'Sharing' of 'download' links - how big a problem is it?

Most of us use scripts that will disable the download link within fix period. Usually 24-36 hours.

So the sharing won't be so damaging, unless it's been share within the period.

You can use something like eJunkie - they give your paid user a temporary link to download their purchase and they also integrate tightly with PayPal.

Bill

Let's say that you prevent sharing of download links someway, but how do you prevent sharing of the actual digital product (PDF file)?

Isn't sharing of the actual product a much bigger problem than sharing of download links?

I also use google analytics to track how many people go to the download page. I want to see buyers and visitors match up

Just use DL Guard. It's a dream.

Oh, and the support from our very own Warrior, Sam, is downright excellent!

Roy

We had someone share a link that was sent privately to him....

and the other person was angry because the link didn't work! How about that?

We make sure that if at all possible, the buyer is the only one that gets the link...even when privately sent.

I recommend using DownloadGuard for this it is a pretty great script for stopping people from sharing your download links. I have used that script for many months and LOVE IT.

Worse, the search engines can index an unprotected download link and open it to the world. You'll never prevent all theft. File sharing networks make it easy for theft to occur and they seem immune to prosecution.

I'm glad you've all been enjoying using DLGurad - thanks for the recommendation!

Kdavies, I'm the owner/developer of DLGuard, and so if you have any questions about the way it works, please let me know as I'm happy to help!

Is link sharing a problem? Yes - it's the most common form of online theft. There are forums set up where people simply share other people's download links.

The bizzare thing is they also pat each other on the back and wish each other luck with their online businesses - it's a strange sub-culture that honestly believe it is okay to steal from other people, but they also think that other people should buy from them.

They basically say: "I should get everything for free, but other people should pay me for my product."

They're an odd breed.

cheers
Sam

Sam probably has bot running, and it notifies him everytime the term "download guard" appears..then he chimes in

But on a serious note..

It is a a BIG issue, there are whole forums dedicated to spreading links to software and ebooks, and hundreds/thousands of people will get your link.

Thats why you use DLG, i usually set my links be active for 12hrs, sometimes 24hr..and then they become invalid.

I agree to a certain degree, Trader - it's true people can upload your files to file sharing sites, but from what I've seen this is a much smaller problem than the sharing of download page URL's (and finding URL's in search engines).

It's a LOT easier to copy and paste a download URL than it is to download the product, login to your file sharing account, and upload it there, having that pirate file attched to your account.

Does it happen? Yes. Is it work worrying about? No. Is it then worth ignore download link security? Definately not.

Just because a digital product can't be 100% protected, it doesn't mean you should ignore the protection and automation that a decent download manager presents.

No only does it block link sharing, which is a huge (and possibly the biggest) method of digital theft, but it also makes day to day running of your site a lot easier as well.

There's no point in throwing babies out with bathwater, especially when there are a lot of benefits to using a download management that aren't security related.

cheers
Sam

Yeah, that's exactly how the thieves were doing it with my product and others.

Does anyone have FACTS about it being a "big" problem? I undertsand why Sam says it is.

From my server stats, it's NOT that big of a problem.

The people who put links on forums, would use file sharing sites if the product is really worth it. Google Alerts can help you with this though.

You can also put noindex, nofollow as a meta tag to help stop the search engines from indexing your site.

With that said, if you can afford to spend the money on a DL Protection script, go ahead but dont let not having one discourage you. It's not that big of a deal.

Well, I've had people point out to me, twice, that an ebook of mine that I sell here had been illegally uploaded and was being shared on filesharing sites. So to me, it's a big problem.

I agree, Trader. I even saw another Warrior's HUGELY successful cookbook on the same site that had my stolen property on it. I told the Warrior of course (who was going to do something about it) but this appears to be a major problem.

Looking at those forums and the comments that are made I think most there don't want to download it from your site, perhaps then they feel they are stealing.

Instead when it is uploaded to one of those file sharing sites they feel it is being shared by someone. I'm sure some of the products have been stolen but also have no doubt many have been paid for and in some way they feel they have a rite to share it.

I don't think it's worth worring about. Don't waste your time and mind.
Just get going on your next project.

Lambert

Yep if you have a IM product, a popular in particular, you will find it in the big blackhat forum.

Only way around that is to get on their 'No Share' list and it's not that difficult to get on that list. You have to sign up and be more or less a active memeber. (make 2-5 posts a month)

Once you got that done you can go ahead and as a member ask that your product gets on their 'Not to share' list.

You might not want to sign up with a blackhat forum. On the other hand, you can stop them that way to share your product. (And thats what you want, especially if your product is kinda popular)

mario

Use an application portal with a "role-based" context security management system.

End of problem.

I know, by itself, HTML doesn't do that. ;-)

great thread, as this is something i need to worry about (or not worry about) soon.

