Whether you need to copy protect PDF or you are using image protect software, its effectiveness always depends on the operating system of the end user. PDF is undoubtedly the best all round file format to use when protecting all sorts of file types because almost all file types can be converted to PDF, whereas it is impossible to protect most other file types due to that fact, as with PDF, they require proprietary reading interfaces based on source that is not free and expensive to license. 


Not very long ago, normal PDF could be displayed on a web page by using EMBED code in the page's HTML so that it would be read in a web browser. Then all the web designer needed to do was add copy protection to the web page to copy protect PDF. But that has since been undermined by changes made to Adobe Reader. By default the PDF file extension is opened by Adobe Reader and almost everyone has that installed on their computer. So when anyone views even an embedded PDF, it is Adobe Reader resources that are used to display it. But cunning Adobe has changed the embedded reader's tool bar so that opening full screen and options for saving and copying the PDF cannot be disabled in the embed code.


While that may make their own PDF protection solution more attractive, there is still one most important point that is being overlooked, and that is that Adobe do not provide real copy protection for the PDF while it is on display. Sure, they do limit the avenues which can be used to save and copy, just like most other psuedo "copy protect" solution providers. But making it difficult to copy is not real copy protection because what is the point if users can still copy whenever and whatever they want?


The huge mistake that they all make is trying copy protect PDF that is view able in all devices and on all OS. That is like saying that a bicycle can ride across grass, all terrain, across water and also fly across air! Now you may say that is not possible because there is no support for the bicycle across all of those surfaces and you would be right. Just like I am right in saying that one cannot effectively copy protect PDF across all devices and OS that cannot support it!


The effectiveness of your PDF protection and image protect software is directly related to the support available from the end-user's operating system and mobile phones cannot support anything that requires interaction at system level.

If you have a corporate network or otherwise access limited infrastructure, why expose it to devices that cannot keep it secure?