Protecting your site's content
Protecting your multimedia files
By Mike Slocombe for Internet Magazine, Feb 2004

10. Protecting streaming content
Although streamed content (like Real Audio) isn't saved to disk, the same rule applies: if you can see or hear it on your computer you can save it, one way or another.

Shareware applications like HiDownload and the freeware Absolute MP3 Recorder make it easy to download streaming media onto a file on your hard-drive.

The bottom line: if you want to people to hear/see your MP3s/videos but don't want them ripping you off, only offer low-bit rate encoded files.


11. Protecting swf files
Use the '_root._url property' to ensure that .swf files can only be run off your own server.

It's not so easy to stop people stealing your bandwidth, but there's a few useful tricks here: Protecting Your Flash and Shockwave Content from Thieves

Note that determined thieves can still 'crack' your swf using decompilers like Action Script Viewer
Protect your Flash files:Flash Kit tutorial, Protect your Action Script


12. Protecting shockwave files
You can use a simple piece of script to stop people playing a .dcr file if it isn't located on your server - but this won't stop cheeky tykes creating an OBJECT/EMBED tag that links across to your site to use your .dcr file.

You can prevent this by checking the "src" parameter with the externalParamValue function. Grab an example of this script from here: Protecting Your Flash and Shockwave Content from Thieves