Freeware to decrypt pdf

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F

FG

Hi,

Has anyone come across freeware to decrypt pdf files? I've only located
shareware programs or some that decrypt only 10% of the document. Thanks.
 
FG said:
Hi,
Has anyone come across freeware to decrypt pdf files? I've only located
shareware programs or some that decrypt only 10% of the document. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I've looked and looked, but there isn't anything out there that I can
see. All I can find is this liteware, and it only shows you file
settings on any .pdf file you select:

http://www.pdf-analyzer.com/

It allows text extraction if the file attribute allows copying of
text. But big deal.

--
Regards from John Corliss
alt.comp.freeware F.A.Q.:
http://www.ccountry.net/~jcorliss/F.A.Q./FrameSet1.html
Note that I can't see any of Andy Mabbett's posts because I have him
killfiled. This is due what I perceive to be ongoing troll activity on
his part in this group.
 
Hi,
Click to expand...
Has anyone come across freeware to decrypt pdf files? I've only located
shareware programs or some that decrypt only 10% of the document. Thanks.
Click to expand...

PDF Explorer :

http://rtt.planetaclix.pt/


Regards, John.

--
****************************************************
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/ Oz \ John Fitzsimons - Melbourne, Australia.
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v http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/
 
John said:
PDF Explorer :

http://rtt.planetaclix.pt/
Click to expand...

John, that one extracts images and file info, but doesn't allow
copying of text from a file that has copying blocked. Do you know of
anything that can get around PDF file copying protection? I've looked
around and can find nothing.
To my way of thinking, preventing text copying is one of the most
annoying and unnecessary "features" of the .pdf format. It doesn't
protect the material since you can still (tediously) hand type the
text out in another program.

--
Regards from John Corliss
alt.comp.freeware F.A.Q.:
http://www.ccountry.net/~jcorliss/F.A.Q./FrameSet1.html
Note that I can't see any of Andy Mabbett's troll posts
because I have him killfiled.
 
FG said:
Hi,

Has anyone come across freeware to decrypt pdf files? I've only located
shareware programs or some that decrypt only 10% of the document. Thanks.
Click to expand...

If the print function is available, you can try to print to one of the free
PDF printers out there. This should create a non-protected document. You
also could use Ghostscript and Ghostview to first extract the postscript
from the file, and then regenerate the PDF. This is the long way, but should
get you some results.
HK
 
John, that one extracts images and file info, but doesn't allow copying
of text from a file that has copying blocked. Do you know of anything
that can get around PDF file copying protection?
Click to expand...
You can try GhostView/GhostScript, it helps in most of the cases.

Bye,
Bernd
 
On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 03:50:01 -0700, John Corliss

Hi John,
John, that one extracts images and file info, but doesn't allow
copying of text from a file that has copying blocked. Do you know of
anything that can get around PDF file copying protection? I've looked
around and can find nothing.
Click to expand...

If "protection" is on then doesn't that mean it isn't to be copied ?
If not then writing to the author and complaining would IMO be an
idea.
To my way of thinking, preventing text copying is one of the most
annoying and unnecessary "features" of the .pdf format. It doesn't
protect the material since you can still (tediously) hand type the
text out in another program.
Click to expand...

True. One could also OCR a PDF screen grab but the question remains
as to the legality of such measures. Some may consider it infringing
copyright (hacking).

Regards, John.
 
John said:
(clipped)
True. One could also OCR a PDF screen grab but the question remains
as to the legality of such measures. Some may consider it infringing
copyright (hacking).
Click to expand...

Depends on the document source. I considered doing the OCR route too.
In particular, the documents that I am wanting to "hack into" are
government documents from the United States Veteran's Administration.
They are PUBLIC documents, and as such the government doesn't have any
business making them difficult to quote by turning off the copy
function. JMHO.

--
Regards from John Corliss
alt.comp.freeware F.A.Q.:
http://www.ccountry.net/~jcorliss/F.A.Q./FrameSet1.html
Note that I can't see any of Andy Mabbett's troll posts
because I have him killfiled.
 
John said:
Depends on the document source. I considered doing the OCR route too.
In particular, the documents that I am wanting to "hack into" are
government documents from the United States Veteran's Administration.
They are PUBLIC documents, and as such the government doesn't have any
business making them difficult to quote by turning off the copy
function. JMHO.
Click to expand...

I had a similar situation with a post grad. IT subject I was taking. One
of the course documents was a "heavily" protected .pdf, containing a
template which was to be used for submitted work... non-copyable. The
lecturer was rather peeved to see that I'd cracked the encryption to
extract the template... the subject was related to security and
encryption algorithms. ;-)
 
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