Document locked by signature 2

[Wilbert31196334hex3]

We have created documents in Adobe 11 Professional and Adbobe DC Pro. These are signed with self-signed certificates by the project manager(s). We are going through a difficult phase of a reorganisation and lots of people have already left the company. Now we have a lot of Adobe signed documents which say "document locked by signature 2" and other colleagues are not able to unlock it and add an additional remark or stamp in it anymore. I cannot find a working functional way to remove or unlock this signature of the colleague that has left already. Anyone can give me hints how to do this?

[MikelKlink]

To undo a "document locked by signature" you have to remove or at least invalidate that signature.

Which pdf tools can (are you allowed and able to)  you use? 

[Wilbert31196334hex3]

Mikel, I have a licensed version of Adobe DC Professional. And, if you know about a specific other tool that can do the trick, please advise, I can always try finding a download of another 3rd party tool through the web. I have already tried a tool from smallpdf.com, an online tool, which actually seems to work, but instead of just unlocking it removes the current signatures that are in it as well. But, I want to preserve the current signatures and just remove the lock to add an additional signature.

[MikelKlink]

But, I want to preserve the current signatures and just remove the lock to add an additional signature.

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Well, as mentioned above, unlocking will require removing or at least invalidating the locking signature. In the latter case that signature will be displayed as broken ("document has been changed..."). Would that be OK?

Alternatively you can flatten the signatures. Then their widget annotations would still be visible but the cryptographic signature values (which can be validated) would be gone. 

[Wilbert31196334hex3]

I think flattening would be OK as well; as long as the old stamp is still visible and we can add a second stamp that might be OK as well I guess? I should ask my colleague perhaps, but she definitely mentioned the old (dated) stamp ought to be still visible in the document, not necessarily secured anymore.

[MikelKlink]

To be sure: The existing signatures have been applied using fairly current Adobe Acrobat (Reader) versions? Like the Acrobat 11 or DC you already mentioned?

[Wilbert31196334hex3]

Hi Mikel, I am pretty sure the initial signature(s) are made in Adobe Acrobat 11 Pro or DC Pro, definitely not a reader version. We have used pro versions for years now.

[MikelKlink]

Ok, using Acrobat you can flatten the whole form by printing to PDF (as long as no encryption is involved).

I don't know, though, whether Acrobat also offers a more specific flattening tool that would allow flattening only certain form fields. Neither do I know whether there are any other products for that. It'd be easy to program, though.