How to Copy Protect PDF Files Outside Adobe Ecosystem

This article will overview how to copy protect PDF files outside of the Adobe ecosystem. A couple of things worth mentioning before getting into the details:

• Encryption is different than copy protection. Encryption is a technology solution where the PDF owner assigns a password to the document and after the user enters that password the user can do anything they want with the file. Print, share, screen capture, etc. The idea for encryption is the document being unattainable until a password is entered.
• Copy protection does not use a password and anyone can see the file. However, the file cannot be copied, printed, shared or screen captured. The idea behind copy protection is the PDF being viewed by anyone, but nothing can be done with the file. When people are searching for PDF copy protection, this is the solution most likely sought after.

Challenges with PDF Security and Copy Protection

PDF or Portable Document Format is an open standard. What this means is the document format was designed to be used in just about any document reader program. The goal for the PDF specification was to make the format as universal as possible. For this reason, it is a bit more difficult than one would think to copy protect a PDF file.

Windows comes pre-installed with Adobe Reader. In addition, Windows has embedded Adobe API code to read PDF files. Even if Adobe Reader was not installed on your computer, or uninstalled, the underlying code is still there to open a PDF. In additional to Adobe Reader (#1 PDF reader in the market) there are dozens of additional PDF reader programs. Again, the goal for all these readers is to open and read a portable document file.

Adobe copy protection solutions are very well known for being cracked. If you Google “Adobe copy protection crack” you will find pages of ways the Adobe security features are compromised. Here and here are two examples of Google search results with web pages dedicated to hacking.

The fundamental problem with copy protection are the lack of controls when viewing a PDF. Meaning a PDF content owner (you) does not have the control over Adobe Reader, or other programs, to stop the user (your client/customer/student) from printing, screen grabbing, sharing and saving.

The idea behind a PDF copy protection solution is a framework where the PDF can be opened and viewed, while you (the content owner) maintains control of the document.

Of course Adobe Reader, FoxIt Reader and others, will not provide the tools to block a user from printing or saving from within their program. In contrast, we need a “reader” or “viewer” with controls to block those functions.

With this in mind, it is difficult to provide a reader with these security functions. Most users who receive a PDF do not want to download and install another program just to read a PDF file. The ease and beauty of a PDF gets lost in that process. No longer is the PDF a portable document format. In addition, a software program that can be downloaded to view a PDF can also be downloaded by a hacker to be reverse engineered. There needs to be something more than just a secure reader/viewer to control the PDF.

The most secure way to copy protect a PDF file is to associate it with something physical. There are some software (only) solutions, but those are not as secure as a solution with something physical.

In general terms, TF cards and microSD cards are the same. They share the same physical size and most technical characteristics, and the two formats can be used interchangeably.

There are some technical differences between the two, which are explained later. For now, the most important difference between a TF card and a microSD card is the history behind the name.

The TF card came first. TF card—also known as T-Flash or TransFlash—was introduced by SanDisk in 2004. SanDisk, in partnership with Motorola, created the TF card specification. At the time, it was the smallest read/write memory form factor available and was designed specifically for mobile devices.

TF cards are based on NAND¹ flash memory. The format had a short lifespan. By the end of 2004, the Secure Digital Association—the governing body for Secure Digital media—absorbed the TransFlash technology and rebranded it as microSD.

As a result, the TF card effectively disappeared in late 2004, while the microSD card has remained in production ever since. This explains why TF-branded cards are no longer available today. Another factor was capacity: TF cards were limited to 16MB or 32MB at the time of production, capacities that are impractically small by modern standards.

Here is the key technical distinction between the two formats: microSD cards support SDIO mode, which allows them to perform functions unrelated to storage, such as Bluetooth, GPS, and Near Field Communication. TransFlash cards do not support these capabilities.

SDIO stands for Secure Digital Input Output. It is a Secure Digital interface specification that allows SD cards to function as input or output devices rather than just memory.

The SD Association also established a method to standardize speed ratings for SD cards. These ratings, known as Speed Class, define the minimum sustained write speed of a card. Common classes include Class 2 (2MB/s), Class 4 (4MB/s), Class 6 (6MB/s), and Class 10 (10MB/s). These values represent minimum performance levels, and actual speeds may be higher.

