| PDF Security and DRM Packages in Depth | | | | Supported Operating Systems: Windows , Macintosh |
| Comparison | | | | Supported PDF Viewers: Lizard Safeguard PDF |
| Security and Digital Rights Management (DRM) | | | | Viewer |
| systems try to protect copyrights and digital | | | | Pricing: Start From $2,495 |
| contents by limiting access by users to contents. | | | | PDF Security OwnerGuard |
| They provide facilities for electronic publishers to | | | | Vendor Description : |
| distribute their precious contents to prevent any | | | | PDF Security OwnerGuard provides Security, DRM, |
| illegal distribution and usage. | | | | Copy Protection, Licensing and Distribution |
| In this article we're about to analyze features, | | | | Management solution for Adobe PDF Documents. This |
| weaknesses and restrictions about variety of DRM, | | | | product is made especially for internal company |
| Protection and Security packages for Adobe Portable | | | | documents security and publishers of high value |
| Document Format (PDF). The comparison is based on | | | | information published in PDF format. |
| system analysis, personal experiences and the | | | | Overview : |
| provided information and demos in vendors websites. | | | | OwnerGuard is not based on plug-in or custom |
| The comparison is based on several parameters | | | | viewers. OwnerGuard DRM implementation seems to |
| including: | | | | be based on external security/drm layers for Foxit |
| Licensing methods: | | | | and Adobe Reader. The protected pdf documents |
| Offline Licensing : Licensing without need for License | | | | are not standard pdf files but they're accessible using |
| servers and Internet connection which is suitable for | | | | standard Adobe Reader and Foxit Reader. The |
| offline users. | | | | protection and licensing systems are provided as |
| Standalone Licensing : This licensing method is usually | | | | standalone applications and also as server APIs for |
| provided as a License Generator application. This | | | | integration. |
| method is suitable for small businesses or individual | | | | Website: |
| self-publishers. | | | | Licensing methods: |
| Standalone Web-Based Licensing : In this method all | | | | Offline Licensing Y |
| required licensing and user management components | | | | Standalone Licensing Y |
| are hosted on Publisher web servers. | | | | Standalone Web-Based Licensing Y |
| Hosted Web-Based Licensing : In this method all | | | | Hosted Web-Based Licensing N |
| required licensing and user management components | | | | Indirect Licensing Y |
| and pages are hosted on DRM vendor website. | | | | Distribution Controlling Mechanisms: |
| Indirect Licensing : Indirect licensing is usually used to | | | | User-Based Identification N |
| provide reseller mechanisms for protected pdf | | | | Computer-Based Identification Y |
| documents redistribution. | | | | Domain Authorization Y |
| Distribution Controlling Mechanisms: | | | | Protected Document Features: |
| User-Based Identification: This identification is usually | | | | Offline Viewing Y |
| based on user information, and passwords which are | | | | Combined Licenses Y |
| provided by DRM users. This method provides a | | | | Protected PDF Changes Y |
| minimum distribution management control but ease of | | | | Support Embedded PDF Contents Y |
| use. | | | | Supported User Rights: |
| Computer-Based Identification: This authorization | | | | Printing Rights Y |
| system is based on user computer. There are several | | | | Page Print Count Y |
| hardware information which is commonly used by | | | | Clipboard Rights Y |
| DRM vendors including : Hardware Serial Numbers | | | | Opening Count Y |
| (Mainboard, CPU, HDD, MAC), Volume Serial Numbers | | | | Timing: |
| and specific hardware information. This method | | | | Expiration Dates Y |
| provides maximum security and distribution | | | | Working Times Y |
| management control over the protected pdf | | | | Security Level: |
| documents. | | | | Reversing Protection Y |
| Domain Authorization : Support for domain licensing | | | | Screen Grabbers Protection Y |
| instead of per user/computer authorization. In this | | | | Virtual Machine Detection Y |
| method, licenses are server based using online | | | | Virtual Printers Detection Y |
| Licensing server. This method is ideal for internal | | | | Integration: |
| company document security and local networks. | | | | Standalone Programming Interfaces Y |
