8.7

Because PlanetPress Capture relies on external data and communication and because it may
be used to process sensitive and legal information, it is important to understand the security
implications of any PlanetPress Capture implementation. Most of the security concerns
regarding Capture are external to it. This means the security that is implemented both on your
network and physical premises are critical to the security of your PlanetPress Workflow
implementation.
Here are a few notable points with the security of PlanetPress Capture on a network:
l PGC Files, while not written in plain text, are not encrypted and are readable through
either PlanetPress Workflow (even a server that did not generate the document
associated with it), or through third-party applications using the Anoto SDK. This means if
someone gains access to your PGC storage folder, they may be able to read the
signatures, checkmarks and other information contained in it and reproduce them on a
document of their choice. It is always better to secure this folder properly. You could also
use third-party encryption software to secure the files, and decrypt them as necessary for
reprocessing.
l The transfer between the Anoto penDirector and PlanetPress Workflow is not encrypted
due to a limitation of penDirector which does not support SSL connections. This means
someone located anywhere between penDirector and PlanetPress Workflow could use
software such as a packet sniffer to retrieve its parts and recreate the PGC files. This may
be resolvable by create a secure VPN tunnel for each location where penDirector is
installed instead of going through regular remote HTTP server.
l The PlanetPress Capture database, since it can be external to PlanetPress Workflow
such as on a MySQL server, will be dependent on your own database security.
l The Anoto Digital Pens, since they may contain critical information, are just like physical
sheets of signed paper and must be kept secured. This is best done through training
employees handling the pens to be aware of its value and contents and act accordingly.
This means that the security of the pen is just as important as the security of any existing
physical documents you may handle at the moment.
l The same rules apply to PDF files as with PGC files, especially when they contain a
signature from the pen. If you are already securing digital scanned copies of signed
documents, the PDFs should be secured in similar ways.
However, remember that as with most security concerns, in order to be a “threat”, someone
would have to have a high level or working knowledge of either the Anoto SDK (which is not
easily obtainable) or PlanetPress Workflow and PlanetPress Capture. In some situations this
may be enough (security through obscurity) but we always recommend having the same level
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