Miscellaneous Hacks - Anti-Leech Attachments - prevent hotlinking and bandwidth theft!

Title : Anti-Leech Attachments

Version : 1.1

Coder : Jason Williams

Purpose : Prevent your forum attachments from being directly linked to - prevent bandwidth abuse.

Why : Bandwidth can be expensive, plus I was frustrated with one of my members linking to three video clips on my forum from his own site, effectively abusing the bandwidth I pay for, so I set about a system that stops hotlinking, but at the same time, as a courtesy, providing a dynamic link to the post containing the attachment.

How : This could be replicated very easily using .htaccess but the one thing that it can't do is give you the link to the attachment itself. This mod displays a message informing the user that hotlinking is not allowed, then giving them the link to the post to view the attachment directly.

Known Issues : The security can be defeated by using the drop down style menu on the Anti Leech page - this has only been confirmed as an issue on Firefox. I have unsucessfully tried to find a way of removing the drop down on that page only.

Confirmed working with vBSEO 3.2.0.

Important : This has been tested on 3.6.2 and 3.8, I can presume it will be compatible with 3.7.x because it works on 3.8 - as always BACKUP FIRST!

Demo : http://www.steadiforum.com/attachmen...9&d=1180779148

Installation :

1. Import Product - product-antileech.xml
2. Save bandwidth!

File uploads : 0
Files to Import : 1
New Templates : 1
New Phrases : 2
Uses Hooks : 1
Uses Queries : 1

History :
v1.0 - Original release

v1.1 - Added enable/disable option, tested on VB 3.8

Done - if you like please click install! (and click Nominate for MOTM!)

[Sandy-XXX]

Im install but i think if not working.

I have 3.6.8 level 2, and the watermark mod (maybe if a conflict with this mod).

[steadicamop]

Originally Posted by Sandy-XXX

Im install but i think if not working.

I have 3.6.8 level 2, and the watermark mod (maybe if a conflict with this mod).

It's a possible conflict, but I don't have that mod installed so I can't confirm or deny this, I will look into it when I get a few mins spare

[COBRAws]

It would be great if we had the ability to add some URL's in a whitelist

[steven s]

Are there any settings I need to do?
Does this work with 3.7.2?

[Snookieboy]

This works in 3.7.2 and with vBSEO 3.2.0

For those who want to see an example, Guests can download so here you go:

http://insanenutter.com/leech.html
Click the Leech Link there

The only problem I have with this script is it doesn't allow people with no referer field to download. This is a problem because users with rubbish security packages like Norton Internet Security which blocks the referer field, cannot download either. If that was fixed, it would be perfect

[Paul M]

Moved to 3.8 section.

[tlwwolfseye]

v1.1 - Added enable/disable option, tested on VB 3.8

So that means that option is only working in 3.8 ? Because in my 3.7.5 i don?t find anything after I installed that mod. Where would i have to search for it ?

[steadicamop]

The option will be in the AdminCP -> VBulletin Options -> Anti-Leech Settings, at the bottom ... it's just enable/disable, no other available options.

[alik4277]

Originally Posted by steadicamop

The option will be in the AdminCP -> VBulletin Options -> Anti-Leech Settings, at the bottom ... it's just enable/disable, no other available options.

In my 3.8 i can nothing find too

[steadicamop]

I've checked the package and the option code is there, I did test it before I uploaded it by uninstalling it, then reinstalling on my own 3.8 installation and the option did reappear. If this clarifies anything, the option is with all the standard VB options, on the drop down menu, on mine, it's one up from the bottom, but may not be at the bottom. If it still doesn't appear I'll give it a further test on my installation.