Gmail Loophole Closed

A loophole in Gmail has apparently allowed users to strip emailed PDF files of their DRM, but Google has fixed the bug after Adobe called to complain.

According to bloggers who had tested several documents, while Gmail didn't always handle page layout and images with perfect fidelity on DRM-enabled documents, it did allow users to print and copy content the authors had not wished to be duplicated.

Google's solution appears to be that the "View as HTML" option will be disabled when a PDF document with DRM is received through Gmail, as well as changes to the coding behind "View as HTML" itself.

The quick work by Google should ensure no one sniffs up a DMCA claim for assisting in the removal of DRM, but I'm curious as to how much of this was merely an oversight on Google's part.