Encrypt PDF

[Former Community Member]

Hello

How do we encrypt data that a user submits to a webserver. Does applying a permissions password on the form guarantee that the data that will be posted to a HTTPS/HTTP URL be encrypted. Appreciate your earliest response.

[Former Community Member]

I suggest posting it over an https link. You can encrypt the data and/or the pdf but you will have to deal with user certificates to be able to do the encrypting.

[Former Community Member]

Thanks Paul.

This is what we are planning to do. Appreciate if you could let me know if I am following the right steps:



1. PDF is developed using LiveCycle Designer 8.0

2. The Submit button in the PDF has a URL link < https://server-name/servlet-name/ > and URL encoded set to UTF-8.

3. A Permissions Master password is set on the PDF and Usage rights enabled for users to download the form and save it to their desktop.

4. PDF will be published to a public website.

5. The servlet that receives the PDF request to process form data will be deployed to a secure Websphere server. This web sphere server has an SSL certificate.



Here are the steps the user might do to submit data:



1. Access our website and download the form to his/her desktop.

2. Fill out the PDF form and click Submit button.

3. Servlet processes the form data.



My question is, is there anything else we need to do to make the form data secure??

[Former Community Member]

Note that the password access to get the form has nothing to do with the integrity of the data submission. You could make access to the form better but the submission seems fine to me.

[Former Community Member]

Thanks Paul. Do I need to specify any security policies using Adobe Acrobat after setting up the HTTPS connection?

I am looking at the "Managing Security Policy" window in Adobe Acrobat 8 and wondering if it has anything to do with my requirement.



Also, does adobe reader work as a browser when submitting form?

[Former Community Member]

Yes ...it leverages the browser if the form is loaded in there. You will have to add the SSL cert to the trusted store or you will be prompted each time you connect.

[Former Community Member]

Thanks Paul for all your answers but what I meant earlier was, if adobe reader itself acts a browser when submitting the form after a pdf form is opened with stand alone adobe reader and not using a browser with plugin.

[Former Community Member]

Not sure on that one ....there is code added into Acrobat/Reader to do the submission (in lieu of the browser). I would be surprised if it did not support https.