[wp-edu] protecting uploaded files from direct download (multisite)

[Daniel Bachhuber]

Hey Joseph,

You might want to check out Ben Balter's Document Revisions, which has
support for storing files outside of the web root:

http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-document-revisions/

Regards,

Daniel


On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 1:43 PM, Joseph Ugoretz <joseph.ugoretz at mhc.cuny.edu
> wrote:

> Has anyone found a good solution for this?
>
> Here's the basic scenario.  A class site wants to post links to class
> readings (as PDFs) for the students to download and read.  The instructor
> has copyright permission (or fair use exemption) to copy and distribute
> these readings to the class--but not to share them with the whole wide
> internet.
>
> So she uploads the files, puts the links on a separate page, and
> password-protects that page.  Then she gives the password for that page to
> the class, so the students can all get the files.
>
> So far, so good, but the problem is that even though the page is
> password-protected, the uploaded files are not.  So anyone who has the
> direct link can download those files without knowing the password. And
> google does index the content of pdf files, so it's very possible, in fact
> likely, that someone googling (for example) the author's name or some terms
> in the document will come across that direct link.
>
> I've tried as many of the .htaccess tricks for preventing this as I can
> find.  This looked like the best guide
> http://perishablepress.com/creating-the-ultimate-htaccess-anti-hotlinking-strategy/but I tried many others.
>
> None of them seem to work at all for multisite.  They don't stop the
> problem in any way.
>
> If you've got a tip or trick, I'd love to hear about it!  I'd be happy
> with a solution that would work for the enitre network...or just for
> specific sites.  I'm OK with just about anything that will work!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Joe
>
>
>
> --
> Joseph Ugoretz, PhD
> Associate Dean
> Teaching, Learning and Technology
> Macaulay Honors College
> The City University of New York
> 35 West 67th St.
> New York, New York 10023
> TEL 212-729-2920
> FAX 212-580-8130
> macaulay.cuny.edu
>
> _______________________________________________
> wp-edu mailing list
> wp-edu at lists.automattic.com
> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-edu
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.automattic.com/pipermail/wp-edu/attachments/20130810/21ce3622/attachment.html>