Java Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Password-Protect a PDF with AES-256 Encryption

See more PDF Protection Examples

Demonstrates the simplest way to encrypt a PDF so that it needs a password to open. The passwords come from the UserPassword and OwnerPassword properties, and Protection with the encrypt operation and an empty JSON uses the defaults: AES-256, everything encrypted, every permission granted. Protection only records the security the PDF will be saved with. Nothing is encrypted until WriteFile is called. Java

import com.chilkatsoft.*;

public class ChilkatExample {

  static {
    try {
        System.loadLibrary("chilkat");
    } catch (UnsatisfiedLinkError e) {
      System.err.println("Native code library failed to load.\n" + e);
      System.exit(1);
    }
  }

  public static void main(String argv[])
  {
    boolean success = false;

    //  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
    //  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

    //  The PDF used in this example is available at two_page_memo.pdf

    CkPdf pdf = new CkPdf();
    success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/two_page_memo.pdf");
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(pdf.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    //  The passwords are taken from these two properties at the time Protection is called.
    //  The user password opens the PDF.  The owner password opens it too, and is the one needed
    //  later to change or remove the protection.
    pdf.put_UserPassword("user-secret");
    pdf.put_OwnerPassword("owner-secret");

    //  An empty JSON asks for the defaults: AES-256, everything encrypted, every permission granted.
    CkJsonObject json = new CkJsonObject();
    CkJsonObject jsonOut = new CkJsonObject();
    success = pdf.Protection("encrypt",json,jsonOut);
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(pdf.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    //  Nothing has been encrypted yet.  "pending" describes the security the PDF will be saved with.
    System.out.println("algorithm: " + jsonOut.stringOf("pending.algorithm"));
    System.out.println("PDF version: " + jsonOut.stringOf("pending.pdfVersion"));
    System.out.println("password needed to open: " + jsonOut.BoolOf("pending.userPasswordRequired"));

    //  Writing the file applies it.
    success = pdf.WriteFile("qa_output/memo_encrypted.pdf");
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(pdf.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    //  PreLoadCheck reports a file's encryption without loading it, and needs no password.
    CkPdf checker = new CkPdf();
    CkJsonObject info = new CkJsonObject();
    success = checker.PreLoadCheck("qa_output/memo_encrypted.pdf",info);
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(checker.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    System.out.println("encrypted: " + info.BoolOf("encrypted"));
    System.out.println("openPasswordRequired: " + info.BoolOf("openPasswordRequired"));

    //  With the password, the PDF opens normally.
    CkPdf reader = new CkPdf();
    reader.put_UserPassword("user-secret");
    success = reader.LoadFile("qa_output/memo_encrypted.pdf");
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(reader.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    System.out.println("pages: " + reader.get_NumPages());

    //  Sample output:

    //  algorithm: aes-256
    //  PDF version: 1.7
    //  password needed to open: True
    //  encrypted: True
    //  openPasswordRequired: True
    //  pages: 2
  }
}