Creating a Digital ID allows you to have people encrypt documents for your eyes only, and if you have Acrobat or are filling out a Reader Enabled form in Reader 7, then you can also digitally sign files instead of printing them. While creating a Digital ID may seem daunting, once created they are very easy to use and provide an easy way to protect your documents. Here are some of the reasons to create a Digital ID;
1. Certify documents - Provide a way for your collegues to make sure you created the documents you send them and that they have not been altered. Certified documents can show a visual indicator indicating if the document has changed since you created it allowing you to ensure that your message arrives unchanged.
2. Secure documents (encrypting) - Protect documents so that only the people you select can open the protected files. This stops people passing on your documents to other people. Even if you use a password, it can be passed along too! Using Digital ID encryption ensures that only the desired recipients can view the document.
3. Digital Signing - Why print and sign the document with a pen when you can digitally sign the document and keep it digital? Even better than pen & paper in the real world, Reader & Acrobat detect if the document has changed after signing, allowing you to see exactly what was signed.
If you want to send someone a secure document, have them follow the procedure below;
Step 1: In Reader 7, select Security Settings from the Document menu (under Advanced in Acrobat)
Step 2: Make sure you have the Digital ID tree selected on the left and then click "Add ID"
Step 3: Next we need to specify the type of Digital ID we wish to create. In this case, we want to make a new ID that we share between our friends and collegues, so we will use a Self-Signed Digital ID. A Self-Signed ID needs to be distributed to other people by you, where as a Third Party ID is managed by a Digitial ID Provider.
Select Self-Signed Digital ID and click Next >
Step 4: Reader / Acrobat informs you that you are making a Self-signed Digital ID and it is up to you to manage it. Click next.
Step 5: Now you must choose where to store your new ID. If you create a standard PKCS#12 ID then you will need to enter your password in each time you need to sign, however if you choose the Windows Certificate Store then Windows will link the ID to your Windows log in account. Mac users wll only see the PKCS option where as most Windows users should be ok with Windows Certificate Store, which is what i am selecting below.
Make your selection and click next.
Step 6: Enter your details, then click finish.
Step 7: You now have a new Digital ID created.
You have created a Digital ID that currently only you know about. For other people to encrypt documents for you to view they need your "public" key. The public key is part of of your Digital ID that you share when you wish people to send you secure documents.
We will be sharing the certificate via email. Reader or Acrobat do not send the your Digital ID (your private key) but just enough information for the person at the other end to encrypt a document so that only you can read it (your public key).
Step 1: In the "Security Settings" window select your Digital ID that you just created and select "Export Certificate". Select "Email the data to someone" and click Next.
Step 2: Enter the email address of the person you wish to send your public key to then click "Email".
Step 3: A new email message is created with an FDF file containing your public key as the attachment. You can customise the email message if you wish and when finished click "Send" to send your email. Note: In this case I am using Microsoft Outlook but it works equally well with other email applications such as "Mail" on the Macintosh.
If you receive an email like the one above with a Public Key certificate attached, simply double click it to launch Acrobat.
You should see a dialogue like the one below. You need to specify what level of trust you give the sender's Digital ID.
Step 1: Click on the "Set Contact Trust..." button
Step 2: Choose which options you trust, in this case I trust the certificate for Digital Signatures and Certified Documents.
Step 3: The Certificate is now imported...
...and should be viewable in the "Manage Trusted Identities" dialogue (Advanced->Trusted Indentities in Acrobat. Document->Trusted Identities in Reader)
You have now successfully shared your Digital ID to enable secure document transfer using Adobe Acrobat.
Try securing a document in Acrobat using their Digital ID
1. Document -> Security -> Secure this document
2. Click New
3. Use Public Key Certificates
4. Follow the wizard steps to create a new security policy.
Digitally sign or Certify a document
1. Document -> Digital Signatures -> Sign this document
2. Follow the wizard to either Digitally Sign or Certify the document.
1996-2005 Mark Szulc, Adobe Systems Inc, et al.
All information provided is to be used at the reader's discretion, and is subject to change without notice. Whilst a best-effort is made to test examples and techniques provided, the reader is advised to test thoroughly prior to implementation.