Modifying PDF file changes permissions on network

[defaultobuwq4n89lba]

Hi guys,

We have a small office where one computer has a shared folder and a few other computers access that shared folder. If a pdf file is modified, say a page is removed, from the main user's computer, it will modify the permissions of the file to no longer allow the username we use for sharing to access it unless:

- It's manually added back in security tab 

- Or the file is copied to the desktop and copied back in (it'll fill in the security rights automatically)

How can we avoid having to do this? Thanks!

[radzmar]

The rights management for shared folders is controlled by the operating system not an application, so there nothing you can to about this in Acrobat I'm afraid.

[defaultobuwq4n89lba]

It's just interesting because the file is already in the shared folder, and other types of modified files don't change permissions on modification (.xls, .doc, etc)

[ls_rbls]

While the guidance provided by ACP Radzmar is correct,  and also your observation is correct, you need to clarify a few more things about the current setup for that shared folder.

Which operating system is  doing the share?

Are all other computers accessing this shared folder participating in other network domains or restricted via group policy?

Where exactly is the shared folder? 

Is the PDF file stored in a folder under your current user profile, like "My Documents" for example?

Is the original shared file accessed simultaneously by more than one user at the same time?

Are these users' accounts enabled with read and write permissions to the shared PDF?

And even more important, what program are the users employimg to view and modify the shared PDF file? a web browser? Adobe Acrobat Pro? Adobe Reader? a third-party PDF viewer/editor?

All of these considerations are important because, even though the folder shares are managed at the OS level, Acrobat and Reader are tightly integrated with the Microsoft Windows File Explorer and the Internet Explorer security zones.

That said, it seems like you may be able to work around that by moving the shared file(s) to another directory outside of the current user directory and enable read/write permissions specifically for the users that will  need the access.

In addition, if your users are opening the shared PDF in Adobe Acrobat or Reader, they may need to disable Protected Mode at startup, Protected View, and possibly disable Enhanced Security (if the network is internal and closed with no access outside of it), to include customizing the sandboxing preferences in "Security (Enhanced) --->>> "Privileged Locations" by File, Folder Path, or Host.

Use this detailed Adobe Helpx guidance and see if you've missed a step:

• https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AppSec/protectedmode.html

[defaultobuwq4n89lba]

Windows 10 Pro

The share folder is in Documents

The host computer only has 2 users, and one is a "share" user just so we can assign permissions to the shared folder and use that for other computers to connect over, because we don't want them to use the main credentials and potentially have full access to the host.

The original file is usually only accessed by one at a time. I tested it and even when no one is accessing the file, if another user goes to access the PDF that was modified on the host machine, it says they can't open it.

We then have to go to the Host machine and either:

1) Manually assign permissions on it to the "share" user (keep in mind, they had full access to the file before it was modified)

2) Copy the file to the desktop, then back to the shared folder which automatically applies the correct read/write permissions for the "share" user

[Wes25935041mjug]

I am experiencing this same issue with 1 of the 10 users at our business. No solution from Adobe yet. We run Window Server 2016. Only issue is when she saves a pdf to a network folder, permissions remove the Users group access. If she drags the file the permissions stay intact as they should.

[michaelk18964176]

I have the same issue with edited and sometimes new or downloaded PDFs. I discovered the problem while using a Backup program (Allway Sync). It only happened with PDFs. What I found is that in the editing process and probably on the SAVE action, the "Everyone" share was removed under the security tab. Once I added the "Everyone" item back on the list, all was well. Of course, fixing the problem had to be accomplished back at my "server" where like default. . . the files were stored. BTW, the folders appear to be shared properly and affectes only the edited (and sometimes new saved) files individually. I first worked with Allway Sync. They were able to point me toward the ACLS solution.

[Tariq Ahmad Dar]

Hi, 

Sorry for the delayed response. 

I am assuming this is possible because:

1. Acrobat’s File Save Behavior (Deletes & Recreates the File)

• When you modify and save a PDF in Acrobat, it doesn’t simply update the existing file. Instead, it:
• Creates a new temporary file.
• Deletes the original file.
• Renames the temporary file to the original file name.
• This process can cause the file’s original permissions to be lost because, depending on network policies, the new file does not inherit the old file’s security settings.

2. Network Drive Permission Issues (Windows or Server-Based)

• If the network drive uses NTFS permissions, the deletion and recreation process may cause the newly created file to inherit default permissions instead of the original ones.
• Some file servers or NAS (Network-Attached Storage) devices enforce default permissions on newly created files.

3. Windows File Ownership Transfer

• If the original file was owned by a different user or group, Acrobat’s file replacement process may transfer ownership to the person saving the file, changing access permissions in the process.

Suggestions:

1. Change How Acrobat Saves Files

Acrobat has an option that prevents it from replacing the file on save:

• Go to Edit > Preferences > General
• Enable “Save As optimizes for Fast Web View.

2. Check Network Folder Permissions (that you are already aware)

• Ensure “Modify” permissions are granted instead of just “Read/Write.”
• Check for inheritance issues:
• Right-click the folder > Properties > Security > Advanced
• Make sure “Inherit permissions from parent” is enabled if needed.

3. Adjust Windows Group Policy (If in Enterprise Environment) (if applicable)

• Some network administrators enforce security policies that cause this behavior.
• IT can set a Group Policy Object (GPO) to ensure that users retain permissions when modifying files.

~Tariq