NAND is not an acronym. The term comes from “NOT AND,” a Boolean logic operator. A NAND gate produces a false value only when both inputs are true. It contrasts with a NOR gate, which produces a true value only when both inputs are false.

Understanding How USB Copy Protection Works

In this article we will detail how USB copy protection solutions work from a Southern California company named Nexcopy. Before we start there are important definitions we must all agree upon. As in today’s market place there are multiple vendors using the wrong definitions to explain copy protection.

Copy protection is different than encryption; although copy protection does use a form of encryption in the overall solution.

Encryption is scrambling up data and requiring a password to piece all the data together and display it. Once the password is entered the data can be viewed. The potential security issue is the user who entered the password can now do anything they wish with the files, print, save, share, etc.

Copy protection is different in two ways. First, there is no password required to view the data. Second, the files cannot be saved, printed, shared, streamed when viewed by even the most trusted user.

The later, copy protection, is what most people want when it comes to multi-media files like PDF, video, audio and HTML pages. Most users want the data to be seen by as many people as possible, yet the data cannot be saved, shared, streamed, printed or screen captured.

So with that in mind, let us review how the Nexcopy solution works for USB copy protection.

Key Features of Nexcopy USB Copy Protection

Here are six bullet points regarding features Nexcopy provides which others do not:

• Copy protected content plays on both Mac and Windows computers
• There are no Admin rights required to play the content
• There is no installation required on the host computer
• The content runs 100% from the flash drive
• The USB stick is write protect, so files cannot be deleted or changed
• The solution is both hardware and software, ultra-secure

The Nexcopy USB copy protection solution runs with the assumption the content owner does not want to share the data with even duplication service companies. It is assumed the content owner wants total control of the data before, during and after the USB duplication process.

Here are the steps for using the Copy Secure drives as the content owner:

Does the title of this article even make sense? Yes—but probably not to most people.

USB enumeration is the process a host computer uses to identify the type of USB device that has been connected and determine how the operating system should interact with the newly detected device.

The term “fingerprint” refers to the specific sequence of steps an operating system follows when determining the type and behavior of a USB device.

For roughly 99.7% of visitors to this site, this information won’t matter. For others, however, it is critical. The security industry is a prime example. If a security professional, development team, or programmer understands the exact steps an operating system takes to mount a USB device, they can better design and protect secure applications.

Andrea Barisani, a security researcher based in Italy, published open-source code that compares USB enumeration fingerprints across macOS, Windows, and Linux. The source code is available on GitHub (view here).

This code is particularly valuable for software developers working with USB flash drives, portable applications, or device-level security controls.

You never know where a flash drive has been.

It’s always best to scan a USB flash drive before using it.

Did you know Windows Defender can be configured to automatically scan a USB flash drive the moment it is plugged in? Below are the steps to configure Microsoft Windows to scan USB drives automatically.

By default, Windows Defender is not configured to automatically scan removable drives when the operating system is installed. This is surprising, as malware spreading through USB flash drives remains a common security issue. The likely reason is user choice—automatic scans take time, and Microsoft leaves the decision up to the user.

This tutorial takes about three minutes to complete. Read through the steps first, then return and apply the settings when ready.

We are going to create a Group Policy rule that instructs Windows Defender to scan USB flash drives.

First, open the Group Policy Editor.

Press Windows Key + R.

Type gpedit.msc and press Enter or click OK.

Under Computer Configuration, locate and expand Administrative Templates.

Scroll down and expand Windows Components.

Continue scrolling until you find Windows Defender Antivirus, then expand it.

Locate the Scan folder and click it.

On the right-hand side, look for the setting labeled Scan removable drives and double-click it.

This setting is disabled by default. Select the Enabled option to activate automatic scanning for USB flash drives.

Click Apply, then click OK.

That’s it. Your Windows computer will now automatically scan USB flash drives using Windows Defender when they are connected.

Alternatively, you can insert a USB stick, right-click the drive letter, and select Scan with Windows Defender. The problem with this approach is the USB device may have already executed malicious code before you had a chance to initiate the scan.

The average user inserts a USB stick into their computer from a trusted source. However, there are companies and situations who receive USB flash drives or USB hard drives and they are not certain if the device is infected. Some information to help with USB firewall for connecting USB devices.

