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Question

Check boxes are still live after digital signature locks all other fields

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
November 22, 2019
3 replies
4930 views

I have created a PDF fillable form with a digital signature. I want to ensure that once someone signs the document, it becomes uneditable.

When I tested the file out, the text fields are all locked after the form is signed and sent. However, when I open the file in Acrobat or Preview or any other PDF viewer, all of the check box answers are stil editable. How can I lock out ALL changes to the document after it is digitally signed?

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T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Some apps will not respect "lock after signing". This is a flaw in the apps, NOT in the security. It is NOT a security feature, it is to protect the user against accidentally destroying the signature.

If an app like Preview ignores the signature lock and changes the file anyway, the signature will no longer be valid, and this will be detected.

It is very important not to simply say "signed = unchangeable". Signatures must ALWAYS be validated as part of your processes.

D

davidr21094623Author

Participating Frequently

Interesting perspective on "security" vs. "protection".

What's also frustrating is that the document could be accidentally edited by anyone, e.g. a stray mouse click changing an answer from "Yes" to "No". In that case, how would it be remedied through the security process? By sending it back to the original signee?

ls_rbls

Community Expert

Can you sahre a dummy file or the page with the check boxes that are not taking the read only setting after a signature is applied?

I would like to see if this happens with every computer that this pdf file is used or if it is Acrobat settings.

이

이경호

Participant

kyoungho2233@gmail.com

ls_rbls

Community Expert

Hi,

In edit mode, right-click on the signtaure field that you want to apply the read-only settings for all content in your PDF document.

It will open the signature field Action Properties; from the dialogue box that will open go to the "Signed" tab and then you can choose Mark As Read Only--->> All Fields as the action that will perform soon after that signature is applied.

For in-depth guidance on digital signatures see hre: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/etk_deprecated/tools/DigSig/Acrobat_DigSig_WorkflowGuide.pdf

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davidr21094623Author

Participating Frequently

Hello, ls_rbls,

Thanks for your reply.

Unfirtunately, I've already tried that. For some reason, even though I choose "All Fields" as "Mark as Read Only," the effect is only applied to the text fields within the form. All of the check boxes remain editable after the fact.

ls_rbls

Community Expert

Well that is kind of strange; I've notice this behavior with other types of objects in an Acrobat PDF document if radio buttons or checkboxes have any tye of mouseup actions or javascripts that are necessary for other calculated fields to function.

Another issue that can be messing with your checkboxes is the tabbing order of the calculated fields which you can manually order or set to automatically use the document structure, then right-click on the checkbox fields and select use current defaults as new properties (but these are just trial and error ideas not an actual solution).

On my end, however, it is working fine. I tried reproduce your issue on my end but it works with the steps suggested above.

The real quick workaround that I'm almost sure it should is to delete the check boxes and save the document. Then with your document still opened, recreate new checkboxes with different names, save, exit, reopen. And try the suggestion above again. It should work.

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