What if Someone Tampers With the PDF of the Credential?

If you are concerned about PDF tampering, is important to remember that a credential is only valuable as long as it is verifiable. This article explains why.

In the case of a digital credential; the verifiable link is the valuable asset. If a credential cannot be verified, it is of no value to the recipient. 

If you are concerned about PDF tampering, the best thing you can do to ensure the credibility of the PDF versions of your certificates is to make linking back to the online version as easy as possible.



Adding a QR Code to the Certificate

You may wish to consider including a QR code on your certificates, which you can do using our Certificate Design tool. By doing this, viewers of any hardcopy or PDF certificate can scan the code and be taken straight to the credential view where the achievement and owner can be verified.

If somebody does decide to tamper with a PDF in some way, when a viewer uses a QR code to view the certificate online they will see whom the credential was really issued to, and why. It will be evident if the PDF has been altered in any way. 

If an individual decides to change the name and obscure the credential ID / QR code, that PDF then becomes completely worthless. There is no way that the credential can be verified as it does not link back to any source, either digitally or through any other traditional means of verification.

What if Someone Obscures the QR Code?

If an individual decides to change the name and obscure the QR code, that PDF then becomes completely worthless. There is no way that the credential can be verified as it does not link back to any source, either digitally or through any other traditional means of verification. 



In short, PDF versions of digital credentials are less of an integral part of the asset and more of a 'nice-to-have' feature that accompanies it. The most valuable aspect of a digital credential, or indeed any format of credential, is how easily verifiable that credential is.



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