security for website images

Report · Jan 04, 2008

I am using Dreamweaver 8.
I have created a website: www.americas-outback.com that displays images on dynamic pages. I am interested in finding a method of protecting the images from being copied, downloaded or retrieved from the database. I have put a "no right click" code in those pages, but realize that an accomplished hacker will not be stopped by this. Any suggestions as to how to deal with this problem?
Thanks for any help.
Cliff

Report · Jan 04, 2008

cliff man wrote:
> I am using Dreamweaver 8.
> I have created a website: www.americas-outback.com that displays images on
> dynamic pages. I am interested in finding a method of protecting the images
> from being copied, downloaded or retrieved from the database. I have put a "no
> right click" code in those pages, but realize that an accomplished hacker will
> not be stopped by this. Any suggestions as to how to deal with this problem?
> Thanks for any help.
> Cliff
>

The only way to do this is to not put them online in the first place. If
the image is on the screen its already in the browsers cache on there
computer, doesn't take much to find it.

If you really want to put them off, then put a watermark on the image
when you export it.

You will get many more responses to this very very common question, all
with the same answer.

Steve

Report · Jan 04, 2008

cliff man wrote:
> I have put a "no
> right click" code in those pages, but realize that an accomplished hacker will
> not be stopped by this.

Doesn't require an accomplished hacker. "No right click" is useless in
most modern browsers. I've just been to your site in Firefox,
right-clicked, and selected "Save image as..." Yes, your "These are
copyrighted images" message popped up, but it didn't prevent the browser
from letting me save the image.

The only safe way of preventing others from saving your images is not to
put them on a website in the first place. Alternatively, use low
resolution images or watermark them.

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Jan 04, 2008

.oO(cliff man)

> I have created a website: www.americas-outback.com that displays images on
>dynamic pages. I am interested in finding a method of protecting the images
>from being copied, downloaded or retrieved from the database.

Take them down. Besides that there's _no_ other way to prevent anything.
BTW: They have to downloaded in order to be viewable in the browser.

>I have put a "no
>right click" code in those pages

Useless. You can remove it.

>but realize that an accomplished hacker will
>not be stopped by this. Any suggestions as to how to deal with this problem?

Add a watermark to your images and don't publish them in the highest
available resolution/quality. And remove the stupid script.

Micha

Report · Jan 04, 2008

On Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:30:45 +0000, David Powers <david@example.com>
wrote:

>Doesn't require an accomplished hacker. "No right click" is useless in
>most modern browsers. I've just been to your site in Firefox,
>right-clicked, and selected "Save image as..." Yes, your "These are
>copyrighted images" message popped up, but it didn't prevent the browser
>from letting me save the image.

I just did a File->Save Page As and got *all* of the images, without
encountering the feeble copyright message. ;-)

Gary

Report · Jan 04, 2008

.oO(Gary White)

>I just did a File->Save Page As and got *all* of the images, without
>encountering the feeble copyright message. ;-)

You stole them!!!!1
You should be fair and send them back by email ...

SCNR
Micha

Report · Jan 04, 2008

> I have created a website: www.americas-outback.com that displays images on
> dynamic pages. I am interested in finding a method of protecting the
> images
> from being copied, downloaded or retrieved from the database. I have put
> a "no
> right click" code in those pages, but realize that an accomplished hacker
> will
> not be stopped by this. Any suggestions as to how to deal with this
> problem?

Copyright is a legal concept...not technological.

Yes, your images are copyrighted. That, in and of itself, doesn't make it
necessarily illegal for someone to download them if they wish if it falls
into realm of 'fair use' let alone basic web functionality (as stated, the
image HAS to be downloaded for it even to appear in the web browser).

My suggestion would be first to decide if it's really a big deal. If it is,
then the best you can really do is what others have mentioned...watermark
them.

-Darrel

Report · Jan 04, 2008

I want to thank all those who responded to my post. I am in the process now of watermarking all the images. I'm not concerned about the person who did a file save as.....he simply showed a way around the feeble script. Also the person who used Firefox showed another method that showed the existing script doesn't stop getting the image. That is what this forum is about.....solving problems. Thanks to everyone.
Cliff

Report · Jan 04, 2008

don't forget the low resolution thing too.

Glenn

Report · Jan 04, 2008

On Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:01:11 +0100, Michael Fesser <netizen@gmx.de>
wrote:

>You stole them!!!!1
>You should be fair and send them back by email ...

I'll do it tomorrow ... or maybe the next day. ;-)

Gary

Report · Jan 04, 2008

On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 00:19:46 +0000 (UTC), "cliff man"
<webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote:

>Thanks to everyone.

You're welcome, Cliff. It had been four or five days since someone asked
that question. I had January 2nd in the pool for the first time it would
be asked this year, so it looks like I missed by a couple of days. ;-)

Just to make sure, the above is not to poke fun at you. It's to
emphasize the fact that your question represents a fairly common
misconception.

Good luck!

Gary