Hiding Image Files In Web Server

breadfan311 · 05-04-2007, 08:17 PM

Hi,
Currently when someone types in the url for my image file (eg. www.example.com/image/example.jpg), the image will appear in their browser. How am I able to hide the image from the rest of the world. Please help. Thanks.

BrianK · 05-04-2007, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by breadfan311

Hi,
Currently when someone types in the url for my image file (eg. www.example.com/image/example.jpg), the image will appear in their browser. How am I able to hide the image from the rest of the world. Please help. Thanks.

What are you trying to do? prevent other sites from linking to your images or preventing anyone from seeing the image at all?

You can change the read permissions so that only the owner can read it (assuming the web server does not run as you). You can use apache's rewrite engine to stop anyone viewing an image unless they are reffered by your site. You can put the image in a directory not accessible by your web server.

breadfan311 · 05-04-2007, 10:14 PM

Hi,
Actually I want to prevent others from viewing the image directly when they type in the location of the file that I have mentioned above. However I only want others to be able to view the image from the page that I have the image linked to.

Example of an image that others are able to view when typing the location of the image.
http://www.google.com.my/intl/en_com...logo_plain.png

fukawi2 · 05-05-2007, 07:06 AM

AFAIK that's not possible...

When your browser is loading the image as part of a page on your site, or as a direct request for the image, the web server doesn't know any different.

Is there a specific reason you're trying to achieve this, or just general paranoia?

tanveer · 05-13-2007, 03:35 AM

I think you are looking for .htaccess. google on how to use that and for a quick start try http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/index.php/Quick_HOWTO_:_Ch20_:_The_Apache_Web_Server
So that only the authorize ones can see the images or whatever is in that location.

tanveer · 05-13-2007, 03:35 AM

I think you are looking for .htaccess. google on how to use that and for a quick start try http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/index.php/Quick_HOWTO_:_Ch20_:_The_Apache_Web_Server
Look for .htaccess section there.
So that only the authorize ones can see the images or whatever is in that location.

fukawi2 · 05-13-2007, 04:23 AM

.htaccess will stop the requests from the actual page that the OP does want the images on, unless the 'client' enters valid credentials...

SlowCoder · 05-13-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianK

You can use apache's rewrite engine to stop anyone viewing an image unless they are reffered by your site.

I think this is a good idea. However, this can be circumvented by apps like wget very easily.