| Protected Document Features: | | | | Web-Based Licensing Interfaces N |
| Protected PDF Changes : User ability to insert | | | | Installation: PDF OwnerGuard License Manager needs |
| comments, notes, attachments or modifications on a | | | | to be installed on user system. |
| protected pdf. | | | | Supported Operating Systems: Windows |
| Combined Licenses : Support for Combined licenses | | | | Supported PDF Viewers: Adobe Acrobat/Reader 3.x |
| which are required to open a protected pdf | | | | + , Foxit Reader 2.x + |
| document. Each license may come from a separate | | | | Pricing: Start From $1,995 |
| server or publisher. | | | | Drm-x PDF Packager |
| Offline Viewing : Support for the protected pdf | | | | Vendor Description : |
| documents to be accessible for offline users. | | | | Haihaisoft DRM-X provides cost-effective and secure |
| Support Embedded PDF Contents : Support for | | | | on-demand DRM service that you can easily protect, |
| embedded contents (flash, video, sound, 3D models | | | | publish, and sell your documents. It gives you total |
| and ..), to be used within a protected pdf pages. | | | | control over who accesses your digital content and |
| Supported User Rights: | | | | under what terms, enabling you to increase revenue, |
| Printing Rights : Support for users printing rights. | | | | bring products to market faster, and attract new |
| Page Print Count : Limitations on number of pages | | | | customers. |
| user can print from protected pdf documents. | | | | Overview : |
| Clipboard Rights : Limitations on accessing the system | | | | Drm-x PDF Security is based on a secure viewer |
| clipboard when opening a protected pdf document. | | | | "Haihaisoft PDF Reader" and "Haihaisoft Multimedia |
| Opening Count : Limitations on number of times user | | | | PDF Reader". Haihaisoft PDF Reader security rate is |
| allows to open a protected pdf. | | | | acceptable but Haihaisoft Multimedia PDF Reader just |
| Timing: | | | | decrypts the protected pdfs to a temp location and |
| Expiration Dates : Expiration time controlling system. | | | | open using Acrobat Reader as Inside OLE application. |
| Working Times : Support for opening time limitations | | | | The protected documents are not in standard pdf |
| for protected pdf documents. This method is ideal | | | | format and they are not accessible using Adobe |
| for implementation of trial based systems for | | | | Acrobat/Reader. The licensing system is based on |
| protected pdf documents. | | | | license servers which are hosted on Haihaisoft |
| Security Level: | | | | servers. |
| Reversing Protection : Protection against Reverse | | | | Website: |
| Engineering methods and tools. | | | | Licensing methods: |
| Screen Grabbers Protection : Protection against | | | | Offline Licensing N |
| screen grabber programs and Print Screen. | | | | Standalone Licensing N |
| Virtual Machine Detection : Locking the protected | | | | Standalone Web-Based Licensing N |
| pdfs to Virtual machines (VMware, Virtual PC, Wine | | | | Hosted Web-Based Licensing Y |
| and ...)), will cause security holes in Computer-Based | | | | Indirect Licensing N |
| Identification systems. Locking a protected pdf to a | | | | Distribution Controlling Mechanisms: |
| virtual machine is equal to loosing protected pdf | | | | User-Based Identification Y |
| distribution control as virtual machine hardware info | | | | Computer-Based Identification Y |
| and serial numbers are not unique. | | | | Domain Authorization N |
| Virtual Printers Detection : Detecting virtual printers | | | | Protected Document Features: |
| and preventing users from printing to these printers. | | | | Offline Viewing Y |
| Virtual printers are usually used to convert printing | | | | Combined Licenses N |
| outputs to standard portable document file formats | | | | Protected PDF Changes N |
| like PDF, PostScript or … Printing to a virtual printer | | | | Support Embedded PDF Contents Y |
| will completely unprotect the protected pdf | | | | Supported User Rights: |
| document by saving a raw documents as the result | | | | Printing Rights Y |
| of printing outputs. | | | | Page Print Count N |
| DRM Removers : Programs which can attack/remove | | | | Clipboard Rights Y |
| the security/protection systems from protected | | | | Opening Count Y |
| document. | | | | Timing: |
| Integration: | | | | Expiration Dates Y |
| Standalone Programming Interfaces : Standalone | | | | Working Times N |
