How secure can image protect software and PDF protection software really be? First let us consider the means and methods that can be used to exploit copy protected media. Both images and PDF can be distributed for desktop reading and also displayed on web pages where they are vulnerable to copy, print and conversion to other file formats that are not protected.
Copy protecting media such images and PDF from all exploits requires sophisticated counter measures and that is why most protection software fails. Take for example the many solutions that disable right click options (context menu) to prevent PrintScreen and save options. Now while that may remove the most obvious options for copy and save, it does not prevent screenshots at all which can be keyed from the keyboard. For example, Ctrl-A will select all, Ctrl-C will copy everything to the clipboard, and Ctrl-V will paste that copy into any document or image editor at the user’s disposal. The user may also be aware of the PrintScreen button or the Snipping Tool, or using a web browser extension designed to select and copy any target area.
Preventing print is likewise not as simple as removing the print button in the reader, because without an obvious button to send the document to print, the user can always use Ctrl-P on their keyboard or look in the web browser tool bar for print options. Also, by allowing print any protection to prevent copy and save can be thwarted because allowing the user to send the document or image to a printer, will provide options to choose which printer and the list can include printer drivers of the type than convert documents to other file types, thus enabling the user to convert your protected document to Word or normal PDF that is no longer protected.
Password protection is commonly touted as being DRM, but while requiring a password to open and display the image or PDF can be required, it does not prevent sharing because that password can be shared with the protected file. Also, passwords are usually easily extracted because the protection can be poorly designed. If password protection has been added simply to satisfy a list of features copied from a competitor’s website, then the password will be simply stored in the header of the file where it is easily accessible. A more secure solution would be to store the password inside the encrypted body of the file using a double layer of encryption to get to it.
Real DRM requires that the user have explicit permission assigned by an encrypted token file or from live call-to-home validation requests. However in both cases a unique computer ID is required to be identified and recorded to the DRM account to prevent the sharing of token files and logins.
These are just a few of the problem areas and weaknesses in almost every image protect software and PDF protection software available today. That is why the CopySafe PDF Protection software is the preferred choice where livelihoods are at stake because only CopySafe PDF protects from absolutely all avenues of exploit and it is the only solution that can most effectively copy protect image and PDF for both desktop reading and viewing online from web pages.
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