`dump_encryption`

Print PDF encryption details and user permissions

Usage

pdftl <input> dump_encryption [json] [output <output>]

Details

Extracts the document’s security handlers, encryption algorithm, and user access permissions, printing them to the console (or a specified file).

If the input document is encrypted with a user password, you must provide it using the input_pw option to read the permissions.

By default, the output is a plain text, line-based format containing key-value pairs designed to mirror pdftk’s stanza style. Passing the json parameter will produce a structured JSON output instead.

Output Format Details

Text / Stanza Output

The default output starts with IsEncrypted: <true|false>. If the input document is encrypted, an EncryptionBegin stanza is next with the following fields:

EncryptionAlgorithm: <algorithm_name>
EncryptionFilter: <security_handler_name>
EncryptionParameterV: <integer>
EncryptionParameterR: <integer>
KeyLengthBits: <integer>
RawPermissionsFlag: <integer>

Permission Fields in the following PermissionBegin stanza correspond directly to the arguments used by the allow option. Values will be either true (permission allowed) or false (permission denied).

PermissionPrinting
PermissionDegradedPrinting
PermissionModifyContents
PermissionAssembly
PermissionCopyContents
PermissionScreenReaders
PermissionModifyAnnotations
PermissionFillIn

JSON Output

When the json flag is provided, the data is structured hierarchically. Encryption is a dictionary containing the algorithm details, and Permissions is a dictionary mapping each permission to a boolean.

Examples

Print encryption info for secure.pdf in text format

pdftl in.pdf dump_encryption

Print encryption info for a password-protected file in JSON format

pdftl in.pdf input_pw "secret" dump_encryption json

Tags: security, encryption, info

Source: pdftl.operations.dump_encryption

Read online: https://pdftl.readthedocs.io/en/stable/operations/dump_encryption.html

Type: Operation

dump_encryption