Protecting the video - EXAMPLE

RawAlex · 2005-03-14, 11:39 PM

Andrew, resources are always key to any programming discussion, as you don't have infinite cycles, infinite memory, or infinate network access at your disposal. In simple terms, you can't stuff 10 pounds of shit into a 5 pound bag. You have to be EXTREMELY careful to avoid making your system vunerable by making it work too hard or handle too much.

You also don't want to use something that is remote user dependant. Cookies are being declined more and more by end users, which means you could end up refusing more and more valid surfers.

Have you considered putting your videos in a directory that in NOT accessable from the outside at all (not in the domain, but in a seperate folder somewhere on the machine) using htaccess to redirect all regular requests of a small cgi to check refering page and such? That cgi could then serve the file transparently, and it would never be accessable from the outside (no direct link except through the CGI).

You could probably do the same in PHP, but it would be way less effecient, I suspect.

Alex

2005-03-14, 11:39 PM	#31
RawAlex Took the hint. Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,597	Andrew, resources are always key to any programming discussion, as you don't have infinite cycles, infinite memory, or infinate network access at your disposal. In simple terms, you can't stuff 10 pounds of shit into a 5 pound bag. You have to be EXTREMELY careful to avoid making your system vunerable by making it work too hard or handle too much. You also don't want to use something that is remote user dependant. Cookies are being declined more and more by end users, which means you could end up refusing more and more valid surfers. Have you considered putting your videos in a directory that in NOT accessable from the outside at all (not in the domain, but in a seperate folder somewhere on the machine) using htaccess to redirect all regular requests of a small cgi to check refering page and such? That cgi could then serve the file transparently, and it would never be accessable from the outside (no direct link except through the CGI). You could probably do the same in PHP, but it would be way less effecient, I suspect. Alex