Printer attributes for encrypting PDF documents

This topic describes the printer attributes related to encryption that you can specify in the processing and printer object classes when you use the Printer Inventory Definition Utility (PIDU) to create or edit printer definitions. For information about PIDU and the other Infoprint Server printer attributes you can specify, see "Using the PIDU program to manage the Printer Inventory" in z/OS Infoprint Server Operation and Administration.

pdf-encryption-level

This single-valued attribute specifies the level of encryption used to encrypt PDF documents. A high level of encryption provides enhanced security. However, some users might not be able to open PDF documents that use a high level of encryption.

Allowed values

You can enter one of these fixed values:

bits40

A low level of encryption (a 40-bit encryption key) is used. Select this value if you send PDF documents in an email to countries that do not use 128-bit encryption, or for users with Adobe Reader 3.0 - 4.x.

bits128

A high level of encryption (a 128-bit encryption key) is used. Select this value for sensitive PDF documents.

Default value

bits128

pdf-owner-identifier

This single-valued attribute specifies the identifier of the owner of an encrypted PDF document. The owner identifier is associated with a password that is stored in a separate database. An owner password is required to restrict actions with the pdf-protect attribute.

Allowed values

You can enter a text string of 1 - 256 characters. You can enter any combination of letters, numbers, blanks, and special characters that the Password exit allows. This text string might be case-sensitive, depending on the Password exit. If the text string you specify contains blanks or special characters (such as @ $ & ( ) > < | ' " #), enclose the text string in single or double quotation marks. For example:

pdf-owner-identifier='Nurse-Lee@hospital.com'

If the string contains double quotation marks, enclose the string in single quotation marks.

Default value

None.

Usage guidelines

• The transform encrypts a PDF document when you specify a user identifier, an owner identifier, or both. Encrypting a PDF document protects it from unauthorized access.
• The user and owner identifiers should be different because the user and owner passwords must be different.

pdf-protect

This multi-valued attribute specifies one or more actions that users cannot do on encrypted PDF documents.

Allowed values

You can enter one or more fixed values to restrict actions (see Table 18). If you specify more than one value, separate the values with spaces and enclose the list of values in braces {}. For example:

-j "pdf-protect=all"
-j "pdf-protect={copy update}"

Default value

None.

pdf-user-identifier

This single-valued attribute specifies the identifier of the user of an encrypted PDF document. The user identifier is associated with a password that is stored in a separate database. The user enters the user password when opening the encrypted PDF document.

Allowed values

You can enter a text string of 1 - 256 characters. You can enter any combination of letters, numbers, blanks, and special characters that the Password exit allows. This text string might be case-sensitive, depending on the Password exit. If the text string you specify contains blanks or special characters (such as @ $ & ( ) > < | ' " #), enclose the text string in single or double quotation marks. For example:

pdf-user-identifier='Dr-Smith@hospital.com'

If the string contains double quotation marks, enclose the string in single quotation marks.

Default value

None.

Usage guidelines

• The transform encrypts a PDF document when you specify a user identifier, an owner identifier, or both. Encrypting a PDF document protects it from unauthorized access.
• The user and owner identifiers should be different because the user and owner passwords must be different.