Need some expert advice-- want to make documents EXPIRE...

[djbeta]

Hi there,

I am doing a project in which I'm circulating some sensitive material via PDF files. Ideally, I'd love it if the PDF file could expire so that the sensitive material wasn't hanging out on people's computers forever. (the material isn't life or death sensitive-- but it would be great if we could limit the time that it existed "out there")..

I looked into solutions that create PDF files that expire-- but the functionality is expensive ($3000) and requires users download an Acrobat plugin-- which is too cumbersome for the scientists that need to see these PDFs--- any sort of expiration/security/DRM we impose on the files needs to be 100% transparent.

Does anyone know of an inexpensive way to do this with PDF files? (I have a feeling it might not be possible)--or not easily possible for someone without programming expertise like me--- BUT-- on the other hand....

Can anyone suggest another way to distribute documents that would expire?-- someone suggested using Flash or web delivery of some sort? Anyone have ideas on that front? The situation is that we're creating documents that are 40 to 150 pages in length, and have bookmarks for sections in the document-- so if we went to a Flash or Web delivery type of method.. it would have to be quite simple to go from PDF to this format--- and the medium would have to be printable and viewable when not connected to the internet.

If anyone has ideas, please get in touch or reply here --my direct email is cappiels@gmail.com --- I might be able to arrange some bucks for consultancy depending on the situation.

cheers..

 

[Giaguara]

Anything will be able to be made a screenshot of or a mobile picture.
Flash could maybe be an option for you - at least they can't properly store or open it if needed

You could mark the PDFs with a simple date of expiry, "the information of these documents will expire on x/y/z, please delete after this day" and watermark those PDFs with something... if it's a small circulation of the documents, add some identifier white on white that will point who got the PDF.
Or keep those documents in html on the webserver, and add on the bottom of the page white tiny text on white the ip address and dns name of where the user is connecting from to show. If those pages get PDFed or circulate, they will be traceable since most people don't notice hte invisible.