Content protection - Disable clipboard

[TeviH]

Amazon.com has a nifty little javascript that disables clipboard data, effectively preventing screen captures, as well. (Check out the code to any page showing "inside the book.")

The problem is it only works on IE, and it only prevents screen captures if that window is the top/active window.

Does anyone know a better code to implement that would work on all browsers, maybe using php or something?

Can .htaccess block all access to any filetypes being accessed from any outside (or no) server? (forcing people to use your page to see files - which won't allow them to copy to clipboard). Is there any sort of DRM for images?

Is there anyone who has developed a Perfect content protection system? I know some artists who want to put their work on the web but are afraid of theft. (they don't want to use watermarks)

 

[monaco]

The fact of the matter is, once the data leaves your server, you have no control over it. If you want real DRM, you need to write some kind of clientside app with DRM functions and protect the network path with encryption.

 

[dabb]

Amazon.com has a nifty little javascript that disables clipboard data, effectively preventing screen captures, as well. (Check out the code to any page showing "inside the book.")

If you want a screen capture, just use any screen capture program to capture the image in your browser window. If you want to see the source, just surf thru a local proxy program (such as HTTPTracer, etc) and capture the page source before it gets to your browser.

 

[TeviH]

Yea, I know, I guess nothing's perfect... There's got to be a way, though...

 

[monaco]

Here's a thought...try a little obfuscation:

It's a known fact that native speakers of Latin-text based languages (english and similar alphabets, not cyrillic and kana-based or ideographics) don't parse entire words when reading. That known, you can obfuscate your text by rearranging all but the first and the last characters of any word, and it will somehow be legible.

This will be a pain in the ass to someone tryin to copy it, but will not impede their ability to read it for the most part. Just a thought

 

[TeviH]

lol!! That's a funny idea...However, what I want to figure out is how to protect images.

 

[monaco]

I understand you don't want watermarks, by which I assume you mean visible ones that mar the image. I don't have much info on it, but you can digitally watermark images such that the watermark only shows up with proper software, and there is no way to detect or remove the watermark.

What this would give you is proof that your image was stolen if used elsewhere, whcih you could use in legal recourse to order the thief to cease using your images.

 

[TeviH]

Yea. I guess I'll just have to use lo-rez. Easy enough to prove an image is yours by just showing an original, hi quality file. I can chop it up and put the image in a table to make it more difficult to copy. I can offer closeup shots of certain areas to show detail.

Oh well. I was hoping for a technological solution to simply prevent people from being able to copy the file.

I've come across some programs like this: HTML Protector

Does anyone know if/how this works? Is this really something simple that they are trying to repackage for a quick $30?

 

[monaco]

Programs like that don't work. At all. They just make it hard to cut and paste html code by making it hard to read. Really lame concept.

 

[dabb]

I can chop it up and put the image in a table to make it more difficult to copy.

Again, all you have to do is take a screen capture of the browser window. The chop up in a table only protects you from dummies.

 

[monaco]

He said "make it more difficult" not "make it impossible"...

Anyway, this will prevent image harvesters from getting the pic too. No matter what you do, you will still have someone smart enought to get past it. And if your site is popular enough, so will be the knowlege of how to beat your copy protection...look what happened with WGA and WPA and the like with windows...and they have ENTIRE TEAMS of people working on that.

 

[TeviH]

Programs like that don't work. At all. They just make it hard to cut and paste html code by making it hard to read. Really lame concept.

Thanks for the info! Had a hunch it was worthless when I found out it was just js...

Breaking it all down, the key issues are:

1. the path of the file

2. disallowing all access to the file from code outside your own

3. preventing clipboard (screen cap)

I'm a terrible coder, so I'll just ask if anyone knows if this stuff is possible:

1. can php be written to create some bizarre method of calling the file, so that the path can't be figured out? Like having a confusing folder hierarchy? Or the files be in some secure database?

2. can .htaccess prevent all access to specific file types if they are not called from a specific code?

3. can a "no clipboard data" script be written that is compatible with all browsers, not just IE? (Does it have to be javascript? Can it be php?)

 

[monaco]

Thanks for the info! Had a hunch it was worthless when I found out it was just js...

Breaking it all down, the key issues are:

1. the path of the file

2. disallowing all access to the file from code outside your own

3. preventing clipboard (screen cap)

I'm a terrible coder, so I'll just ask if anyone knows if this stuff is possible:

1. can php be written to create some bizarre method of calling the file, so that the path can't be figured out? Like having a confusing folder hierarchy? Or the files be in some secure database?

2. can .htaccess prevent all access to specific file types if they are not called from a specific code?

3. can a "no clipboard data" script be written that is compatible with all browsers, not just IE? (Does it have to be javascript? Can it be php?)

There is no way to completely disable clipboard data. This would piss people off anyway; don't try to control people's computers.

I dont think .htaccess files can help you. If you're worried about hotlinking (accessing your image from a site not your own) ask your host about hotlink protection.

You can always use PHP to generate a temporary file and path and give that to the page, so in an hour it no longer exists at that location.

 

[Refrozen]

Internet Explorer allowing clipboard disablement must be a bug... no way that is planned functionality.

 

[TeviH]

Here's the whole "protection" code (ironically, I copied it) from Amazon:

<!--
var copyright="Please respect the copyright of this material.";

function noRightClick(e) {
  if (document.layers || document.getElementById && !document.all) {
    if (e.which == 2 || e.which == 3) {
      document.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEDOWN);
//      alert(copyright);
      return false;
    }
  } else if (document.all && !document.getElementById) {
    if (event.button == 2) {
//      alert(copyright);
      return false;
    }
  }
}

function noContextMenu(e) {
  return false;
}

function noClip(e) {
  if(document.all) {
    window.clipboardData.setData("Text", "");
  } 
  return true;
}


document.onblur = noClip;
document.onmousedown = noRightClick;
document.oncontextmenu = noContextMenu;

// -->

 

[adam_uk]

1. you cannot stop people stealing your images, text or other random stuff. if its on there computer they can get it

2. javascript is no good and limits users. what about text based users? or people that have js disabled?

3. dont even think about flash. it can be decrypted and can still be stolen.

the only way to keep your content safe is upload it to a webserver and shut the server down.

 

[TeviH]

the only way to keep your content safe is upload it to a webserver and shut the server down.

uhhh.... :blink:

lol

oh well. I guess it can't be done/no one knows.