ANN: Adobe Acrobat eBooks are not very secure
Vladimir Katalov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. has released Advanced eBook Processor, a
Windows ME/98/95/NT4/2000/XP program that makes it easy to
remove both password encryption and usage restrictions from
Adobe Acrobat PDF files and eBooks. The latest addition to
ElcomSoft's family of password recovery software allows business
managers to deal with lost and destroyed passwords, as well as
with employees who, intentionally or unintentionally, are unable to
edit and print password-protected PDF files.
Advanced eBook Processor lets users make backup copies of
eBooks that are protected with passwords, security plug-ins,
various DRM (Digital Rights Management) schemes like EBX and
WebBuy, enabling them to be readable with any PDF viewer,
without additional plug-ins. In addition, the program makes it easy
to decrypt eBooks and load them onto Palm Pilot's and other
small, portable devices. This gives users - especially users who
read on airplanes or in hotels - a more convenient option than
using larger notebooks with limited battery power to read their
eBooks.
PDF protection can prevent users from changing or printing
information, adding or changing annotations and form fields, or
even selecting and copying text or graphics. With Advanced
eBook Processor, these PDF files can be decrypted, opened,
and used without any of these restrictions. Once protection has
been removed, PDF files created with Adobe's Acrobat program
can be opened in any PDF viewer, including Adobe's Acrobat
Reader.
Advanced eBook Processor protects businesses from losing
control of their eBooks, technical articles, documentation manuals,
presentations, and all PDF documents that could be rendered
unusable by improperly managed passwords and licenses.
Advanced eBook Processor costs $99(US) and may be
purchased securely online at http://www.elcomsoft.com/aebpr.html.
You can download a free trial version of the software at the same web
address.
Louis Vosloo
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> ...
> Advanced eBook Processor costs $99(US) and may be
> purchased securely online at http://www.elcomsoft.com/aebpr.html.
But can you trust the secure server? After all, since it is such an obstacle
to easy e-commerce, and such an inconvenience to have these secure
servers, wouldn't you expect someone like "Vladimir Katalov" of EDN
Sovintel to liberate us all from the inconvenience of not being able to
eavesdrop on secure transactions and to use other peoples credit cards?
People add constraint on what you can do with their PDF files,
but apparently we know better what their real intent was, and even
if it wasn't what we have in mind, we don't care, we'll do with their
intellectual property what *we* like now that he has liberated us!
Bryan Guignard
Vladimir has a perfectly valid and legal point. I myself have some encrypted PDFs
to which I have lost the passwords, and genuine business people contact me
regularly in hope of being able to recover their legal property from the shackles
of encryption. Vladimir's tool is invaluable in many situations.
If bandits and criminals want to use this tool for breaking the law then it is
THEIR responsibility, not Vladimir's.
Televisions, VCRs, camcorders can be used for evil.
Pedophiles commit crimes with their cameras.
Criminals use cell phones and radio scanners everyday in their criminal
activities.
Crime is conducted over the internet even as I write this.
People have been stabbed and killed with butter knives and forks.
Decryption tools are used to steal digital property.
Does that mean that we must abandon progress, destroy technology, and blame
innocent people (such as Vladimir and many others) for the nefarious acts of the
criminally minded?
Louis, if you really do believe what you say, and honestly think that Vladimir's
goal is to liberate criminals from the shackles of encryption, then I can
honestly say that I have no respect for your intelligence.
I believe in personal property rights as much and perhaps more than most, and I'm
constantly trying to find a better solution. But to blame the innocent for the
actions of the guilty is in itself one of the greatest evils.
I really hope you will reconsider your statement. It is emotionally and logically
appealing, but it also is a clever form of suppression and censorship which
ultimately does far more harm than good.
There is the ultimate security tool that everyone has access to and can use for
free. If you don't want your property stolen, or can't afford the risk, then keep
it to yourself.
Bryan Guignard
Adobe Certified Expert
PS. Vladimir, keep up the good work. Many people would be lost without it.
Vladimir Katalov
Louis Vosloo wrote in message <3B39EDD4...@YandY.com>...
>But can you trust the secure server? After all, since it is such an
obstacle
>to easy e-commerce, and such an inconvenience to have these secure
>servers, wouldn't you expect someone like "Vladimir Katalov" of EDN
>Sovintel to liberate us all from the inconvenience of not being able to
>eavesdrop on secure transactions and to use other peoples credit cards?
Sorry, you got everything wrong. We do not cracking or hacking something,
don't deal with security protocols and transactions etc. But please read
"How secure are eBooks?" page on Adobe:
http://www.adobe.com/products/contentserver/overview2.html
The lesson is: when somebody says that something is very secure, you
should not trust that. What if you've going to sell very sensitive
information
using Adobe technology, asking e few thousands for it, and want to be sure
that it will not be copied?
In the meantime, the story continues. We have got the following message
from Adobe:
================================================================
June 25, 2001
Adobe Systems Incorporated has determined that www.elcomsoft.com is engaged
in other unauthorized activity relating to copyrighted materials published
by Adobe Systems.