| Programming Interfaces (APIs) are used by | | | | Security Level: |
| programmers to link and integrate current systems | | | | Reversing Protection Y |
| with DRM Security, Protection and Licensing features. | | | | Screen Grabbers Protection N |
| Web-Based Licensing Interfaces : Web-Based | | | | Virtual Machine Detection N |
| Licensing interfaces are placed on DRM vendor | | | | Virtual Printers Detection N |
| website. | | | | Integration: |
| Installation: Components, Plug-ins or DRM Managers | | | | Standalone Programming Interfaces N |
| needed to be installed on user computer in order to | | | | Web-Based Licensing Interfaces N |
| access the protected contents. | | | | Installation: Haihaisoft PDF Reader needs to be |
| Supported Operating Systems: Supported operating | | | | installed on user system. |
| systems for opening protected documents. | | | | Supported Operating Systems: Windows |
| Supported PDF Viewers: Supported operating | | | | Supported PDF Viewers: Haihaisoft PDF Reader |
| systems for opening protected documents. | | | | Pricing: Charges are Per License |
| Pricing: Prices for drm package. | | | | Drumlin PDF Security |
| FileOpen Publisher | | | | Vendor Description : |
| Vendor Description : | | | | The Drumlin PDF software and DRM service provides |
| FileOpen Systems develops digital rights management | | | | a complete and cost-effective PDF security solution. |
| software to prevent unauthorized viewing, copying | | | | It includes a free PDF reader with built-in |
| and printing of digital documents. Documents | | | | military-strength encryption, wide-ranging secure |
| encrypted with FileOpen software are native PDF | | | | publishing ('writing' a secure PDF file), coupled with a |
| and will display seamlessly in Adobe Reader--no | | | | free central Digital Rights Management (DRM) service. |
| passwords or external viewers are necessary. | | | | Overview : |
| Overview : | | | | Drumlin PDF Security is based on a secure viewer |
| FileOpen Publisher is a plug-in based drm and | | | | "Drumlin PDF Reader". The protected documents |
| protection system for Adobe PDF documents. The | | | | (.drmx) are not in standard pdf format and they are |
| protected PDF documents are standard pdfs and | | | | not accessible using Adobe Acrobat/Reader. The |
| they're accessible within Standard Adobe Reader. The | | | | licensing systems are based on license servers which |
| licensing systems are based on license servers which | | | | are hosted on Drumlin servers. |
| can be hosted on your own servers or FileOpen | | | | Website: |
| servers. | | | | Licensing methods: |
| Website: | | | | Offline Licensing N |
| Licensing methods: | | | | Standalone Licensing N |
| Offline Licensing N | | | | Standalone Web-Based Licensing N |
| Standalone Licensing N | | | | Hosted Web-Based Licensing Y |
| Standalone Web-Based Licensing Y | | | | Indirect Licensing N |
| Hosted Web-Based Licensing Y | | | | Distribution Controlling Mechanisms: |
| Indirect Licensing N | | | | User-Based Identification Y |
| Distribution Controlling Mechanisms: | | | | Computer-Based Identification Y |
| User-Based Identification Y | | | | Domain Authorization N |
| Computer-Based Identification Y | | | | Protected Document Features: |
| Domain Authorization N | | | | Offline Viewing Y |
| Protected Document Features: | | | | Combined Licenses N |
| Offline Viewing Y | | | | Protected PDF Changes N |
| Combined Licenses N | | | | Support Embedded PDF Contents N |
| Protected PDF Changes N | | | | Supported User Rights: |
| Support Embedded PDF Contents Y | | | | Printing Rights Y |
| Supported User Rights: | | | | Page Print Count N |
| Printing Rights Y | | | | Clipboard Rights Y |
| Page Print Count N | | | | Opening Count Y |
| Clipboard Rights Y | | | | Timing: |
| Opening Count Y | | | | Expiration Dates Y |
| Timing: | | | | Working Times N |
| Expiration Dates Y | | | | Security Level: |
| Working Times N | | | | Reversing Protection Y |
| Security Level: | | | | Screen Grabbers Protection N |
| Reversing Protection N | | | | Virtual Machine Detection N |
| Screen Grabbers Protection N | | | | Virtual Printers Detection N |
| Virtual Machine Detection N | | | | Integration: |
| Virtual Printers Detection N | | | | Standalone Programming Interfaces N |
| DRM Removers : | | | | Web-Based Licensing Interfaces N |
| Advanced PDF Password Recovery | | | | Installation: Drumlin PDF Reader needs to be installed |
| Integration: | | | | on user system. |
