Self-protecting documents

摘要

A system and method for the secure distribution of electronic documents reduces the likelihood of unauthorized reproduction and redistribution by either authorized or unauthorized recipients. A self-protecting document (SPD) contains an encrypted document as well as a secure set of permissions and the software necessary to process the document; full decryption of the document is performed as late as possible so as to minimize the possibility of intercepting the document before it has been fully rendered to screen or to paper.