Evals / pdf / Security and redaction

Password-protect a PDF

Protect paper.pdf with the password hunter2 and save it as paper-locked.pdf.

normalsingledeft pdf encrypt

The task

The reference answer shows the job can be done with deft. It is not an agent run.

deft pdf encrypt paper.pdf --new-password hunter2 -o paper-locked.pdf

Input

paper.pdf 992.5 KB · 14 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3

Reference output

paper-locked.pdf 994.3 KB

This PDF has no preview: it needs a password or cannot be read.

How a result is judged (2 checks)
  • pdf_encrypted: file = "paper-locked.pdf", encrypted = true
  • pdf_pages: file = "paper-locked.pdf", pages = 14, password = "hunter2"

Runs

CodexWithout deftPassed2026-11-07

Time
17s
New tokens
4.1k
Total input
54.1k
Output tokens
0.5k
Commands
3
Failed
0

Trace

  1. I’ll check the PDF and available local tools, then write the password-protected copy in the current directory.

  2. pwd && rg --files -g 'paper.pdf' -g 'paper-locked.pdf' -g 'AGENTS.md' -g '"'!*/*'"' . && command -v qpdf || true && command -v pdftk || true && command -v gs || true && command -v python3 || true
    output
    ./paper.pdf
/usr/local/bin/gs
/usr/local/bin/python3
  3. gs --version && python3 -c 'import importlib.util; print(\"pypdf\", bool(importlib.util.find_spec(\"pypdf\"))); print(\"PyPDF2\", bool(importlib.util.find_spec(\"PyPDF2\")))' && ls -l paper.pdf
    output
    9.55.0
pypdf False
PyPDF2 False
-rw-r--r--@ 1 user  staff  1016315 Nov  5 21:11 paper.pdf
  4. gs -q -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.7 -dEncryptionR=3 -dKeyLength=128 -sUserPassword=hunter2 -sOwnerPassword=hunter2 -sOutputFile=paper-locked.pdf paper.pdf && ls -l paper-locked.pdf && file paper-locked.pdf
    output
    -rw-r--r--@ 1 user  staff  759607 Nov  6 17:18 paper-locked.pdf
paper-locked.pdf: PDF document, version 1.7, 14 pages

  5. Created [paper-locked.pdf](paper-locked.pdf), protected with the password `hunter2`.

Output

paper-locked.pdf 741.8 KB

This PDF has no preview: it needs a password or cannot be read.

CodexWith deft, skill installedPassedRead the skillUsed deft2026-11-07

Time
28s
New tokens
17.4k
Total input
166.3k
Output tokens
0.8k
Commands
7
Failed
3

Trace

  1. I’ll check the available PDF tools and protect the file in the current directory.

  2. cat ../.agents/skills/deft/SKILL.md (exit 1)
    output
    cat: ../.agents/skills/deft/SKILL.md: No such file or directory

  3. I’m using the `deft` skill for this PDF operation; its catalog path wasn’t at the first location I checked, so I’m locating the provided skill file and its tool.

  4. pwd && rg --files -g 'SKILL.md' 2>/dev/null (exit 1)
  5. ls -la && ls -la .agents/skills/deft .agents/skills/deft 2>/dev/null; command -v qpdf; command -v gs; command -v pdftk; python3 -c 'import pypdf; print(\"pypdf\", pypdf.__version__)' 2>/dev/null (exit 1)
    output
    total 1992
drwxr-xr-x@    4 user  staff      128 Nov  6 17:17 .
drwx------@ 1718 user  staff    54976 Nov  6 17:18 ..
drwxr-xr-x@    3 user  staff       96 Nov  6 17:17 .agents
-rw-r--r--@    1 user  staff  1016315 Nov  5 21:11 paper.pdf
.agents/skills/deft:
total 8
drwxr-xr-x@ 3 user  staff    96 Nov  6 17:17 .
drwxr-xr-x@ 3 user  staff    96 Nov  6 17:17 ..
-rw-r--r--@ 1 user  staff  2229 Nov  6 17:17 SKILL.md

.agents/skills/deft:
total 8
drwxr-xr-x@ 3 user  staff    96 Nov  6 17:17 .
drwxr-xr-x@ 3 user  staff    96 Nov  6 17:17 ..
-rw-r--r--@ 1 user  staff  2229 Nov  6 17:17 SKILL.md
/usr/local/bin/gs
  6. cat .agents/skills/deft/SKILL.md
    output
    ---
name: deft
description: "Use deft instead of writing a script for file jobs: PDF merge/split/compress/watermark, image resize/convert/compress, video and audio trim/convert/compress, spreadsheets, Markdown to PDF/HTML, and YouTube downloads and subtitles."
---

# deft

One local command for file jobs. Prefer it over writing Python or shell scripts.