| Standalone Programming Interfaces Y | | | | Supported Operating Systems: Windows, Macintosh |
| Web-Based Licensing Interfaces N | | | | Supported PDF Viewers: Drumlin PDF Reader |
| Installation: Additional DRM Plug-in needs to be | | | | Pricing: Charges are Per License |
| installed on Adobe Acrobat/Reader for users. | | | | Virtium Protectedpdf |
| Supported Operating Systems: Windows , Macintosh | | | | Vendor Description : |
| Supported PDF Viewers: Adobe Acrobat/Reader 5.x | | | | Protectedpdf provides publishers of e-books, |
| + | | | | research reports, educational texts and other |
| Pricing: Start From $2,995 | | | | electronic content with an innovative approach to |
| Lizard Safeguard | | | | PDF security. The protectedpdf technology |
| Vendor Description : | | | | empowers companies to secure their PDF documents |
| Lizard Safeguard PDF Security is for publishers of high | | | | against misuse, piracy and unauthorized sharing. |
| value or confidential information published in PDF | | | | Overview : |
| format, whether for sale to the public or internal | | | | Protectepdf security and drm systems are |
| control and protection, where a higher degree of | | | | implemented inside protected pdfs using embedded |
| security and control is required - beyond simple pdf | | | | javascript and a drm overlay pdf layer which provides |
| password protection. There are no passwords for | | | | a minimum security but maximum ease of use for |
| you to send, or for users to enter, manage, forget, | | | | users. Protected pdfs are in standard pdf format and |
| or pass onto others. | | | | they're accessible using standard Adobe Acrobat |
| Overview : | | | | Reader. There is no additional software installation |
| Lizard Safeguard is based on a secure viewer "Lizard | | | | needed for users. The licensing systems are based |
| Safeguard PDF Viewer". The protected documents | | | | on license servers which can be hosted on your own |
| (.pdc) are not in standard pdf format and they are | | | | servers or Virtium servers. |
| not accessible using Adobe Acrobat/Reader. The | | | | Website: |
| licensing systems are based on license servers which | | | | Licensing methods: |
| can be hosted on Locklizard or your own servers. | | | | Offline Licensing N |
| Website: | | | | Standalone Licensing N |
| Licensing methods: | | | | Standalone Web-Based Licensing Y |
| Offline Licensing N | | | | Hosted Web-Based Licensing Y |
| Standalone Licensing N | | | | Indirect Licensing N |
| Standalone Web-Based Licensing Y | | | | Distribution Controlling Mechanisms: |
| Hosted Web-Based Licensing Y | | | | User-Based Identification Y |
| Indirect Licensing N | | | | Computer-Based Identification Y |
| Distribution Controlling Mechanisms: | | | | Domain Authorization Y |
| User-Based Identification Y | | | | Protected Document Features: |
| Computer-Based Identification Y | | | | Offline Viewing Y |
| Domain Authorization N | | | | Combined Licenses N |
| Protected Document Features: | | | | Protected PDF Changes Y |
| Offline Viewing Y | | | | Support Embedded PDF Contents Y |
| Combined Licenses N | | | | Supported User Rights: |
| Protected PDF Changes N | | | | Printing Rights N |
| Support Embedded PDF Contents N | | | | Page Print Count N |
| Supported User Rights: | | | | Clipboard Rights N |
| Printing Rights Y | | | | Opening Count Y |
| Page Print Count N | | | | Timing: |
| Clipboard Rights Y | | | | Expiration Dates Y |
| Opening Count Y | | | | Working Times N |
| Timing: | | | | Security Level: |
| Expiration Dates Y | | | | Reversing Protection N |
| Working Times N | | | | Screen Grabbers Protection N |
| Security Level: | | | | Virtual Machine Detection N |
| Reversing Protection N | | | | Virtual Printers Detection N |
| Screen Grabbers Protection Y | | | | DRM Removers : |
| Virtual Machine Detection N | | | | Protectedpdf DRM Overlay PDF Layer can be |
| Virtual Printers Detection Y | | | | removed using Adobe Acrobat Full |
| DRM Removers : | | | | Integration: |
| LockLizard PDC Un-Protector | | | | Standalone Programming Interfaces Y |
| Integration: | | | | Web-Based Licensing Interfaces Y |
| Standalone Programming Interfaces Y | | | | Installation: No additional software installation needed. |
| Web-Based Licensing Interfaces Y | | | | Supported Operating Systems: Windows , Macintosh |
| Installation: Lizard Safeguard PDF Viewer needs to be | | | | Supported PDF Viewers: Adobe Acrobat/Reader 6. |
| installed on user system. | | | | |