Protecting download links are extremely easy and provides %100 working solution over the problem of sharing download links.

So I don't even classify it as a 'problem' since you can prevent it easily. The only and big problem is sharing of the actual PDF files.

Run your favorite keyword tool and see the search counts of "free product_name", "download product_name", etc versus "buy product_name", "review product_name" etc..

"What profit a man if he gains the world but loses his soul?"

Those who steal are poor in spirit and have to have an epiphany of sorts before they can right themselves and become positively successful.

Stats are impossible to give - it's impossible to give stats that show link sharing is a huge issue, and it's just as impossible to give stats to say link sharing isn't a problem.

The reason being, people who steal simply don't take surveys, and so it's impossible to get any real stats.

Even the big stats companies that talk about things like movie downloads affecting the movie industry and just estimating.


So what do I base my statements on?

A few things.

Firstly, I still remember a particular client who came to me probably about 3 years ago now saying he needed to protect his download page because within hours of someone buying his product, he had hundreds of downloads. Basically people were buying his product and then pasting the download URL on warez forums.

I've heard many similar stories - people coming to me saying "My download page is being passed around, can you stop it?"

There's a cycle you see in this very forum - a wave of people saying "Download security isn't important", which is then followed a little while later of a wave of people saying "Help, people are stealing my stuff!"

People sell "black hat methods" on how to steal products via search engines. They say "If people can't be bothered to protect their products, then we have a right to take them."

They're thieves, true, but this is what they believe.

I've put a lot of research into DLGuard, and during that research I've visited warez forums to see the latest theft techniques. People simply post requests: "Anyone got a copy of Ebook XYZ?"

Then someone pastes a download link.


Stats simply aren't possible, but what I'm talking about is social proof - it's from talking to people every single day that are being ripped off and want a solution to help stop it.

And this raises the question - how many people are being stolen from and don't even know it?



I'm certainly not diminishing the issue of passing around products AFTER they've been downloaded via systems that masquerade as legitimate file sharing solutions.

Is this a problem? Yes!

That's why I use IonCube to encrypt my scripts - script theft is a huge problem. I've even had people try and sell my products under their own name to a client who paid them to develop a product for them.

This is why I recommend people who develop software use a registration system and if possible, a phone-home system that doesn't cause grief to legitimate users. DLGuard offers a development feature for developers to do just this.

Ebooks are the biggest problem - it's always a battle: do you "wrap" an ebook, or do you not? There are positives and negatives on both sides.


But in answer to the original question by Garrie - how do I know link sharing is a problem, and possibly the biggest problem?

Because people come to me every day and tell me about their hard work being stolen because their download page and download links have been scattered across the internet, and are hoping I can provide a solution to stop that.

cheers
Sam

Of course they come to you - you sell a solution to stop it. Which means you will hear more stories and then of course use them to say "its the biggest form of theft online".

But that doesn't make it true.

If a poll was taken by everyone on this forum, who knows how to look at server stats, I'd bet money that the majority do not have a serious issue, if one at all. You will find more people have problems with people uploading the products than anything.

In my 10 plus years, I have had maybe 5 issue with download page theft and more than I care to count with people uploading to filesharing systems, attaching them to forum posts, etc.

As far as your social proof, I have seen more "Ill PM it to you," "Heres the rapidshare link," and "its attached" type posts than anything else.

Now remember, I am not saying you shouldn't protect downloads. I am saying that it's NOT as big of an issue as you lead people to think.

Garrie

I said "possibly the biggest", or something to that affect, simply because no one really knows.

It certainly is the EASIEST method, and also the method that means the end-user (theif) will always get the latest version, and the link will never be removed for abuse, and from what I've seen, that's why it's a prefered method.

But it's not the only kind, as file "sharing" is also common. Like I said, I always recommend to protect software in particular with things like registrations and call-homes.

With file sharing, you need to find a download link in a warez forum. With download page sharing, it doesn't even need to be technically shared - you just pull it out of search engine results, just like many dodgy people sell information on.

It's good that you haven't had much of this at all, and I understand that you're not saying you shouldn't protect them.

What worries me is when people (especially people new to internet business with very little personal experience) tell other new people things like this aren't an issue. It gives a false sense of security against a very real issue in online business.

I know you're not advocating that, but I often see people push this, and that's just plain irresponsible.

If people choose to leave their download pages and download links unprotected and wide open, that's a personal choice, but I don't think they should downplay the issue to other new people who may find themselves with the raw end of the stick.

Again, Garrie, that isn't directed at you (or anyone in this thread, for that matter), it's just a issue I see all the time.

cheers
Sam

The most big problem if we concern too much about this issue. Honestly, if our product is good enough people who get our product for free will purchase it to get more benefit as a buyer.