Security ::HotLink Protection
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HotLink protection prevents other websites from directly linking to files (as specified below) on your website. Other sites will still be able to link to any file type that you don't specify below (ie. html files). An example of hotlinking would be using a <img> tag to display an image from your site from somewhere else on the net. The end result is that the other site is stealing your bandwidth. You should ensure that all sites that you wish to allow direct links from are in the list below. This system attempts add all sites it knows you own to the list, however you may need to add others.

Hotlink protection is currently disabled.

Configure HotLink Protection:









Block direct access for these extensions (separate by commas):


Allow direct requests (ie. entering the url to an image in your browser)

Redirect request to this URL:



Note
The "Allow direct requests" checkbox must be checked when using HotLink Protection for files that you wish to be viewed in QuickTime (Mac Users) by your site's visitors.

 

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HotLink Protection Help

What is HotLink Protection?

HotLink protection will prevent all web sites that are not specified in the Allowed Domains list from accessing any files listed in your Protected Extensions list. Web sites listed in your Allowed Domains list will be able to access all file extensions on your site. HotLink protection also will disable a viewer's ability to enter the URL to a file with a protected extension into their browser directly.

For example: If I found out that somesite.com was linking an image on their main page to http://mysite.com/image.jpg, I could turn on HotLink protection to prevent somesite.com from using my image. This will not stop them from saving your images.

 

Why should I use HotLink Protection?

Whenever someone accesses a file from your site, it transfers data to that person. This data transfer is counted against your bandwidth usage limit (check the Stats tab to see your bandwidth usage). Other sites may choose to link to your images. Not only can use up your bandwidth, it can also cause copyright issues, or other problems. If you do not wish for other sites to be able to link to your images, zip files, or other files, you should enable HotLink protection.

 

Configuration

You can add or remove the domains that can access all your files by typing in the field beneath Allowed Domains.

Add the specific file extensions you wish to prevent outside access to in the blank field next to Protected Extensions.

You can send a viewer to a specific URL if the site the are viewing is linked to a protected extension by entering that URL in the blank field next to Url to Redirect to:. This can send them to a page that says something like "Stealing bandwidth is not nice!" or to a simple error page.