One of the great advantages of using PDF software is that you can create a high level of security for your files. However, this powerful feature is seriously overlooked because many companies don’t know or care about it. The security of your business documents today is more critical than ever. Some consequences of data breaches include intellectual property (IP) abuse or costly procedures and fines that allow competitors to gain an advantage.
This not only damages your reputation but also damages people’s trust in your ability to protect their information. PDF has gained widespread acceptance and popularity in the business world due to its universal file format and the advantage of compressing large files into relatively small sizes. No matter what you’re using your PDF file for, here are ways you can secure it.
1. Security
When your PDF file is unprotected, a data breach could happen because PDFs are very easy to share and can be forwarded instantly as an email attachment.PDF enables password protection so only specific people can view your document. With sites like GogoPDF, you can add and open a password-protected PDF with ease. In the case of file corruption, you can also repair PDF quickly in just three easy steps.
How to Repair PDF with GogoPDF
Select the PDF document you will repair. You can get it from your gadget or an online storage website like Dropbox or Google Drive. Another alternative is to drag the PDF document into the upload section. Click on the repair PDF and wait for a few minutes. You can then download the proper PDF to your gadget or transfer it directly from the website to your email account. Gogo PDF can work on most common operating systems like Mac, Windows, and Linux. You can also access GogoPDF using browsers like Firefox, Safari, and Google Chrome.
If you intend to make your PDF accessible to many people, using advanced security tools would be an added layer of security. This key would provide additional security and restrict the files even if anyone tries to share them. While you must protect your PDF files with passwords, that alone does not guarantee the safety of your documents. This is because there are tools available online that can easily remove your passwords.
Your PDF might also be easily printed without proper security. With adequate security in place, you can watermark documents with information peculiar to your brand if you want to allow printing. This would help you secure your document. When you protect your PDF, you are making it safe; nevertheless, if you leave it open, you are making it accessible to anyone, which could put your file at risk.
2. Protect Your Company or Brands Property
PDF is one of the most popular file formats for information sharing. Businesses widely use PDF files to store internal processes, business secrets, and customer billing information. If these files are not properly protected, data breaches can occur. If your intellectual property is essential and you don’t want to lose it, you should back up your PDF files.
It covers cryptographic control and digital rights management so you can secure your assets and protect them from malicious users. Companies with government agencies often process sensitive information as PDF files that can only be shared with specific recipients.
3. Protect Your Document From Alteration
A reason you might want to protect your PDF documents from unauthorized usage is to control who can alter them. When different people work with the same document, a particular row or column might be deleted. This might not be intentional, but it might affect whatever purpose you intended the document for. Passwords can restrict access to your PDF and ensure that only specific authorized people gain access to it.
When you lock your PDF, you can prevent unauthorized edits, especially to documents that contain forms. You may want users to fill out specific fields or even make sure they can’t edit a secured PDF form as they fill it out. With sites like Gogo PDF, you can protect your PDF from editing. This is especially useful if said documents are administrative documents or ones containing sensitive information. In the case of alteration, irreversible mistakes that could cost you a lot can occur.
4. Protect Sensitive Information
PDF format is now a popular medium for exchanging different types of documents in many industries. Some of these documents may contain sensitive information, and the publication of these documents could damage the company name. This includes financial statements and confidential transactions such as bank account numbers and postings. The company’s financial transactions are one of the closely monitored details, and safety must come first.
To prevent theft, passwords or encryption should be added for financial transactions when sending to third parties. Even when archiving, PDF encryption is often required instead of a password. To do this, you can create a cryptographic certificate that acts as a unique digital signature. This can be a way for employees to self-lock documents.
For example, a vendor accepts and signs contracts using digital signatures. This digital signature can be compared to the file to determine where it was original, counterfeit or modified. With encryption, it is almost impossible to extract information from a PDF file without a private key.
Conclusion
Securing your PDF file is of high necessity for many reasons. First, when you secure your PDF, it keeps it safe from anyone accessing whatever data you have there. In addition, when you secure your PDF file, it becomes only accessible by you and no one else. If your PDF contains a piece of private information, no one will be able to access it. All these are important reasons your PDF file should be kept secure. There might be a possibility of your document containing details about a company or a project that will fetch you money. And if you didn’t secure it and a competitor can gain access to it, then you might be at the losing end of an important deal.
