Security policies overview

A security policy is a reusable set of security settings that you apply to PDFs. You can use password-based or certificate-based policies to control access to documents.

Security policies help you apply consistent protection across multiple PDFs. Instead of configuring settings each time, you can define them once and reuse them, reducing manual effort and the risk of errors.

Types of security policies

Acrobat supports two types of security policies, depending on how they are created and managed.

Organizational policies

Organizational policies are managed through Adobe Experience Manager – Forms Server (Document Security) and stored on a server. These policies are useful when access to PDFs must be controlled for a specific period or audited centrally.

Characteristics

• Stored on a server and require server access
• Define document recipients from a server-managed list
• Control access and auditing based on the policy
• Available only if the service is licensed and enabled

User policies

User policies are created and managed by individuals. They are useful when you regularly apply the same password‑based or certificate‑based security settings to your own documents.

Characteristics

• Created and applied by a single user
• Support password and certificate security
• Stored locally by default
• Stored on the Forms Server for personal use if access is available