Decrypt password protected PDF - software alternatives? Autor da sequência: Jan Sundström
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Jan Sundström 
Suécia
Local time: 19:39
Membro (1970)
Inglês para Sueco
+ ...
Hi all,
There has been previous threads about password protected PDFs. Various software has been mentioned, but since versions are updated, I wanted to get an overview on what is the best/cheapest/most versatile software on the market today.
To avoid unnecessary discussion, leave all legalities aside. Assume that I'm dealing with a PDF that the client gave me permission to open, simply because the contact person who encrypted it left the company.
The PDF wo... See more Hi all,
There has been previous threads about password protected PDFs. Various software has been mentioned, but since versions are updated, I wanted to get an overview on what is the best/cheapest/most versatile software on the market today.
To avoid unnecessary discussion, leave all legalities aside. Assume that I'm dealing with a PDF that the client gave me permission to open, simply because the contact person who encrypted it left the company.
The PDF won't export, print och even permit screen shots (the camera function in Acrobat). Also Abbyy PDF Transformer 1.0 chokes on it.
Now, I've read that some of these programs might be able to unlock it. I'm asking for your experiences: which work, which don't? Any particular versions?
PDF Password Recovery 2.4 (AdultPDF)
Advanced PDF Password Recovery (Elcomsoft)
Aladdin Ghostscript/GSview
Guaranteed PDF Decrypter
XPDF
Apple Mac OS X Preview (earlier versions only!)
Omnipage?
Abbyy FineReader?
ReadIRIS?
This page has a comprehensive list, but seems a bit outdated:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Adobe/Gallery/
Thanks for any input!
/Jan ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kevin Fulton
Estados Unidos da América
Local time: 13:39
Alemão para Inglês
I use RetrievePDF for password-protected PDF files. It's fast and generally reliable, although a couple of times I've had to run the utility twice to get a result (probably operator error). According to the website:
http://www.software.ebandwagon.co.uk/RetrivePDF.html
the price is US $9.99 or £9.99, but since the British pound is currently worth about $2.00, I ... See more I use RetrievePDF for password-protected PDF files. It's fast and generally reliable, although a couple of times I've had to run the utility twice to get a result (probably operator error). According to the website:
http://www.software.ebandwagon.co.uk/RetrivePDF.html
the price is US $9.99 or £9.99, but since the British pound is currently worth about $2.00, I wouldn't be surprised if the USD price is somewhat higher. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Maybe the cheapest way | Oct 3, 2006 |
Try to open it in ColorSync and resave.
Jean-François
| | | | esperantisto
Local time: 21:39
Membro (2006)
Inglês para Russo
+ ...
LOCALIZADOR DO WEBSITE | Decrypt — really? | Oct 4, 2006 |
I've never heard of any program that really decrypts PDF passwords — they just remove password protection due to some design fault. A good utility is Adult PDF Password Recovery (www.adultpdf.com). As for ABBYY FineReader, it's strange to see this program in the list. FineReader is an OCR programs and it simply does not deal with PDF passwords, does not c... See more I've never heard of any program that really decrypts PDF passwords — they just remove password protection due to some design fault. A good utility is Adult PDF Password Recovery (www.adultpdf.com). As for ABBYY FineReader, it's strange to see this program in the list. FineReader is an OCR programs and it simply does not deal with PDF passwords, does not care about them: you load a PDF and OCR it. But the result is different from PDF convertion to MS Word or RTF formats.
[Редактировалось 2006-10-04 05:50] ▲ Collapse
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Jan Sundström
Suécia
Local time: 19:39
Membro (1970)
Inglês para Sueco
+ ...
Autor do assunto | Clarification | Oct 4, 2006 |
esperantisto wrote:
I've never heard of any program that really decrypts PDF passwords — they just remove password protection due to some design fault. A good utility is Adult PDF Password Recovery ( www.adultpdf.com). As for ABBYY FineReader, it's strange to see this program in the list. FineReader is an OCR programs and it simply does not deal with PDF passwords, does not care about them: you load a PDF and OCR it. But the result is different from PDF convertion to MS Word or RTF formats. [Редактировалось 2006-10-04 05:50]
Hi all,
Maybe I was a bit unclear. Basically, I want to extract the text into an editable format, whether it requires me to deal with the PDF in either one or two steps.
If there is OCR software that simply overrides the password protection, so much better. But so far I had no luck with Abbyy.
Otherwise, I'm looking for a tool that decrypts/unlocks/removes the password protection, regardless of what method it uses under the skin. I know that some of the software above actually runs a decryption algorithm, just like the spies in WWII! But that's of pure academical interest to me, I just want an editable text, that's it!
/Jan
| | | | Jan Sundström
Suécia
Local time: 19:39
Membro (1970)
Inglês para Sueco
+ ...
Autor do assunto
Hi all,
I compared the features of the program listed above, and came to the following conclusions:
Commercial programs (full license $10-60, trial version limits to part of PDF only):
PDF Password Recovery 2.4 (AdultPDF)
Advanced PDF Password Recovery (Elcomsoft)
Guaranteed PDF Decrypter
RetrievePDF
Limited to Mac only:
Apple Mac OS X Preview (earlier versions only!)
Doesn't decrypt to PDF, but rather OCR to other... See more Hi all,
I compared the features of the program listed above, and came to the following conclusions:
Commercial programs (full license $10-60, trial version limits to part of PDF only):
PDF Password Recovery 2.4 (AdultPDF)
Advanced PDF Password Recovery (Elcomsoft)
Guaranteed PDF Decrypter
RetrievePDF
Limited to Mac only:
Apple Mac OS X Preview (earlier versions only!)
Doesn't decrypt to PDF, but rather OCR to other format:
Omnipage
Abbyy FineReader
ReadIRIS
Freeware, but limitations to password handling:
XPDF (http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/cracking.html)
Freeware, unrestricted:
Ghostscript+GSview
I tried GSview (frontend GUI for Ghostview) and it really works. We have a winner!
It also have batch functionality and can extract to text directly from PDF. Check it out...
/Jan ▲ Collapse
| | | | Edward Potter
Espanha
Local time: 19:39
Membro (2003)
Espanhol para Inglês
+ ...
| How do you extract text with Ghostscript? | Dec 7, 2006 |
Could someone give step-by-step instructions on how to extract a pdf file into an editable format using Ghostscript?
Thank you.
[Edited at 2006-12-07 14:23]
| | | | Jan Sundström
Suécia
Local time: 19:39
Membro (1970)
Inglês para Sueco
+ ...
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