Cannot add a password to a pdf with Password Security applied

[Brad28578412de5q]

I am trying to add password protection to a pdf for emailing. The pdf I am trying to password protect was generated by a HR system we use. When I try to set password (Encrypt - Encrypt with Password) I get prompted with a "Applying New Security Setting" dialog asking if I want to change. I click Yes and then the document asks for a Permissions password to do so.  I do not have this password so can only guess is a vendor setup. The odd thing is that this was working last year and seemed to change in the last 3 to 6 months. Further, this new behavior also is limiting the files we used to do this with in 2022 (these now can no longer be password protected). Did something get changed/locked in a recent update last year? I spoke with the vendor and they said they have not changed anything.

I am using Adobe Pro 17.012.30262

[Moderator moved the thread to the correct forum]

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

The message says it all "Taxforms9 is protected." You can't add encrypyion to the PDF because your HR System has already added a password restriction on the document. Thats why its asking for a password.

[Test Screen Name]

You need to re-raise this issue with the people who support the HR system. We have no magic to remove an unknown password. It sounds like a recent change in their software, since this isn't a new thing in Acrobat. Check out the File - Properties - Security info, on a current file and on a file from a year ago, to compare. You're looking to see the existing security type. 

[Abambo]

Incidentally: from the Adobe side, this did work since the very beginning like that. The changes must be in your HR system. Whatever you want to do: you will need the unlock password, or you will need to do what you want to do differently, by a password-protected zip for example.