password protected pdf opens without password

[hminster]

I am using Mint 19.1 with all updates applied through Feb10 2019. I used LibreOffice Version: 6.0.7.3 Build ID: 1:6.0.7-0 to create a password protected pdf export. This was exported to an LUKS encrypted partition. Then the file was copied using caja to my desktop. Using Document Viewer (xreader 1.8.5)
Using xreader, I can open this file from my desktop with out using the password.
If I copy the file to another folder (or use the original file in my LUKS partition) and attempt to open the pdf (using xreader) I am prompted for the password.
If I rename the pdf file and attempt to open it from my desktop I am prompted for the password.

I am guessing that there was a hiccup of some sort that caused information containing the file name/password to be stored somewhere and not erased. I do not know if this was the original Libre OIffice export or the attempt to read the pdf with xreader. (I do not recall if xreader ever asked for the password.) I assume it is an xreader problem of some sort.

I have restarted my pc multiple since noticing the problem.

I have done this sort of export from Libre Office and produced password pdf files that work as expected.

If this post should be somewhere else please let me know where it should go. (Be nice )

Harry

[milon]

I just did a quick test. I'm using LM 19.14 Cinnamon, and software manager reports everything is up to date. I created a PDF using LibreOffice 6, encrypted with a password.

When I opened it with xreader, it asked for the password and had these options:
- Forget password immediately
- Remember password until you log out
- Remember forever

Is there any chance you selected Remember Forever at some point? Or even set it as a default option?

[hminster]

There is every chance I did something like save password forever. I am not sure what the ramifications of that are. Does that in effect remove the password?

I reproduced this today.
Create doc qbf.odt in Libre Office.
Export as PDF to desktop as qbf.pdf with password protection different from booksl.pdf
Open qbf.pdf from desltop with xreader. Password required
Rename qbf.pdf to booksl.pdf (the original file with the problem.)
Open booksl.pdf password required.

Redo the above steps using the password from the original booksl.pdf
The last step does not require the password for the newly created and rename booksl.pdf.

This leads me to believe that the filename/password combination is saved somewhere by xreader. How can I check this and/or delete the filename/password?

[deepakdeshp]

Easier would be yo create the file with the password again and delete the problem file.

[milon]

There is every chance I did something like save password forever. I am not sure what the ramifications of that are. Does that in effect remove the password?

Only on that PC, I suspect. If you try on another computer it should still need the password. I think. Unfortunately, that's just a guess and I know nothing further about how xreader works or where to look for problems. I agree with deepakdeshp - you could delete and recreate the problematic PDF to solve the issue. Or you could be more extreme about it, and uninstall xreader and wipe its settings, then reinstall it.
I assume that's overkill, and I further assume it would be:
$ sudo apt purge xreader
$ sudo apt install xreader

Then be careful about what you click in the future.

[hminster]

Recreating the file does not fix the problem. The filename/password is stored somewhere by xreader.
I will attempt to find the settings and see if that contains the problem association.
If nothing else dawns on me I will remove xreader and reinstall.

[hminster]

Does anyone know where xreader stores filename/password for a password protected PDF?

Can someone tell me if I have this right for the first two options of xreader "Enter password" dialog and what the third option means.
Forget password immediately. (Open PDF allow reading forget password on close.)
Remember password until logout (Open password and retain the password until user logsout.)
Remember forever (??????)

[hminster]

Removing xreader using package manager on Mint 19.1 did not fix this problem.

[hminster]

I installed evince and the same problems occur.
Attempting to open the password protected pdf file, booksl.pdf , with evince on my desktop does not require a password.
Renaming booksl.pdf or moving it to a different directory, evince will pop the password dialog.
As far as I can tell it is only this one file that opens without the password.
I did notice that the dialog for password entry looks the same in evince as it does in xreader.
This leads me to believe there is some common lower level dependency between the applications evince and xreader that is the problem. Something somewhere is storing the directory/filename/password information.

I may need to rethink my whole use of password protected PDF files.

[hminster]

This problem is not solved but will no longer be followed by me for a solution. I will look elsewhere for a solution.
I am not sure how this should be marked.
Thanks for your help.

[deepakdeshp]

This problem is not solved but will no longer be followed by me for a solution. I will look elsewhere for a solution.
I am not sure how this should be marked.
Thanks for your help.

Please update the solution here once you have it