LockLizard Safeguard PDF Security provides document rights management for PDF files. This product can seamlessly encrypt PDF documents to prohibit users from viewing, copying, sharing, modifying, saving, printing (including how many times), printing to file, PDF, or image printers, and screen-grabbing. Safeguard also lets the administrator set parameters, such as when documents expire, if documents should be revoked, if user accounts expire, and whether watermarks should be applied to viewed and/or printed documents.
Safeguard is similar in ease of use to the LockLizard Protector product reviewed here. The administration is set up in the same way and installation takes a few seconds to get up and running. We found it simple and intuitive to manage protection of documents as well.
While this product focuses only on PDFs, it performs quite well and it does offer a high amount of flexibility in terms of protection offered. As with LockLizard Protector, the application can be hosted by LockLizard or hosted directly at the customer site via a simple webserver. Accessing protected documents is easy; and the only thing authorised users need is the viewer application that can be downloaded for free.
Documentation provided with this product includes a quick-start guide, an administration guide for the administration application, and a user guide for the viewer application. The quick-start and administration guides are similar to the ones provided with Protector, while the user guide for the viewer focuses on how to install and use it.
LockLizard provides 30 days of email-based support with the purchase of the product. Support for the rest of the year is available and includes free product upgrades. There is also limited phone support available* and a knowledgebase on the website.
At a price of £2,600 for a perpetual licence, we find this product to be average value for money. While it does have some very nice features for protecting and publishing PDF documents, it brings nothing else to the table. For us, it seems like a high price just to protect PDF files.
*In the US. Please contact regional office for support details for the UK and rest of Europe.