How to protect files from direct downloads?

Involved Joined: Sep 07, 2004 Posts: 354 Location: Sweden

Hi!

I put a file for downloads in my site and protected my downloads area to be shown only for reg. users.

I put the files on:

www.mysite.com/downloads/XXX/XXX.zip

Then I saw in a forum that a smart guy was putting a direct links to this file so you even don't need to visit my site to download this file. (I don't know how he found the path to this file and directory????).

My questions:

1. How can I protect my files to be downloaded ONLY by reg. user and ONLY from my site?

2. Is this a right place to put the downloads file?

I've been around in this forum seeking for an answer but couldn't find it.

Please help me soon to solve this. I'm a newbe as you understand!!

Thanks Rolling Eyes

Site Admin/Owner Joined: Aug 27, 2002 Posts: 17088

There are several posts on that here, but this one should help http://www.ravenphpscripts.com/posts2534-highlightprotect.html+downloads

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 2:07 pm

Thank you Raven.

It works great on my site.

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 2:24 am

Sorry!!!

it dosn't works for me!

When I wrote last answer I tested it with direct downloading and it didn't let me to do that. After that I got a message from user about broken link to this file. I couldn't download it from my site and got same result.

Is this another way to do it?

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 7:55 am

Well, I use that method and so do others. Make sure you don't have any typos.

New Member Joined: Feb 14, 2011 Posts: 1

First of all I am sorry for bumping this old thread.

BUT is it possible to make an exception in this htaccess for requests from scripts running on my server? I want to protect my files against direct downloading but my magento shop should have access to the files for downloading.