Syntax: `deft <group> <command> [inputs] [-o output] [--options]`

Groups:
- `pdf`: Merge, split, compress, encrypt, forms, OCR, compare, convert
- `image`: Resize, crop, convert, compress, filters, montage, OCR
- `video`: Trim, crop, speed, convert, compress, GIF, frames (ffmpeg)
- `audio`: Convert, trim, merge, fade, speed, tag, normalize (ffmpeg)
- `doc`: Word/ODT/RTF: to text, Markdown, HTML, PDF; find and replace
- `slides`: PowerPoint: extract text, Markdown outline, PDF handout
- `data`: JSON/YAML/TOML/XML: convert, query with jq syntax, merge, diff
- `sheet`: Excel/CSV/ODS tables: filter, sort, join, pivot, convert
- `md`: Markdown to PDF, HTML, Word, EPUB; table of contents
- `html`: HTML to Markdown, text, Word, PDF; screenshots
- `epub`: E-books: info, to text, Markdown and PDF
- `email`: EML files: headers, text, attachments
- `contact`: VCF address books: to and from CSV
- `calendar`: ICS calendars: to and from CSV
- `gps`: GPX and KML tracks: convert, distance and time
- `youtube`: Info, download, audio, subtitles, thumbnail (yt-dlp)
- `file`: Any file: hash, duplicates, batch rename, base64, encoding
- `qr`: Cre
… 728 more characters
  7. command -v deft && deft find "encrypt PDF with password"
    output
    deft
pdf encrypt  pdf -> pdf  Protect with a password (AES-256)
  8. deft pdf encrypt --help
    output
    deft pdf encrypt - Protect with a password (AES-256)

Usage: deft pdf encrypt <pdf>... [-o <pdf|dir>] [options]
In: pdf (each handled separately)   Out: pdf (default <name>.encrypted.<ext>)
--new-password opens the file. --password is for an already locked input.

Options:
  --new-password <text>        Password to open the output (required)
  --owner-password <text>      Password for full control (default: the same)
  --no-print                   Forbid printing
  --no-copy                    Forbid copying text
  --password <text>            Password of an encrypted input
Common: -o --force --dry-run --json -j   (deft help common)

Examples:
  deft pdf encrypt report.pdf --new-password s3cret -o locked.pdf
  9. deft pdf encrypt paper.pdf --new-password hunter2 -o paper-locked.pdf
    output
    ok pdf.encrypt paper.pdf -> paper-locked.pdf  994KB  0.01s

  10. Created [paper-locked.pdf](paper-locked.pdf), protected with the password you specified.

Output

paper-locked.pdf 994.3 KB

This PDF has no preview: it needs a password or cannot be read.

Claude Opus 5.5Without deftPassed2026-11-07

Time
34s
New tokens
11.7k
Total input
73.8k
Output tokens
1.6k
Commands
0
Failed
0

Trace

    Output

    paper-locked.pdf 1011.4 KB

    This PDF has no preview: it needs a password or cannot be read.

    Claude Opus 5.5With deft, skill installedPassedRead the skillUsed deft2026-11-07

    Time
    12s
    New tokens
    9.8k
    Total input
    59.3k
    Output tokens
    0.5k
    Commands
    0
    Failed
    0

    Trace

      Output

      .claude/skills/deft/SKILL.md 2.1 KB
      ---
name: deft
description: "Use deft first for any simple, direct operation on local files, whatever the type: convert, read, extract, edit, compress, merge, split, compare or inspect. Try it before writing a script or one-liner. If unsure, run deft find; if it says no command does this, use another tool. Not for programming work: to read, write or change source code, skip it."
---

# deft

One local command for file jobs. Prefer it over writing Python or shell scripts.

Syntax: `deft <group> <command> [inputs] [-o output] [--options]`

Groups:
- `pdf`: Merge, split, compress, encrypt, forms, OCR, compare, convert
- `image`: Resize, crop, convert, compress, adjust, montage, OCR
- `video`: Trim, merge, convert, compress, subtitles, GIF, frames (ffmpeg)
- `audio`: Convert, trim, normalize, denoise, cut silence (ffmpeg)
- `doc`: Word/ODT/RTF: to text, Markdown, HTML, PDF; find and replace
- `slides`: PowerPoint: extract text, Markdown outline
- `sheet`: Excel/CSV/ODS tables: SQL query, pivot, merge, split, convert
- `json`: JSON: convert, format, merge, diff, validate
- `toml`: TOML: convert, format, merge, diff, validate
- `xml`: XML: convert, format, merge, diff, validate
- `yaml`: YAML: convert, format, merge, diff, validate
- `md`: Markdown to PDF, HTML, Word, EPUB; table of contents
- `html`: HTML to Markdown, text, Word and PDF
- `epub`: E-books: info, to text, Markdown and PDF
- `gps`: GPX and KML tracks: convert, distance and time
- `qr`: Create QR codes and barcodes; read QR codes

How to use it:
1. Run `deft <group>` to list commands, or `deft find "<what you want>"` to search. If it says `no command does this`, use another tool.
2. Run `deft <group> <command> --help` for options and examples.
3. `deft convert <in> -o <out.ext>` converts between formats by extension.
4. Results are one line starting with `ok`, `partial` or `error`; add `--json` to parse them. Errors include a `hint:` with the fix.

Inputs are never overwritten; pass `--force` or `--in-place` to allow it. Globs and directories work as inputs; several inputs run in parallel.

If `deft` is not installed, ask the user, then follow https://github.com/firstprayer/deft/blob/main/docs/INSTALL.md
      paper-locked.pdf 994.3 KB

      This PDF has no preview: it needs a password or cannot be read.

      Claude CodeWithout deftNot run yet

      Claude CodeWith deftNot run yet