Security issue- Are your images as secure as you think using Smugmug?

Hoskovecphoto

I was surprised and disappointed to learn that at this point any files that have been added to any gallery by "collecting" from an original full res source bypass the maximum display protection for that gallery and any subsequent galleries and defaults to the original full res setting of the source file. Even if that source file is "protected" in a private gallery it will still show up in the collected gallery at full res regardless of the new gallery display restrictions/protections. This is an important security issue for anyone wanting to create display restrictions for collected galleries for sharing proofs/selects/samples/portfolios/ etc. and isolating original files for clients to downloading. I can't think of a single reason why I would want this current protection bypassing protocol, what is the point of the gallery image protection settings at all if they are ignored? As an example of how these settings should work, from my testing it looks like the download protection is respecting the gallery security settings and not defaulting to the parent file source gallery location settings. The maximum display protection should work the same way to help secure our images and to maintain a consistent looking/functioning gallery. Imagine pulling together a portfolio of your best work from many galleries, only to have the viewer experience showing images at all different sizes depending on the settings of their original locations.. it doesn't make sense.

The only suggestion Smugmug had was to manually reprocess and re-upload a smaller version of each file.. this seems very redundant and time consuming and could lead to confusion with deliverables.

Is anyone else affected by this on your website or gallery workflow? Have you found a work around for this security issue to keep your images protected?

trmkars

Yes, I have seen the same issue. No I do not have a work around.

David_S85

Use Copy Image instead.

It is my understanding that collected images are referenced directly to wherever they have been originally uploaded to, inheriting all of their original attributes. If they were displaying at full res. in the original host gallery, they will stay that way.

A better option might be to copy the image internally... Log on as owner. Display the target image when at full view size in the original gallery, On the left (or wherever the image tools are located on your site) use Wrench Icon > Make a Copy. You now have more than one of your target image, most likely now located at the end of the gallery. Then switch to the Organizer interface to Move (drag 'n drop) the copied file to the gallery created and listed where you want to display it next. The advantage of this method is that you can now set a different photo protection scheme for that secondary gallery with a lower display resolution if that's what you desire. Making that gallery Public would display this copied lower res. version and would keep the original full res. image safe in it's original gallery where it should remain. Additionally, you can title, caption and keyword this copied file differently from the original, and alter or delete the location data, and even use a different watermark or none at all.

I do this with all my images that I embed into other internet sites (other forums, etc.) when I don't want the original image accessible. Furthermore, those smaller copies, which are protected by gallery size restraints, are usually located in Hidden galleries. That doesn't mean someone can't find all the images I have in there if they poke around, but at least they shouldn't be able to get to the originals.