Providing Document Security
Security Handlers
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Acrobat SDK User’s Guide
S e c u r i t y H a n d l e r s
The code that performs user authorization and sets permissions is known as a
security
handler
. The core API has one built-in security handler. This security handler supports two
passwords:
●
A
user
password that allows a user to open and read a protected document with
whatever permissions the owner chooses
●
An
owner
password that allows a document’s owner to change the permissions granted
to users
You can either use the built-in security handler, or write a plug-in to create your own
security handlers to perform user authorization in other ways (for example, by the presence
of a specific hardware key or file, or by reading a magnetic card reader). You cannot create a
custom security handler using Acrobat JavaScript. A custom security handler can use
Acrobat or Adobe Reader’s built-in dialog boxes for entering passwords and for changing
permissions.
Security handlers are responsible for:
●
Setting permissions on a file.
●
Authorizing access to a file.
●
Setting up a file’s encryption and decryption keys.
●
Maintaining the encryption dictionary of the PDF file containing the document.
Security handlers are used when:
●
A document is opened — the security handler must determine whether a user is
authorized to open the file and set up the decryption key that is used to decrypt the PDF
file.
●
A document is saved — the security handler must set up the encryption key and write
any necessary security-related information into the PDF file’s encryption dictionary.
●
A user tries to change a document’s security settings — the security handler must
determine whether the user is permitted to perform the operation.
PPKLite and PPKMS Security Handlers
In Acrobat 6, the built-in PPKLite signature handler only supported a single certificate chain
for validation; broader support required the Microsofts Crypto API (MSCAPI) support of the
PPKMS handler. In Acrobat 7, PPKLite supports RFC3280-based certificate chains natively.
MSCAPI support has been rolled into PPKLite and is no longer a separate handler.
Security Handlers and Plug-ins
The PubSec layer, introduced in Acrobat 6.0, is an interface for Acrobat public-key security
handlers. PubSec forms a high-level interface to the digital signature facility; the PubSec
Summary of Contents for Acrobat 7.0.5
Page 10: ...Contents 10 Acrobat SDK User s Guide ...
Page 66: ...Modifying the User Interface Customizing Acrobat Help 6 66 Acrobat SDK User s Guide ...
Page 78: ...XML and the Acrobat SDK Managing XML based Information 8 78 Acrobat SDK User s Guide ...
Page 100: ...Providing Document Security Document Rights 11 100 Acrobat SDK User s Guide ...
Page 106: ...Working with Metadata Object Data 12 106 Acrobat SDK User s Guide ...
Page 110: ...Searching and Indexing Indexing PDF Documents 13 110 Acrobat SDK User s Guide ...
Page 118: ...Working With PDF Layers Working with Layers from a Plug in 15 118 Acrobat SDK User s Guide ...