Globotron is a company based in New Zealand who designed the product. The product is called Armadillo and is an open-source USB firewall.

Some research has shown, as many as 29 different types of USB attacks can happen from plugging in mass storage devices (like USB flash drives and USB hard drives) or also HID devices (human input devices like keyboards and mouse).

The USB stack which is the low level code used in the host computer, is very complex and over time researchers and hackers have discovered ways to compromise a computer system through these vulnerabilities.

The Armadillo is an open-source device which is a firewall between a USB device and computer. The firewall isolates the firmware of the USB device so as not to infect your PC if the device has been infected with malicious firmware. You just need to plug in Armadillo between your computer and the USB device using the provided micro-USB cable. Armadillo is an upgrade over USG, the original or first-generation USB hardware firewall device.

The Armadillo has bot detection. This means if the USB firewall device detects malicious codes are being entered via keyboard or mouse (HID devices) the device will block transmission and a red LED indicator light will turn on.

The Armadillo has the ability to temporarily make your USB read only. This is valuable if the computer is infected and you need pull information (recovery software) from the USB stick and want to insure virus’ do not infect the flash drive. The USB is read-only, but it is read/write when not connected to the Armadillo.

Note: If you need a USB stick that is always write protected at the controller level, yet need to temporarily turn off the write protection for data changes, the Lock License drive from Nexcopy is your solution.

This last point about the Armadillo is a bit strange, but we like it. The body is sealed with glitter epoxy so it is easy to identify if the box itself was tampered with. Very creative!

The Armadillo USB Firewall is available from Globotron for $150 USD and ships from New Zealand.

Fuzzing is a testing method that uses automated software to feed invalid, unexpected, or random data into a computer program. The testing system then monitors the program for crashes, failed assertions, and potential memory leaks.

A research team associated with Purdue University developed a tool called USBFuzz, which pushes massive amounts of random data through a system’s USB bus. The project was created by Hui Peng and Mathias Payer of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

Please don’t lose any sleep over the bugs that were discovered.

Peng and Payer identified one bug in FreeBSD, three in macOS (two resulting in unexpected reboots and one causing a system freeze), and four in Windows 8 and Windows 10, which resulted in Blue Screens of Death. The majority of issues were found in Linux systems, totaling eighteen bugs.

Windows users do not need to be concerned, as all identified Windows issues have been resolved. Of the eighteen Linux bugs, sixteen have already been corrected. Several of these were considered major security vulnerabilities.

What stands out about USBFuzz is its underlying goal of improving USB platform security through continuous testing and refinement. The project is also being released as open-source software, allowing developers to use it to strengthen their own USB products. The research team plans to release USBFuzz on GitHub later in 2020.

Today, more than ever before, individuals are working from home offices. A comfortable and productive environment is one of the main reasons so many love working from home. However, even with all the conveniences, sometimes the home office lacks the computer equipment needed to handle specific tasks. With many businesses now practicing social distancing, certain tools are still essential. Let us look at a unique product by Nexcopy, the home office USB duplicator.

Consider the niche requirement to make USB duplicates at home. For example, an IT manager might need to prepare bootable recovery sticks, or a software engineer might need to send program updates to remote sales teams. These professionals require a fast, simple, and economical device to do the job efficiently.

The compact USB flash drive duplicator from Nexcopy is the perfect solution for this need. Measuring just 15cm long and 10cm wide, it fits easily into any computer bag and is as light as a book.

The USB duplicator is a one-master to four-target copy station. It is a digital binary copier capable of duplicating any file system or structure provided by the master flash drive. Using a USB cable, the duplicator can power up to five USB flash drives, though it is not recommended for USB hard drives.

With this device, making duplicates in a home office is quick and easy. The unit has four menu buttons: Enter, Escape, Up, and Down. It operates with a single button press, making it ideal for non-technical users. The duplicator can be set for a standard binary copy or a copy-and-compare function, ensuring every duplicate is an exact match to the master for added peace of mind.

