Hiding files

js, css, & iFrame

[ricci]

Hello,

I have some documents embedded in iFrames, however some people sift through my html to find the addresses. I thought to change the parent files using a js script to call the file. However, if someone really wanted to find the file, all they would need to do is call up my js script.

I am wondering if there is a way to hide js and css files. Is it possible to place these files "above" the root directory? Or... is it possible to place an .htaccess file in the js and css directory to control access to those files?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

ricci

[zCat]

Any files which are read by the client browser must per se be "visible". You can't "hide" them and still make them available.

There might be various ways of making it as difficult as possible to grab certain files "out of context" (sessions, referer checks) though to stop casual users.

[encyclo]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld [webmasterworld.com], ricci.

There is nothing you can do other than raising the barrier of difficulty - but that comes with problems of its own, particularly with accessibility, spidering problems and dependance on the presence of client-side scripting languages.

It's just the nature of the medium: your HTML, CSS, graphics and Javascript files are all accessible at all times. Anything you try to do to restrict access is simply window-dressing, and usually ineffective. What's more, there's very little to protect, because it is not the markup you use but the essence of a design and the content within which matters.

[ricci]

Thank you for the responses. Yes, it is the content that I'm trying to protect. I want it to be available for people to learn from, but I don't want someone to take the html and use it for themselves. Perhaps the best way is to put all the articles in pdf files. But... aren't there converters now that put the pdf file in html?

Thanks again,
ricci

[txbakers]

If it's on the web, it's accessible. You can't do anything about it.

[sem4u]

ricci - the is just about no way of hiding information on the web (unless it is password protected or something).

PDFs can be easily ripped and images/text extracted.

[mikec]

use enkoder and enkode the html. while it obviously can be decoded most people won't know how or won't goto the trouble.