When in a hurry, one can encrypt a PDF document and later forget the password, locking themselves out of their work. Using a password manager or simply jotting it down on a piece of paper is the safest way to go, but that wisdom is not always within the grasp. PassRec for PDF is a simple tool designed to help users who forgot a file's password get access back to their data.

PassRec for PDF sports a sharp interface that keeps nothing hidden. Select the file you wish to crack and the recovery method. Click Next and keep on clicking while you provide the necessary details to cut short the recovery times.

Having a step-by-step operation is a huge plus. Knowledgeable users may chew through everything you throw at them, but for less-skilled individuals, a wizard-like dashboard should feel more welcoming.

Despite the success in the looks department, PassRec for PDF has nothing special to offer when it comes to its recovery methods and offers what most products from the same category do.

There are four ways for a user to attack a protected document, Combination Attack, Dictionary Attack, Brute Force Attack, and Mask Attack. The combination methods stand out from the group, being the one that requires the most amount of input from the user's side. In short, you'll have to choose the characters which are going to be used in retrieving the password. If the input is correct, this might be the quickest method, along with the Mask Attack.

As for how the Brute-force attacks go, that's no secret. Trying all possible combinations might not be the best scenario, but if you really need access to a certain file, waiting several hours should worth it.

PassRec for PDF can prove its usefulness when dealing with missing PDF passwords. Unlocking access to a PDF file or removing certain restrictions is impossible without the correct combination, and if you've forgotten that, this tool should help you get it back.