Key Features of the Nexcopy USB104SA:

• Asynchronous copy mode at all times
• Binary copier supports all formats: FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, HFS, Ext2,3,4, Proprietary
• Binary CRC verification algorithm
• Quick Erase and Full Erase for data sanitization
• Four language modes on the LCD menu (English, Spanish, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese)
• USB speed benchmark utility
• Firmware upgradeable for future updates

Is this mini-sized USB duplicator worth the investment for a home office? The easiest way to decide is to consider how much time it saves. The Nexcopy USB104SA can copy 1GB of data to each device in just over one minute. If an IT manager or developer had to manually load 12GB of data onto four drives using a PC, it would take about 12 minutes. The duplicator accomplishes this in a fraction of the time. Using the copy-and-compare mode adds some time, about 1.5 minutes per GB, but still remains extremely fast.

The Erase function is another valuable feature. Unlike a simple format, which only removes the file allocation table (directions to data), Erase overwrites memory blocks with random binary data, making data recovery impossible. Quick Erase scrubs portions of the drive, corrupting most data, while Full Erase writes random 0s and 1s to the entire NAND memory, ensuring complete and irreversible data removal.

The USB benchmark utility is a convenient tool for testing read and write speeds, especially with lower-quality promotional USB media, which can be unstable. A write speed below 4MB/s indicates poor quality memory. Speeds above 8MB/s for USB 2.0 or 20MB/s for USB 3.0 are considered good quality.

The duplicator uses CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check) for data verification. Learn more about this in our article on CRC vs Checksum verification for USB flash drives.

This Nexcopy duplicator is backward compatible with USB 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 flash drives and writes as fast as the connected device allows. For best performance, USB 3.0 media is recommended.

Source: GetUSB.info

If you are an avid user of USB security dongles, you might know how challenging it can be to get remote access to these devices. To simplify this task, Electronic Team, Inc. has developed a dedicated software solution capable of sharing USB protection dongles over a network.

Donglify is a lightweight desktop application that allows connecting USB hardware keys to remote computers over the Internet and LAN. The software uses 2048-bit SSL encryption to secure your connections, so you don’t need to worry that your sensitive data will be intercepted or lost.

One of the nicest things about Donglify is that it can redirect one USB dongle to several remote PCs simultaneously. In order to make a USB hardware key available for use on multiple computers, you can connect the device to your local PC and share it over the network with nothing more than a couple of clicks. This option currently works with HASP HL Pro, Sentinel HL Pro, SafeNet eToken 5110, and CodeMeter CmStick security keys.

USB hardware keys of other types can also be shared over the Internet, but you’ll only be able to access them from one remote machine at a time.

Donglify is available by subscription and comes with a 30-day free trial. When the trial period is over, you can continue using the service for $19.99 a month.

LAKE FOREST, CA, USA, November 20, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ — Lake Forest, CA – November 20, 2019 – Nexcopy Inc. introduces an all-new mini-size USB duplicator, the USB104SA, a 4-target standalone USB flash memory duplicator specifically designed to be lightweight and portable.

The USB104SA USB Duplicator has a list of features which pivot from the larger, award-winning Nexcopy standalone duplicators. Features include:

• Asynchronous copy mode, all the time
• Binary copier will copy any format: FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, HFS, Ext2, Ext3, Ext4, Proprietary
• Binary CRC verification algorithm
• Quick Erase and Full Erase for disk sanitization
• Four language modes in LCD menu
• USB speed benchmark utility
• Firmware upgradeable

“With the lack of optical drives in computers and laptops, the USB stick continues to grow in popularity,” reports Greg Morris, President of Nexcopy. “What we have seen is a demand for both small configuration systems for those transitioning from optical media to USB media and large production systems which we’ve serviced for years. The USB104SA is a great stepping stone for those coming from the optical duplication industry.”

Stan McCrosky, Head of Sales, comments, “What we have seen are small organizations and businesses requesting something low cost and low volume for data duplication. Our main focus is still business-to-business, but the growing demand for low-volume duplication equipment justified the development of a product like the USB104SA.”

The USB104SA is a portable solution and ideal for trade shows or speaking events. The unit weighs less than one pound and has a footprint of about six inches by one inch tall. The unit can easily fit into your computer bag, which is ideal for carry-on luggage at the airport.

The USB duplicator is powered by a microUSB cable which can be connected to your laptop’s USB port. A USB power block is also provided for powering from an outlet.

