We propose and consider a secure printing system for the distributed printing of documents and images over the World Wide Web. This system enables secure sharing, commerce, and collaboration using images and documents. The main feature of the system is that it allows a user authorized through an authentication mechanism to preview and print selected documents and images. The user can then print a certain number of hardcopies, based on an agreed payment. The security of the system resides in an aggregate of communication protocols, smartcard technologies, and cryptographic algorithms. The system prevents eavesdropping so that people who intercept the communication cannot generate copies of the document.