely impossible to make something that a computer can read without allowing the computer to make a copy of it (and if the computer can make a copy of it, they can duplicate it without the protections).

In the worst case scenario, they could just convert it to an image and then OCR the text. That said, there are some options to make it harder for people to copy your documents. You may want to look into restricted permissions in MS Office. Additionally, you can try converting your documents to a PDF that does not include the text (just images of the text), and a watermark behind it, to try and prevent them from easily OCR-ing your text. There are plenty of ways to do it, I've never tried so I can't give any specific recommendations. If you wanted to do it completely free, you might have to convert to a PDF, then open the PDF with an image editor, rasterize it, create a watermarked background, then publish it.

Answer 2

That would actually be a case for Acrobat (Pro). However, the "master" password can be pretty easily removed; there are applications out there, which do that (assuming that their user is entitled to do so).

If you want harder protection, you will have to use a DRM system, and there you will have to decide how much it is worth to you. You might look at the products and services by FileOpen, for example. Adobe as well has a DRM product in its LiveCycle server family.