Is it possible to find the source of a downloaded pdf file from examining the pdf itself?
Is it possible to find out the source of a downloaded pdf from examining the pdf data? The pdf in question was not downloaded by myself but was downloaded into an account of mine. I have since changed passwords.
From opening the pdf it appears to be a website saved as a pdf format.
pdf file-download
asked Dec 11 '18 at 7:49
Vesper007Vesper007
63
add a comment |
Is it possible to find out the source of a downloaded pdf from examining the pdf data? The pdf in question was not downloaded by myself but was downloaded into an account of mine. I have since changed passwords.
From opening the pdf it appears to be a website saved as a pdf format.
pdf file-download
asked Dec 11 '18 at 7:49
Vesper007Vesper007
63
Mobiles are off-topic.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 11 '18 at 20:41
Thank you David, I will modify my question to suit.
– Vesper007
Dec 11 '18 at 22:16
add a comment |
Is it possible to find out the source of a downloaded pdf from examining the pdf data? The pdf in question was not downloaded by myself but was downloaded into an account of mine. I have since changed passwords.
From opening the pdf it appears to be a website saved as a pdf format.
pdf file-download
asked Dec 11 '18 at 7:49
Vesper007Vesper007
63
Is it possible to find out the source of a downloaded pdf from examining the pdf data? The pdf in question was not downloaded by myself but was downloaded into an account of mine. I have since changed passwords.
From opening the pdf it appears to be a website saved as a pdf format.
pdf file-download
pdf file-download
asked Dec 11 '18 at 7:49
Vesper007Vesper007
63
asked Dec 11 '18 at 7:49
Vesper007Vesper007
63
edited Dec 11 '18 at 22:21
Vesper007
asked Dec 11 '18 at 7:49
Vesper007Vesper007
63
asked Dec 11 '18 at 7:49
Vesper007Vesper007
63
asked Dec 11 '18 at 7:49
Vesper007Vesper007
63
63
Mobiles are off-topic.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 11 '18 at 20:41
Thank you David, I will modify my question to suit.
– Vesper007
Dec 11 '18 at 22:16
add a comment |
Mobiles are off-topic.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 11 '18 at 20:41
Thank you David, I will modify my question to suit.
– Vesper007
Dec 11 '18 at 22:16
Mobiles are off-topic.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 11 '18 at 20:41
Mobiles are off-topic.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 11 '18 at 20:41
Thank you David, I will modify my question to suit.
– Vesper007
Dec 11 '18 at 22:16
Thank you David, I will modify my question to suit.
– Vesper007
Dec 11 '18 at 22:16
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Unless the origin is "in" the PDF (i.e: as Text or Metadata), there is no way to know where it came from...
In addition to this, any origin that appears to be in the PDF may not actually relate to the perceived origin.
For example:
- The file may have been produced by an academic at a University
- There may be a link to the author's web space on the University systems, or even a direct link to the PDF
- But you may have actually downloaded it from a mirror or some other random site
Fundamentally: browsers do not modify file content, so there is no way to know where a file was actually retrieved from. Your best option is the browser history.
At a pinch you could try searching for text in the PDF to see if the results refresh your memory.
answered Dec 12 '18 at 11:09
AttieAttie
10.9k32444
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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active
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votes
active
oldest
votes
Unless the origin is "in" the PDF (i.e: as Text or Metadata), there is no way to know where it came from...
In addition to this, any origin that appears to be in the PDF may not actually relate to the perceived origin.
For example:
- The file may have been produced by an academic at a University
- There may be a link to the author's web space on the University systems, or even a direct link to the PDF
- But you may have actually downloaded it from a mirror or some other random site
Fundamentally: browsers do not modify file content, so there is no way to know where a file was actually retrieved from. Your best option is the browser history.
At a pinch you could try searching for text in the PDF to see if the results refresh your memory.
answered Dec 12 '18 at 11:09
AttieAttie
10.9k32444
add a comment |
Unless the origin is "in" the PDF (i.e: as Text or Metadata), there is no way to know where it came from...
In addition to this, any origin that appears to be in the PDF may not actually relate to the perceived origin.
For example:
- The file may have been produced by an academic at a University
- There may be a link to the author's web space on the University systems, or even a direct link to the PDF
- But you may have actually downloaded it from a mirror or some other random site
Fundamentally: browsers do not modify file content, so there is no way to know where a file was actually retrieved from. Your best option is the browser history.
At a pinch you could try searching for text in the PDF to see if the results refresh your memory.
answered Dec 12 '18 at 11:09
AttieAttie
10.9k32444
add a comment |
Unless the origin is "in" the PDF (i.e: as Text or Metadata), there is no way to know where it came from...
In addition to this, any origin that appears to be in the PDF may not actually relate to the perceived origin.
For example:
- The file may have been produced by an academic at a University
- There may be a link to the author's web space on the University systems, or even a direct link to the PDF
- But you may have actually downloaded it from a mirror or some other random site
Fundamentally: browsers do not modify file content, so there is no way to know where a file was actually retrieved from. Your best option is the browser history.
At a pinch you could try searching for text in the PDF to see if the results refresh your memory.
answered Dec 12 '18 at 11:09
AttieAttie
10.9k32444
Unless the origin is "in" the PDF (i.e: as Text or Metadata), there is no way to know where it came from...
In addition to this, any origin that appears to be in the PDF may not actually relate to the perceived origin.
For example:
- The file may have been produced by an academic at a University
- There may be a link to the author's web space on the University systems, or even a direct link to the PDF
- But you may have actually downloaded it from a mirror or some other random site
Fundamentally: browsers do not modify file content, so there is no way to know where a file was actually retrieved from. Your best option is the browser history.
At a pinch you could try searching for text in the PDF to see if the results refresh your memory.
answered Dec 12 '18 at 11:09
AttieAttie
10.9k32444
answered Dec 12 '18 at 11:09
AttieAttie
10.9k32444
answered Dec 12 '18 at 11:09
AttieAttie
10.9k32444
answered Dec 12 '18 at 11:09
AttieAttie
10.9k32444
10.9k32444
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Mobiles are off-topic.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 11 '18 at 20:41
Thank you David, I will modify my question to suit.
– Vesper007
Dec 11 '18 at 22:16