INFRINGING MATERIAL OR ACTIVITY FOUND:
At http://www.elcomsoft.com/aebpr.html, Elcomsoft is offering for sale a
software program designed to remove the copyright restrictions from eBook
protected works. As the copyright protection is applied by the copyright
holder, and NOT the end user, any claim that the software is designed to
assist the end user in activity other than illegal piracy, is unsustainable.
Continued offering of this product without Adobe's consent constitutes
contributory copyright infringement.
Adobe has a good faith belief that use of the material in this manner is
not authorized by the copyright owner, or its agent, or the law. This
violation is a matter of great concern and will be pursued aggressively by
Adobe Systems.
ACTION REQUESTED
Adobe is requesting you cease the illegal actions by removing the offending
materials. Please respond to us no later than five working days.
Investigator
Anti-Piracy Enforcement Team
================================================================
And though they "gave" us 5 days to respond, they've also contacted the
company our
ISP rents the line, and that company replied (to ISP):
================================================================
This letter is to inform you that we have received proper notification
under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) regarding copyright
infringement and unauthorized activity on your customer's site,
www.elcomsoft.com. Please notify your customer and remove the following
URL, http://elcomsoft.com/aebpr.html, by 5:00 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, June
26, 2001, or we will be required by the DMCA to disable their entire
site. The complainant, Adobe Systems, alleges that the site is offering
downloads to their copyrighted software published by Adobe Sysems and is
offering a software that is designed to instruct the end user to remove
the copyright restrictions from eBook protected works. Please confirm
via email.
================================================================
Pay attention to the following: "Adobe Systems, alleges that the site is
offering
downloads to their copyrighted software published by Adobe Sysems".
Obviously,
that's not true. However, that company (Verio) has closed HTTP access to our
site,
without any notifications and explanations what laws or terms-of-use have
been
violated.
I should say that it will not work. We'll just move our site to another ISP,
in another
country (where there is no DMCA). And/or make our software available for
free,
under the GNU license.
It seems that people didn't learn DeCSS story...
--
Sincerely yours,
Vladimir
Vladimir Katalov
Managing Director
Elcom Ltd.
Member of Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP)
Member of Russian Cryptology Association
mailto:vkat...@elcomsoft.com
http://www.elcomsoft.com/adc.html (Advanced Disk Catalog)
http://www.elcomsoft.com/art.html (Advanced Registry Tracer)
http://www.elcomsoft.com/prs.html (Password Recovery Software)
http://www.mailutilities.com (Email Management Software)
Christian Koch
> In the meantime, the story continues. We have got the following message
> from Adobe:
>
>
> And though they "gave" us 5 days to respond, they've also contacted the
> company our ISP rents the line, and that company replied (to ISP):
>
>
> Pay attention to the following: "Adobe Systems, alleges that the site is
> offering downloads to their copyrighted software published by Adobe
> Sysems". Obviously, that's not true. However, that company (Verio) has
> closed HTTP access to our site, without any notifications and explanations
> what laws or terms-of-use have been violated.
They closed the hole site? Maybe without examining the pages. Incredible!
> I should say that it will not work. We'll just move our site to another
> ISP, in another country (where there is no DMCA). And/or make our software
> available for free, under the GNU license.
Keep on doing the good work!
> It seems that people didn't learn DeCSS story...
www.infosecuritymag.com/articles/august00/columns2_cryptorhythms.shtml
Christian.
Vladimir Katalov
"Christian Koch" <christi...@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:9hepuk$df6im$1...@ID-44350.news.dfncis.de...
> They closed the hole site? Maybe without examining the pages. Incredible!
Yes. We have replied them (before the site was closed), asking for
explanations,
but they simply ignired our message and closed the hole site; moreover --
even
all other sites we have on the same hosting (not related to that program at
all).
So, I would not recommend anyone to use Verio (www.verio.net) to host any
sites, even 100% legal ones.
> > I should say that it will not work. We'll just move our site to another
> > ISP, in another country (where there is no DMCA). And/or make our
software
> > available for free, under the GNU license.
>
> Keep on doing the good work!
Thank you! Your support is really appreciated.
> www.infosecuritymag.com/articles/august00/columns2_cryptorhythms.shtml
Thanks -- nice article.
Fred the mighty computer wizard
Personally, I believe I should have the right to view the EBook (PDF)
on any of my own computers that I wish. I don't believe in posting
hacked copies of the books to the Internet, that would prevent authors
from writing books because there's no reward for doing so... But
I won't tolerate the booksellers telling me where I can view the book.
Electronic books have a lot of limitations over the hardcopy, I can
carry the hardcopy anywhere I want. But EBooks can be "indexed"
(PDF) and when brought together, can result in a great "knowledge
base" of information using the Acrobat Reader "search" function and
Acrobat Indexes. You can't do this with "hardcopy", because most if
not all book indexes I've seen suck eggs seriously. Mostly inaccurate
and rarely complete enough to find anything useful. So I generally have
both hardcopy and PDF files. For the above reasons... Works for me...
Good job, Vladimir, don't let the copyright fascists win this one... :^)
Fred.....
Vladimir Katalov
/Vladimir
"Fred the mighty computer wizard" <kill_spammers@email_is_good.com> wrote in
message news:3B3CCBAC.38AC8335@email_is_good.com...