Security

Protect PDF

Add AES-256 password protection to PDF files to prevent unauthorized access. Secure confidential documents with industry-standard encryption. SnapOtter encrypts locally so your files never pass through external servers.

Features

  • AES-256 encryption for strong document security
  • Set an open password required to view the document
  • Industry-standard PDF encryption compatible with all major readers
  • Preserves all document content, formatting, and metadata
  • Self-hosted encryption keeps unprotected originals off external servers

What you can do

  • Protecting a financial statement PDF before emailing it to a client
  • Encrypting employee records PDFs for secure internal distribution
  • Adding a password to a legal contract PDF before sharing with opposing counsel
  • Securing medical report PDFs to comply with patient privacy regulations

Self-hosted. Your files never leave your network.

SnapOtter runs entirely on your own infrastructure. Files processed with Protect PDF are never uploaded to third-party servers. Deploy a single Docker container and process files with full privacy, no watermarks, and no usage limits. Open source under AGPL-3.0.

Frequently asked questions

What encryption standard is used?
SnapOtter uses AES-256, which is the strongest encryption available for PDF files. It is supported by all major PDF readers. Encryption runs entirely on your local server.
Can I set separate open and edit passwords?
You can set a password required to open and view the document. This provides strong protection against unauthorized access. All processing happens on your self-hosted instance.
Is the encryption secure enough for compliance?
AES-256 meets the requirements of most compliance frameworks including HIPAA and GDPR. Combined with SnapOtter's local-only processing, your documents never leave your controlled environment.

Ready to try Protect PDF?

Deploy SnapOtter in under a minute. All 157 tools included. Open source and free forever.