| 09 June 2009
Posted in Tips and Tricks

I was checking our web site logs . I saw that a dozens of hits from httrack which is web site copier to get our Jobs component. It can steal your images, digital softwares. You need to be so careful if you are developing digital downloads (like us).

I've decided to write a small article about How to protect files from web site copiers like httrack . I will try to explain this from the Joomla perspective and general rules.

• Put your downloads folder out of your web site. I prefer to choose outside of public_html. I think this is most import think that you can apply. Your hosting company may not allow you to use folder out of public_html. You may need to test this or contact them . We are using Cpanel on our server and our downloads folder is out of public_html like
  

/home
         /public_html
         /our_downloads_folder
         /some_other_folders

• Do not directly link to your files. Give your downloads to your users with an extra file. For example <a href="/getfile.php?id=xx">file name</a>. Good news for Joomla users. Well known Joomla components like docman can do this . You can also combine this with putting the files outside of your web folders.

And I want to finish my article with a question. How do you protect yourself? Or Do you protect yourself against these leechers?