Nexcopy firmware is a code technology which has evolved since 2008. This system is backward compatible with USB 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 flash memory. The system will accept SD card reader adapters, microSD and CF card reader adapters. The firmware may be used to speed test flash memory, which is a great tool for understanding the quality of flash memory a supplier has provided.

EIN PressWire official news release

USB-C is a great technology, offering ultra-fast data transfer rates close to 10Gbps and increased power delivery for charging laptops, monitors, and TVs. However, the power advantage of USB-C diminishes over longer cable lengths. According to the USB-C (USB 3) specification, optimal power and transfer rates are maintained only when the cable length is under two meters (about six feet).

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a proven way to deliver both data and power over long distances via cable. PoE Texas has introduced a product that extends USB-C connections using this technology.

“As a standard, USB-C offers amazing speed and power delivery. Unfortunately, USB-C can only transmit power less than ten feet (three meters), and the cable infrastructure comes at a cost premium. Ethernet cable, nearly ubiquitous in modern construction, can transmit power and data up to 328 feet (100 meters). USB-C power and data transmitted over Power over Ethernet significantly lowers the cost of adopting USB-C by eliminating the need for new electrical infrastructure.”

Extending USB-C Connections with Power over Ethernet

Real-World Example of PoE USB-C in Use

A user has a workstation located about 30 feet away from the production unit it needs to communicate with. The production unit is a USB-C duplicator by Nexcopy. The workstation manager controls the data to be loaded onto USB-C flash drives, while the production manager physically connects and disconnects the USB sticks during the duplication process.

Because a standard USB-C cable cannot cover the required distance, the user can employ the USB-C Power over Ethernet solution to deliver both power and data effectively to the remote device.

• Conference Room Setup: A USB-C monitor is mounted 40 feet away from the docking station. Using PoE to USB-C allows both video data and charging power to reach the display over a single Ethernet cable.
• Security Camera Installation: A USB-C powered 4K security camera is installed 80 feet from the control room, receiving both power and data via PoE without additional electrical wiring.
• Point-of-Sale Terminal: Retail stores can power USB-C tablets located 50–75 feet from the main server rack using PoE, avoiding the need for extra outlets and USB hubs.
• Industrial Automation: A USB-C duplicator or machine placed 60 feet from the workstation uses PoE adapters to maintain stable power and high-speed data transfer without costly long USB cables.

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Product Page: POETexas.com

Reference: Power over Ethernet (Wikipedia)

Last year, Google released the Titan security key. It can be used as an ultra-secure method for two-factor authentication for some online services over USB-A, NFC, or Bluetooth. Today, Google announced an updated USB-C key to the lineup, which will be available tomorrow from the Google Store for $40.

The new USB-C key appears to have similar functionality to its previous models, all of which are built to the FIDO standard. The USB-C model lacks the NFC capabilities that its other two keys have, but this shouldn’t matter much, as the USB-C design is meant to plug directly into modern devices such as phones, tablets, and ultra-thin laptops. In that context, NFC becomes largely unnecessary.

Google’s new USB-C key is compatible with Android, Chrome OS, macOS, and Windows devices. (Only the Bluetooth key works with iOS, and it requires the installation of Google’s Smart Lock app.) Like its previous keys, Google says the USB-C key’s firmware is permanently sealed into a secure element hardware chip, making the key more resistant to physical tampering and cloning attempts.

Google partnered with security key-maker Yubico to manufacture its new USB-C key. Google’s key looks a lot like Yubico’s YubiKey 5C. Both keys are similar in size and form factor, but Yubico’s keys support a wider range of protocols, including WebAuthn, which may make them a better fit for users with more advanced authentication requirements.

From a practical standpoint, hardware security keys continue to be one of the strongest defenses against phishing attacks, account takeovers, and credential reuse. Because the authentication process requires physical possession of the key, attackers can’t simply steal a password or intercept a code remotely. For users managing sensitive accounts or enterprise logins, this added layer of protection is increasingly becoming a baseline rather than an optional extra.

Google’s other two Titan security keys were previously only available as a $50 bundle, but Google says you’ll be able to buy them individually starting tomorrow. The USB-A / NFC key will cost $25, while the Bluetooth key,