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[OT-perhaps] Cracking PDF file encryption

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michaelkintzios at gmail

Nov 9, 2009, 2:54 AM

Post #1 of 7 (501 views)
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[OT-perhaps] Cracking PDF file encryption

Hi All,

I am trying to copy some text from a pdf file which has been
protected, most likely using Adobe on a MSWindows machine. When I
select some text, the new KDE4 pdf viewer (Okular) shows the 'copy
text' right click menu greyed out:

"Copy forbidden by DRM".

I can still copy the text as an image.

Xpdf does not even allow me to copy it as an image after selection.

I can't remember what the case was with KDE 3.5.10 and kpdf - either
way, is there an application or trick which would allow me to edit the
pdf file in question and add comments, or cut and paste its textual
content into a word file and edit it there? There's a lot of text
that I need to edit and would rather not have to retype it all ...
--
Regards,
Mick

esigra at gmail

Nov 9, 2009, 3:06 AM

Post #2 of 7 (467 views)
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Re: [OT-perhaps] Cracking PDF file encryption [In reply to]

Mick skrev:
> I am trying to copy some text from a pdf file which has been
> protected, most likely using Adobe on a MSWindows machine. When I
> select some text, the new KDE4 pdf viewer (Okular) shows the 'copy
> text' right click menu greyed out:
>
> "Copy forbidden by DRM".
>
> I can still copy the text as an image.
>
> Xpdf does not even allow me to copy it as an image after selection.
>
> I can't remember what the case was with KDE 3.5.10 and kpdf - either
> way, is there an application or trick which would allow me to edit the
> pdf file in question and add comments, or cut and paste its textual
> content into a word file and edit it there? There's a lot of text
> that I need to edit and would rather not have to retype it all ...
>

I noticed that Okular has the option "Obey DRM restrictions" enabled by
default. I do not know why this was changed. As far as I remember, in
KPDF, it was a compile-time option that was disabled default, and if it
was enabled at compile time, it would appear as a normal option (like in
Okular now), but be disabled by default. Just try to turn it off.

michaelkintzios at gmail

Nov 9, 2009, 4:24 AM

Post #3 of 7 (457 views)
Permalink

Re: [OT-perhaps] Cracking PDF file encryption [In reply to]

2009/11/9 Erik <esigra [at] gmail>:
> Mick skrev:
>> I am trying to copy some text from a pdf file which has been
>> protected, most likely using Adobe on a MSWindows machine. When I
>> select some text, the new KDE4 pdf viewer (Okular) shows the 'copy
>> text' right click menu greyed out:
>>
>> "Copy forbidden by DRM".
>>
>> I can still copy the text as an image.
>>
>> Xpdf does not even allow me to copy it as an image after selection.
>>
>> I can't remember what the case was with KDE 3.5.10 and kpdf - either
>> way, is there an application or trick which would allow me to edit the
>> pdf file in question and add comments, or cut and paste its textual
>> content into a word file and edit it there? There's a lot of text
>> that I need to edit and would rather not have to retype it all ...
>>
>
> I noticed that Okular has the option "Obey DRM restrictions" enabled by
> default. I do not know why this was changed. As far as I remember, in
> KPDF, it was a compile-time option that was disabled default, and if it
> was enabled at compile time, it would appear as a normal option (like in
> Okular now), but be disabled by default. Just try to turn it off.

Nice! Thank you. :-)
--
Regards,
Mick

marcusw at cox

Nov 9, 2009, 11:47 AM

Post #4 of 7 (451 views)
Permalink

Re: [OT-perhaps] Cracking PDF file encryption [In reply to]

On 11/9/2009 7:24 AM, Mick wrote:
> 2009/11/9 Erik <esigra [at] gmail>:
>
>> Mick skrev:
>>
>>> I am trying to copy some text from a pdf file which has been
>>> protected, most likely using Adobe on a MSWindows machine. When I
>>> select some text, the new KDE4 pdf viewer (Okular) shows the 'copy
>>> text' right click menu greyed out:
>>>
>>> "Copy forbidden by DRM".
>>>
>>> I can still copy the text as an image.
>>>
>>> Xpdf does not even allow me to copy it as an image after selection.
>>>
>>> I can't remember what the case was with KDE 3.5.10 and kpdf - either
>>> way, is there an application or trick which would allow me to edit the
>>> pdf file in question and add comments, or cut and paste its textual
>>> content into a word file and edit it there? There's a lot of text
>>> that I need to edit and would rather not have to retype it all ...
>>>
>>>
>> I noticed that Okular has the option "Obey DRM restrictions" enabled by
>> default. I do not know why this was changed. As far as I remember, in
>> KPDF, it was a compile-time option that was disabled default, and if it
>> was enabled at compile time, it would appear as a normal option (like in
>> Okular now), but be disabled by default. Just try to turn it off.
>>
>
> Nice! Thank you. :-)
>
Wow...that makes Okular illegal in the US under the DMCA for
circumventing DRM...

