Digital Rights Management for Documents.

Digital documents are particularly insecure and exposed to misuse as they can be copied and distributed indefinitely at a click of a mouse and can leave a physically secure business or organizational environment to anywhere and almost anyone in the world with a single email.

A printed document increases security if it can be kept away from a photocopier and the original can be kept under observation at all times - however most documents today spend a significant part of their lifecycle in digital from before conversion to paper.

Conventional document encryption reduces risks by securing the document as it transits the internet as well as offering protection against intruders, however once the password has been given out or the document is decrypted the contents of the document are no longer secured and can be copied, printed or forwarded in emails as before. Indeed it is common practice for staff to copy customer lists, for clients to hand on specifications to other vendors and for consultants to leak confidential information so for practical purposes even the most secure cryptographic systems are not effective in the office environment.