Self-destruction of a file after the expiration of time

Question

Information Security

Actually such situation:

There are three types of files Excel, Word, PDF. These files are sent to people on a non-permanent basis (therefore, it is not possible to ask them to install something for themselves). It is necessary that these files, over time, self-destruct or simply not open.

The problem is as follows:
1) It will not work to install any software on the recipient;
2) Perhaps the recipient's rights are cut off.

The topic is not very strong. Willing to pay money for such software. The experience of working with similar systems is also interesting.

I myself think to dig towards cloud services.

Answer 1

I don't think it's realistic in general. The maximum that you can do is to give some kind of link to the rendered text, which will be active only for a certain time. But nothing will prevent the user from making a printscreen or something like that.

Answer 2

IMHO, it's impossible. Even if the file came to me by auto-syncing with the cloud storage and after a while it will also be automatically deleted (although the service software will still have to be installed), no one will stop me from copying the file to another location and then opening it. Not to mention that the user will be able to copy/print information from this file.
You would write in more detail why this is needed, perhaps there are other solutions.

Answer 3

a link to co-editing in googledoc or googledrive (I don’t remember where exactly), and when necessary, delete it.

Answer 4

Microsoft IRM and other DRM/E-DRM as already suggested.

Answer 5

I can write such a bun on order, the topic is interesting. Write to ls.

Answer 6

Macros can help with Excel, Word. But there are 2 problems here - the user's security settings and the experience of the same user.
If the recipient is not quite a boot, then he will be able to take out the data bypassing the macro.

Answer 7

Somehow I came across an article on this topic on Habré itself, that they say the technology was developed and everyone was horrified “what will happen next” ... If I’m not mistaken, about a year has passed since then))) I’ll try to find it, I’ll throw a link.

Answer 8

Scribd as an option. You get an API key and you can control the availability of files from FTP.