[Security] Menu


This section describes each item on the [Security] menu of the SkyPDF V4 Driver Settings screen.

  • Security settings cannot be set simultaneously with PDF/A and PDF/X.
  • Security settings cannot be set simultaneously with a round or square timestamp imprint. However, a timestamp for an invisible imprint can be set.

Security Settings

Security Types

In PDF security settings, you can restrict permissions such as viewing, printing, and editing based on password input and the presence of a certificate.
If you are setting up security using a password, please set Password in security types. If you are setting up security using a digital certificate, please set PKI in security types.

Password Settings

When you select Password in Security Types, you can set a password to encrypt the PDF and restrict the permissions of the viewer.

PDF Open Password

The password (up to 32 characters) required to open the PDF.

  • It may be referred to as the User Password.
  • You cannot set the same password as the Password to Change PDF Editing Permissions.
Password which change PDF permission

A password (up to 32 characters) required to change permission settings.
You can restrict the permissions when opening the PDF by a method other than entering this password.

  • It may be referred to as the Master Password or Owner Password.
If Password to Open PDF is enabled and the password input field is empty, a security setting dialog will be displayed at the time of printing (when creating a PDF), and you can set the Password to Open PDF.
However, if Windows Logs were selected as message notification method at the time of installation, you cannot set it at the time of printing.

PKI Settings

When you select [PKI] in [Security Types], you can encrypt the PDF using a digital certificate and restrict the permissions of the viewer. (Compatible PDF version: 1.5-2.0)

Only the certificates installed in the ‘Personal’ store or ‘Other People’ store of the certificate store can be used for security. Certificates installed in other stores cannot be used.

Certificates installed in the ‘Personal’ store are displayed as ‘O’ in the [Owner] field.

Edit recipients later

Check here to display a security setting dialog to set the certificate at the time of printing (when creating a PDF).

  • Permission settings need to be set in advance.
  • This setting is not set if Windows Logs were selected as message notification method at the time of installation. 
Security Certificate

Select the certificate to use from the [Installed Certificate].

  • Initially, a list of certificates installed in the ‘Personal’ store is displayed.
Installed Certificate

A list of certificates installed in the system that can be used for PKI. 

  • Initially, a list of certificates installed in the ‘Other People’ store is displayed.

When you press [Add],

the certificate selected in the list of [Installed Certificate] moves to the list of [Security Certificate].

When you press [Delete],

the certificate selected in the list of [Security Certificate] moves to the list of [Installed Certificate] as not to be used for security.

When you press [Details], the details of the selected certificate are displayed.

When you press [Verify], the [Security Certificate] is verified for validity.
If the certificate is valid, a green check mark is displayed in [Status], and if it is invalid, a red cross mark is displayed.

Permission Settings

Print Permissions This is where you set permissions related to printing the PDF.
Disallow Printing When this is set, it creates a PDF that cannot be printed.
Only allow to print with low resolution(150dpi) When this is set, it creates a PDF that can only be printed at low resolution.
Allow Printing When this is set, printing is allowed.
Edit Permissions This is where you set permissions related to editing the PDF.
None When this is set, it restricts all operations to edit the contents of the PDF.
Any except extracting pages When this is set, it allows all operations to edit the contents of the PDF.
Commenting, filling in form fields, and signing existing signature fields
Adding a stamp without a signature : Possible
Add/edit annotations : Possible
Filling out form fields : Possible
Sign the signature field : Possible
Inserting, deleting, and rotating pages : Not possible
Other edits : Not possible
Filling in form fields and signing existing signature fields
Adding a stamp without a signature : Not possible
Add/edit annotations : Not possible
Filling out form fields : Possible
Sign the signature field : Possible
Inserting, deleting, and rotating pages : Not possible
Other edits : Not possible
Inserting, deleting, rotating pages
Adding a stamp without a signature : Not possible
Add/edit annotations : Not possible
Filling out form fields : Not possible
Sign the signature field : Not possible
Inserting, deleting, and rotating pages : Possible
Other edits : Not possible
Enable copying of text, images, and other content This checkbox is for setting permissions related to copying and extracting content from the PDF.
Enable text access for screen render device for the visually impaired

This checkbox is for setting permissions related to the behavior of applications with text-to-speech functionality when opening a PDF.

  • It is necessary to set this when the PDF version is 2.0.

Encryption Settings

Encryption Level The higher the encryption level, the more effective it is in terms of security.
The higher the encryption level, the newer the PDF version should be.
128bit RC4 (Compatible PDF version: 1.3-1.7)
This encryption level can be set even for PDF versions 1.3 and 1.4.
It is not recommended for setting security for PDF versions 1.6 and later.
128bit AES v2 (Compatible PDF version: 1.6, 1.7)
This is a higher level of encryption compared to 128bit RC4.
256bit AES (Compatible PDF version: 1.7, 2.0)
This is a higher level of encryption compared to 128bit AES v2.
Encrypt Contents

This is the range of PDF components to encrypt.

  • Here, “metadata” refers to the [Title], [Author], [Subtitle], and [Keyword] that can be set in [Document Information].
Encrypt All Contents Encrypt all elements, including metadata.
Encrypt contents except meta data By not encrypting metadata, it is possible to read metadata without a password or certificate.
This is useful when searching for files from outside the PDF viewer.