--- title: "Do Not Distribute: Watermarks to Protect Documents" description: Watermark of digital documents, like PDFs or Microsoft Office files (like Word, Excel, and Powerpoint) is essential in protecting documents. image: https://www.vitrium.com/hubfs/watermark.jpg --- Search Results for: * * Search ** [Content Title](https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/do-not-distribute-watermarks-to-protect-documents#) Description More Results - [Share this blog post on Facebook ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/do-not-distribute-watermarks-to-protect-documents) - [Share this post on X ](https://x.com/intent/post?original_referer=https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/do-not-distribute-watermarks-to-protect-documents&url=https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/do-not-distribute-watermarks-to-protect-documents&source=tweetbutton&text=Do%20Not%20Distribute:%20Watermarks%20to%20Protect%20Documents) - [Share this blog post on LinkedIn ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/do-not-distribute-watermarks-to-protect-documents) Watermarking digital documents, such as PDFs or [ Microsoft Office files ](https://www.vitrium.com/document-security-protection-drm-news-pr/vitrium-beta-release-of-document-encryption-add-in-for-microsoft-office/) (like Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents) is an essential step in protecting documents. Watermarks are words - for example "Do Not Distribute" - or designs placed on a piece of work that vary greatly in their designs, size, shade, and shape, but all serve the same set of purposes. Those purposes are to identify the original owner or author of the content, and to serve as a security precaution to discourage people from misusing the content. ##### Watermarks Discourage Unauthorized Distribution Watermark is an important component of [DRM (Digital Rights Management) software solutions ](https://www.vitrium.com/) because it offers an additional layer of security for your content. As watermarks can be used to identify the original owner or author of the content, they discourage users from misrepresenting the content as if it was their own as well as unauthorized distribution. Other watermarks can convey a message to the reader to warn or caution them from mishandling the content, such as sharing it illegally with unauthorized parties. ##### Dynamic Watermarks Some content security and DRM software, like Vitrium Security, offer dynamic watermarking which allows the watermark to create a customized message depending on some pre-determine variables. Below is an example demonstrating a dynamic watermark. As you can see, the watermark displays the reader’s username and it will change depending on the individual that is unlocking the document. ![watermark-blog-4](https://www.vitrium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Watermark-blog-4-300x220.jpg?width=300&name=Watermark-blog-4-300x220.jpg) *Dynamic watermarks use a custom value relating to the user of the content to mark the document.*   ##### Watermarks for Education, Research, and other Industries Vitrium works with clients in various industries that use our [DRM technology to secure their content](https://www.vitrium.com/security/benefits/). Many of them take advantage of the watermarking feature available. Clients in the education or training industries use the dynamic watermark feature to discourage users from sharing their revenue generating content, which is pivotal to the company’s success. Other clients use Vitrium Security's watermark functionality to secure documents with their intellectual properties and proprietary information. If that information is leaked or shared, the owner can track and see when and who accessed the documents through the use of the [ dynamic watermarking feature](https://www.vitrium.com/editions/). For most users, seeing your name printed on a document is enough incentive to not share or use the content inappropriately. As you can see, watermark plays an important role in protecting content. Regardless of how you choose to use a watermark, it will provide an additional layer of security to your content by enforcing accountability for those that purchase or that you chose to share your content with.    About the author #### **Kelvin Kwok** ## Read more like this ![PDF files might be considered safer choice than Word documents](https://www.vitrium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Theme2022/images/default-featured-image.jpg?width=362&name=default-featured-image.jpg) ### [**PDF files might be considered safer choice than Word documents**](https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/pdf-files-might-be-considered-safer-choice-than-word-documents) Organizations looking to ensure top-notch document protection might consider the advantages of portable document format (PDF) files. While some businesses focus primarily on saving documents in Micros ![Associations: How to Securely Distribute Market Intelligence, Industry Reports, and Publications](https://www.vitrium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20trial.jpg?width=362&name=Blog%20trial.jpg) ### [**Associations: How to Securely Distribute Market Intelligence, Industry Reports, and Publications**](https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/how-to-securely-distribute-market-intelligence-industry-reports-and-publications) How do businesses or associations protect documents like market and industry reports, or any other type documents from being shared, copied, or stolen. ![The Truth About Installers in PDF Security Solutions](https://www.vitrium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock_000010235999XSmall_shockedwomanlapton-300x199.jpg?width=362&name=iStock_000010235999XSmall_shockedwomanlapton-300x199.jpg) ### [**The Truth About Installers in PDF Security Solutions**](https://www.vitrium.com/blog/protection/the-truth-about-installers-in-pdf-security-solutions) Protect and control your PDF documents and PDF content without having to install software, plug-ins or readers. Protectedpdf creates reader-friendly protected PDF documents. ![Implementing A Document Security System](https://www.vitrium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DS%20SYSTEM-1.jpg?width=362&name=DS%20SYSTEM-1.jpg) ### [**Implementing A Document Security System**](https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/implementing-document-security-system) Things to consider: document security systems and the way we access and distribute documents continue to evolve, moving towards efficiency and convenience. ![4 Reasons You Need to Start Protecting Your Documents](https://www.vitrium.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/httppictures_brafton_comliveimagesTrust-based-security-strategies-can-keep-sensitive-documents-safe_16000937_800884789_0_0_14058139_3001.jpg?width=362&name=httppictures_brafton_comliveimagesTrust-based-security-strategies-can-keep-sensitive-documents-safe_16000937_800884789_0_0_14058139_3001.jpg) ### [**4 Reasons You Need to Start Protecting Your Documents**](https://www.vitrium.com/blog/document-security-protection-drm-blog/4-reasons-you-need-to-start-protecting-your-documents) How much would document leaks cost your organization? 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