PDF, or the Portable Document Format, is one of the most popular document formats that businesses all around the globe use for distributing personal information. The format offers numerous top-tier features for users, out of which the option to password-protect PDF files is the most prominent one.
The question which now arises is why businesses need to secure their PDF files. The answer is that there are multiple reasons why every business should password-protect important PDF documents.
This article will list how users can password-protect PDF files and why businesses should consider password-protecting their PDF files. Let us dive right into it:
How to Password-Protect PDF Files:
All major platforms, including macOS and Windows, offer users numerous methods following which users can password-protect PDF files without hassle. For instance, macOS can password protect PDF files using third-party applications like Nitro PDF Pro or MS Word. Similarly, Windows users can also use PDF tools like Adobe Acrobat Pro or Word.
Why Should Businesses Password-Protect their PDF Files?
- It Helps in Preventing Unauthorized Access
Almost every business uses PDF files for storing sensitive or confidential information about their clients, strategies, or other essential aspects related to the company. These PDF documents are meant to be accessed or viewed by certain company members.
Hence, to ensure no one besides authorized individuals is able to access the documents, it is important for businesses to password-protect every PDF file which contains sensitive data. If important PDF files are not encrypted, they can get accessed by individuals with malicious intent, which may result in irreparable damage to the business.
- It Nullifies the Occurrence of Copyright Infringement
Copyright infringement refers to the use or production of copyright-protected material without the copyright holder’s permission. As mentioned earlier, businesses use the PDF format for storing private information. If an important PDF file’s contents get leaked to a competitor, they may use the concept or idea behind the company’s offerings.
Getting hold of the culprit who has stolen the data or information and proving that they used it to help any other business can be a very time-consuming legal affair. Hence, every business, irrespective of its size or scale, is advised to protect important PDF files with strong passwords to ensure that their secret strategies or ideas do not get leaked or misused in any way.
- It Prevents Other Individuals From Making Edits
PDF offers users the option to make minor edits. For starters, users can add digital signatures, watermarks, etc., to a PDF document. Besides this, they can also add digital signatures. When it comes to businesses using PDF files, there are times when only a few selected individuals are allowed to make changes or edits to documents, whereas others only have permission to view the document.
If important PDF files are not password-protected, individuals who do not have the permission to make changes may accidentally or intentionally make edits that are not required. If this happens, there may be serious repercussions. Hence, to prevent any user from editing important PDF documents, every business should password-protect PDF files and give the key only to those who are authorized to make edits.
- It Reduces Unwanted Sharing
PDF files are easily shareable, which is one of the main reasons why businesses prefer using the format over other document file types. However, this aspect of the format also makes files prone to malicious use. For example, any individual who has access to a classified PDF document can leak it by sharing it.
Thankfully, there are encryption tools that prevent users from sharing a PDF file more than a specific number of times. Hence, every business which wishes to ensure that important files do not fall into the wrong hands should consider password-protecting or encrypting their files using advanced tools.
- It is Essential for Complying With Industry Regulations
PDF documents are used for storing sensitive or confidential information by businesses belonging to different sectors. The majority of them are required by official government authorities to secure client-related as well as internal documents from being publicly released. The medical industry is the perfect example, i.e., businesses related to it must comply with set regulations when it comes to the medical records of patients.
Besides the medical sector, businesses related to the creative sector, such as film or publishing industries, also need to regulate and control access to unreleased work. Hence, it is always a good practice for businesses to password-protect important PDF files, even when they need to store them locally in archives.
Since the world is moving more and more towards digitalization every day, most businesses are also increasing the usage of digital document formats like PDF to store and manage data. One of the best ways following which businesses can ensure the safety and security of important documents is by password-protecting them.
