Cannot add password to a signed PDF contract

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
November 2, 2021
5 replies
8316 views

I downloaded a signed contract and need to password protect it in order for me to email it (as required by my HR team). However, I receive the error message 'Document cannot be saved. Bad parameter' when I try to add a password. It also states that 'You cannot change security on this document because the document is signed or certified.' Could someone please assist ASAP? This is for a new hire and I need a timely resolution.

Security digital signatures and esignatures

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MikelKlink

Participating Frequently

As others have already mentioned, you cannot encrypt a non-encrypted, signed PDF, at least not without invalidating the signature.

The reason for this is that the signature does cryptographically sign the bytes of the PDF file (except the embedded signature of course) as is, it does not sign some normalized (e.g. decrypted if applicable) version thereof, see the sketch.

If you would encrypt the file contents, therefore, you'd change those signed bytes and so invalidate the signature.

try67

Community Expert

You need to do it the other way around. Add a digital signature field, then apply a security policy (making sure to allow signing!), then sign the file.