That's dumb, even dumber than software patents...

Marcus

rdalek1967 at gmail

Nov 9, 2009, 12:59 PM

Post #5 of 7 (453 views)
Permalink

Re: [OT-perhaps] Cracking PDF file encryption [In reply to]

Marcus Wanner wrote:
> On 11/9/2009 7:24 AM, Mick wrote:
>> 2009/11/9 Erik <esigra [at] gmail>:
>>
>>> Mick skrev:
>>>
>>>> I am trying to copy some text from a pdf file which has been
>>>> protected, most likely using Adobe on a MSWindows machine. When I
>>>> select some text, the new KDE4 pdf viewer (Okular) shows the 'copy
>>>> text' right click menu greyed out:
>>>>
>>>> "Copy forbidden by DRM".
>>>>
>>>> I can still copy the text as an image.
>>>>
>>>> Xpdf does not even allow me to copy it as an image after selection.
>>>>
>>>> I can't remember what the case was with KDE 3.5.10 and kpdf - either
>>>> way, is there an application or trick which would allow me to edit the
>>>> pdf file in question and add comments, or cut and paste its textual
>>>> content into a word file and edit it there? There's a lot of text
>>>> that I need to edit and would rather not have to retype it all ...
>>>>
>>>>
>>> I noticed that Okular has the option "Obey DRM restrictions" enabled by
>>> default. I do not know why this was changed. As far as I remember, in
>>> KPDF, it was a compile-time option that was disabled default, and if it
>>> was enabled at compile time, it would appear as a normal option
>>> (like in
>>> Okular now), but be disabled by default. Just try to turn it off.
>>>
>>
>> Nice! Thank you. :-)
>>
> Wow...that makes Okular illegal in the US under the DMCA for
> circumventing DRM...
>
> That's dumb, even dumber than software patents...
>
> Marcus
>
>

But I like it.

Dale

:-) :-)

paul.hartman+gentoo at gmail

Nov 9, 2009, 1:22 PM

Post #6 of 7 (449 views)
Permalink

Re: [OT-perhaps] Cracking PDF file encryption [In reply to]

On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 1:47 PM, Marcus Wanner <marcusw [at] cox> wrote:
> On 11/9/2009 7:24 AM, Mick wrote:
>>
>> 2009/11/9 Erik <esigra [at] gmail>:
>>
>>>
>>> Mick skrev:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am trying to copy some text from a pdf file which has been
>>>> protected, most likely using Adobe on a MSWindows machine. When I
>>>> select some text, the new KDE4 pdf viewer (Okular) shows the 'copy
>>>> text' right click menu greyed out:
>>>>
>>>> "Copy forbidden by DRM".
>>>>
>>>> I can still copy the text as an image.
>>>>
>>>> Xpdf does not even allow me to copy it as an image after selection.
>>>>
>>>> I can't remember what the case was with KDE 3.5.10 and kpdf - either
>>>> way, is there an application or trick which would allow me to edit the
>>>> pdf file in question and add comments, or cut and paste its textual
>>>> content into a word file and edit it there? There's a lot of text
>>>> that I need to edit and would rather not have to retype it all ...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I noticed that Okular has the option "Obey DRM restrictions" enabled by
>>> default. I do not know why this was changed. As far as I remember, in
>>> KPDF, it was a compile-time option that was disabled default, and if it
>>> was enabled at compile time, it would appear as a normal option (like in
>>> Okular now), but be disabled by default. Just try to turn it off.
>>>
>>
>> Nice! Thank you. :-)
>>
>
> Wow...that makes Okular illegal in the US under the DMCA for circumventing
> DRM...
>
> That's dumb, even dumber than software patents...
>
> Marcus

DMCA has an exception for features that allow the use of
screen-reading software to read text that would otherwise be
inaccessible. Maybe this feature serves that purpose.

marcusw at cox

Nov 9, 2009, 6:28 PM

Post #7 of 7 (459 views)
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Re: [OT-perhaps] Cracking PDF file encryption [In reply to]

On 11/9/2009 4:22 PM, Paul Hartman wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 1:47 PM, Marcus Wanner <marcusw [at] cox> wrote:
>
>> Wow...that makes Okular illegal in the US under the DMCA for circumventing
>> DRM...
>>
>> That's dumb, even dumber than software patents...
>>
>> Marcus
>>
>
> DMCA has an exception for features that allow the use of
> screen-reading software to read text that would otherwise be
> inaccessible. Maybe this feature serves that purpose.
>
This is for copy and paste, not text access for text-to-speech apps (if
I am correct, I don't have much experience in that area).

Marcus

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