How do you secure published documents

[jmak]

Now that MS Word 2016 natively converts pdf files to Word documents when you open them, how do you secure documents that you publish online and send out? In the past, we've always converted documents to pdfs before adding them to the website or sending as attachments, so that we know that the content doesn't get changed.

 

There are two main reasons: Firstly, it means that anyone can open the documents without having any particular software installed. Secondly, if anyone came back to us making a false claim based on something that either they'd altered, or had been sent by someone posing as the school, we would be able to easily demonstrate that it didn't match what we'd actually published.

 

Obviously the first point still stands, so it's just about worth doing. However, does anyone bother doing anything about the second and if so, what?

[6Foot2]

You could add security to Word documents, FDF files (any files), and folders by zipping them up with 7Zip and adding a password.

 

Link: 7Zip Download

 

[TechMonkey]

Now that MS Word 2016 natively converts pdf files to Word documents when you open them, how do you secure documents that you publish online and send out? In the past, we've always converted documents to pdfs before adding them to the website or sending as attachments, so that we know that the content doesn't get changed.

 

There are two main reasons: Firstly, it means that anyone can open the documents without having any particular software installed. Secondly, if anyone came back to us making a false claim based on something that either they'd altered, or had been sent by someone posing as the school, we would be able to easily demonstrate that it didn't match what we'd actually published.

 

Obviously the first point still stands, so it's just about worth doing. However, does anyone bother doing anything about the second and if so, what?

 

The only way would be to get a proper PDF creator (Adobe or Foxit Phantom) and digitally sign the documents. It isn't anything new, I remember cutting up a school letter to photocopy as a prank, after that it was screen shot elements to add to a document. The best defense is probably a proper procedure that is published either publicly or to parents, something along the lines of all bulk letters home will be published in such a such place so if they are unsure they can check against that otherwise contact the office.

 

Alternatives are checksum codes or a proper referencing system but after all that you may as well just digitally sign them.

[jmak]

You could add security to Word documents, FDF files (any files), and folders by zipping them up with 7Zip and adding a password.

 

Link: 7Zip Download

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]42298[/ATTACH]

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Wouldn't really help with making information easily available to parents though....

[pete]

Does Word 2016 still successfully convert if you restrict the PDF permissions to "view contents"?

 

I know PDF Creator can restrict what the recipient can do with a PDF.

 

If so, sign them digitally with a certificate.

[unixman_again]

We don't send out stuff to parents, rather they get an email saying that they need to login to the parent portal and pickup any letters. They could download and alter them I suppose but the originals stay on their file for the duration the student is here.

[jmak]

I've found something that might help some people. If you're a Google Suite user, you can restrict permissions on any files shared from Drive.

 

From the file, go to "Sharing" and then choose the advanced options. You then get the option to select "Disable options to download, print and copy for commenters and viewers"

 

 

This works for any files stored in Drive, not just ones created in Google Suite.