Use Apache PDFBox’s StandardProtectionPolicy to encrypt a PDF and attach permissions such as whether a reader may print or extract content. The example below uses the PDFBox 2.x API documented in its encryption cookbook; check the documentation for your project’s PDFBox version before adopting it.
How PDF passwords and permissions work
PDF encryption uses two password roles. A user password lets someone open the file subject to its permissions; an owner password provides access with all permissions. PDFBox describes this distinction in its PDFBox 2.0 encryption documentation.
Permissions express which operations a PDF reader should allow. They are not a substitute for protecting the credentials or validating the finished file. Choose permissions for the tasks your audience needs rather than assuming one switch creates a universally enforced “read-only” document.
Encrypt a PDF and restrict printing and copying
This PDFBox 2.x example loads an existing PDF, disables printing and content extraction, applies a 256-bit encryption key, and saves a separate encrypted file. Other permissions retain the defaults of AccessPermission; the example does not disable them.
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import java.io.IOException;
import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocument;
import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.encryption.AccessPermission;
import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.encryption.StandardProtectionPolicy;
public class EncryptPdf {
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
String ownerPassword = requireEnvironmentVariable("PDF_OWNER_PASSWORD");
String userPassword = requireEnvironmentVariable("PDF_USER_PASSWORD");
AccessPermission permissions = new AccessPermission();
permissions.setCanPrint(false);
permissions.setCanExtractContent(false);
StandardProtectionPolicy policy = new StandardProtectionPolicy(
ownerPassword, userPassword, permissions);
policy.setEncryptionKeyLength(256);
try (PDDocument document = PDDocument.load(
new java.io.File("input.pdf"))) {
document.protect(policy);
document.save("protected.pdf");
}
}
private static String requireEnvironmentVariable(String name) {
String value = System.getenv(name);
if (value == null || value.isEmpty()) {
throw new IllegalStateException(
"Set the " + name + " environment variable.");
}
return value;
}
}- Use a PDFBox 2.x dependency compatible with your project and its Java version. This code follows the 2.0 cookbook’s
PDDocument.load,AccessPermission, andStandardProtectionPolicyworkflow; PDFBox 3.x APIs may differ. - Set
PDF_OWNER_PASSWORDandPDF_USER_PASSWORDin the process environment before running the program. Use distinct, appropriately managed credentials; do not hard-code them in source or log them. - Put the source document at
input.pdf. On success, the program writesprotected.pdfseparately so the original remains available.
The two disabled actions are printing and extraction of text or images. PDFBox exposes separate controls for other operations too; consult its AccessPermission API documentation before changing them. The PDFBox 3.0 command-line reference lists controls for printing, extraction, modification, annotations, forms, assembly, accessibility extraction, and degraded printing, as well as a 256-bit default for that CLI: PDFBox 3.0 command-line tools. That CLI default does not mean every Java API version has identical defaults.
Choose permissions for the tasks readers need
“Copying” generally corresponds to permission to extract text and images. Printing, modifying contents, adding annotations, filling forms, extracting for accessibility, assembling pages, and degraded-quality printing are distinct permission choices. Set only the restrictions your use case requires, and avoid disabling accessibility extraction without a clear reason.
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For example, a form workflow may need form filling enabled even when content modification is restricted. A document intended for assistive technology may need accessibility extraction. Do not infer that blocking extraction also blocks every other action.
Reopen and check the saved PDF
Saving successfully confirms that PDFBox wrote a file; it does not by itself confirm that the output has the permissions your application intended. PDFBox describes itself as a low-level library and says document-level properties such as permissions are not automatically validated unless the application explicitly invokes relevant verification APIs. Its security documentation also notes that PDF encryption and signatures rely on Java Cryptography Architecture and Bouncy Castle.
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- Reopen the output with the intended user credentials and confirm it opens.
- Inspect the resulting access-permission state using the APIs for your PDFBox version.
- Try the operations relevant to your product—such as printing, copying, form filling, or accessibility—in the PDF readers your audience uses.
Permission behavior can depend on the PDF reader, so do not promise that a permission flag makes copying or printing impossible. If the document contains sensitive information, PDF permissions should not be treated as a replacement for appropriate access control and credential handling.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.PDFBox or iText?
The cited iText 5.1.3 API includes a Java PdfEncryptor entry point with user and owner passwords and permission flags for actions including printing, copying, annotations, form filling, screen-reader access, assembly, and degraded printing: iText 5.1.3 PdfEncryptor API. That API reference alone does not establish current iText releases, Java compatibility, licensing terms, or maintenance and security posture. Verify those for the version and project you are considering rather than choosing from this older API reference alone.
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