Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Programming Discussion : Programming Tutorials : Prevent users from stealing video

[zennmaster]

I've seen on a few sites that have streaming media that they use a script that hides the url of the video file. I think it can be done with javascript or a PHP script. Anyone know any scripts that do this?

[Jxrad]

This sort of security-through-obscurity is pretty useless; any halfway-savvy user can just look for the URL in the script.

One thing I did for someone on a past contract was write a flash player and just use very basic encyption. The 'scrambled' file is free for anyone to download, but only the player (which is compiled) knows how to turn it back into a movie.

Easy to break, for someone who's smart and wants to? Sure. Did anyone? Not that I know of.

[zennmaster]

Originally Posted by Jxrad

This sort of security-through-obscurity is pretty useless; any halfway-savvy user can just look for the URL in the script.

One thing I did for someone on a past contract was write a flash player and just use very basic encyption. The 'scrambled' file is free for anyone to download, but only the player (which is compiled) knows how to turn it back into a movie.

Easy to break, for someone who's smart and wants to? Sure. Did anyone? Not that I know of.

I think a great majority of people wouldn't be able to crack it, and the few that would be able to might not be interested. The casual user, after all, isn't as "savvy" as most webmasters. Basically, I'm pretty sure it would prevent a larger majority from stealing the content, and that's just what I am aiming to do.

More help would be appreciated, thanks.

[Jxrad]

You can do the same sort of obfuscation with a URL. I'm pretty tired right now or I'd write you some quick code, but try this;

Map each alphanumeric character to another alphanumeric character. Write a quickie PHP script that scrambles the URL (by choosing a random mapping and translating each character into its paired character), and a quickie JS script that unscrambles it (doing the same thing in reverse). Have the PHP script generate the JS so that the key is different each time. Then the URL is never handed to the client plaintext.

It's basically more complex ROT13.

[zennmaster]

Originally Posted by Jxrad

You can do the same sort of obfuscation with a URL. I'm pretty tired right now or I'd write you some quick code, but try this;

Map each alphanumeric character to another alphanumeric character. Write a quickie PHP script that scrambles the URL (by choosing a random mapping and translating each character into its paired character), and a quickie JS script that unscrambles it (doing the same thing in reverse). Have the PHP script generate the JS so that the key is different each time. Then the URL is never handed to the client plaintext.

It's basically more complex ROT13.

sounds interesting, but I'm not sure how to make such a script in JS or PHP. If you ever have time and can write some code, it would be greatly appreciated.

[Shai-Soft]

I don't think that there is a way to prevent it because that all of the IE temporarly files are located in an hidden folder.

[linux-tech]

Simply put, flash:
create a flash playlist calling the files you want called, embed the FLASH item into the page, and voilla, you've got protected video.
Of course, you have to actually do things properly when storing the video too (random 25-70 char names, etc), but when you embed it into the flash playlist, as long as you named the video obscurely, there shouldn't be any issues at all with people "stealing video".

[KiranHost]

Did you think about watermarking the videos instead? That way even if somebody does steal it, their visitors will come looking for you.

[Shai-Soft]

Be sure that they probebly will edit the video too..

[SiddDubey]

well about the watermark thing.. you can jus write your site url in very dim text in the middle of the video.. try editin that! lol..

[Jynx]

^^
That'll work, I guess, lol...

[appage]

anyone know any good programs for watermarking a whole lot of videos at once?

[Just4kixPHP]

I will definitely watermark my videos!

Very interesting ideas guys! Thanks

@Linux-tech...
What do u mean by properly storing the video (Random 25-70 character names)???

Also what do u mean by naming the video obscurely?

Thanks in advance for the response! ;-)

Rich C

Originally Posted by linux-tech

Simply put, flash:
create a flash playlist calling the files you want called, embed the FLASH item into the page, and voilla, you've got protected video.
Of course, you have to actually do things properly when storing the video too (random 25-70 char names, etc), but when you embed it into the flash playlist, as long as you named the video obscurely, there shouldn't be any issues at all with people "stealing video".

[luki]

Originally Posted by Just4kixPHP

I will definitely watermark my videos!
What do u mean by properly storing the video (Random 25-70 character names)???
Also what do u mean by naming the video obscurely?

Don't call it video1.flv but call it something like 8bbb961eadb7f8f1460715191281c69e.flv

[triXtyle]

Use random generated names, based on the session

cheers