Security...PDF Files...need help

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Question, if you use Alamode and sign the report, isn't it secure???

 

[Mountain Man]

Do you see the little yellow key at the very bottom and is the document menu on the very left side of the screen "greyed out"? If you see the little yellow key, you got it locked...if not

 

[wyecoyote]

Mike,

If your converting the file to Adobe (PDF) it is not secure in adobe anyone can go in and simply change the form. I have a limited knowledge of computers which, is to say that I can get myself into heaps of trouble. However, I can get into files and change wording in a pdf file if it is unsecured even copy and paste in new pics if I wanted or change the form.

So in answer no if your sending via adobe. If your sending through alamode I don't know.

Ryan

 

[Charlotte Dixon]

I have been sending appraisals via E.D.I. since August 2001 and just discovered the "gold key" because of this thread. Do we have to secure each file separately, or is there a global type setting which will lock every file we convert to PDF format? I tried clicking "password protected" and added a password but don't see the value of that. I'm the only one on my computer. As long as the gold key is down at the bottom, I feel comfortable.

 

[wyecoyote]

Charlotte,

My understanding is that once a file is converted you have to manually lock the file. If I'm wrong I would like to know perhaps some other "techie" knows better.

Ryan

 

[Mountain Man]

Ryan, you have it right. It has to be locked every time you "print" to Adobe.

Charlotte, Do we have to secure each file separately? Yes.

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

I discovered when I applied the password protection, the receipant couldn't print the file---even though it was checked to be printed. So I get the little gold key at the bottom of the screen but I don't use a password. So is it as secure as it can be?? And I do have to lock each file individually, but once lthat specific file is locked, it stays locked.

 

[Ross (CO)]

Many of us probably got the recent premier issue of the new trade magazine called "Working RE" for appraisers and home inspectors. There is an article in there on pages 26, 28 and 30, titled "Increasing Productivity with PDF's" and it has some good commentary about the security issues of digital signatures. Everybody who has it should grab and read. I have followed many of our past postings about this security concern and was a true hold-out on electronic signature till my software supplier finally came out with a new version which allowed one to change their password upon receiving their elec. sig. file to download within your program. Signing is the last step I do to conclude a report......then, I convert to PDF and surely did follow the steps in this mag. article the last time I sent one PDF. While we try to take solace and comfort in feeling that we have full security we know there is some hacker in some basement working tonight on his or her version of the ultimate program to bust into any one of our reports and enable a user to then have free will to do their dastardly deeds and close up the report with our signature intact. Did we not have one Forum poster a few weeks ago be challenged by a L.O. to make some change in his report ?..... and their conversation went on to have the client rep say that "we COULD make the changes ourselves, but we would never do that". Yeah, right ! That was enough to send chills down our collective spines. I really wish that story could be shared in more detail with all of us and some authorities learn as well. So, we take our chances, and if stuff hits the fan in the future we have our own archived report in our workfile to show. This stuff about signing some additional security liability statement for electronically-signed reports is a total crock. We all thought caller-i.d. was the greatest thing since sliced bread about a 7 or 8 +/- years ago and then the phone company later allowed for callers to block their displayed number at the receiving end by a caller pre-dialing *67 before the regular number. Voila ! Half the calls one gets now say "unavailable" or "out-of-area" or "private" or whatever and one pays the monthly fee for at-best half the service. ---- I have not gone to their website to check, nor called the company directly, nor in any recent day gone into Adobe Writer's "Help" section, but there has to be a better way for all of us to know the security locking process easily and completely ! While cruising through this thread of posts there appears to still be a lot of doubts about the process.

 

[wyecoyote]

Jo Ann,

I discovered when I applied the password protection, the receipant couldn't print the file---even though it was checked to be printed

If you are using Adobe 5.0, and are entering document security, pulling down standard security, entering a password, going down to Permissions and checking the four boxes at the bottom? I'm assuming your doing this. The first box says "No Printing". This means they can not print the file. Just check the lower three boxes not the first box. This will enable them to print. Checking the "No Print" box means that they can not print the file. See if your doing this problem. If your using adobe 4.05 I can not help you there. The only help that I could be is if you want to send me a dummy file with what your doing and I'll see if I can get into adobe and change anything. So if this is the case PM me and I'll give you my email address.

Ryan

 

[Charlotte Dixon]

Jo Ann and others....What is the purpose of a Security Password, anyway? If there is a one person office/computer, and no network, we can just omit this step can't we? It provides no additional security on the other end, does it?