Original Files Vulnerable

Tina Manley · April 30, 2008

It was pointed out to me on another forum, that all of the original files on SmugMug can be easily downloaded using FireFox's free "Web Developer Toolbar". Right click disabling and watermarking are not deterants at all, proven when my very large original files were e-mailed to me by someone who downloaded them from SmugMug. I suppose the only answer to this is to upload only very small files that can't be used for anything but that precludes any print sales through SmugMug. I'm very distressed about this. Do you have any answers, SmugMug?

Tina
www.tinamanley.com

denisegoldberg · April 30, 2008

Tina Manley wrote:

It was pointed out to me on another forum, that all of the original files on SmugMug can be easily downloaded using FireFox's free "Web Developer Toolbar". Right click disabling and watermarking are not deterants at all, proven when my very large original files were e-mailed to me by someone who downloaded them from SmugMug. I suppose the only answer to this is to upload only very small files that can't be used for anything but that precludes any print sales through SmugMug. I'm very distressed about this. Do you have any answers, SmugMug?

Tina
www.tinamanley.com

This really is not a SmugMug issue - it's the reality of using a browser.

Original files are very safe on SmugMug - as long as you disable display of the originals. The originals are used for printing, but they really are not needed for display.

Set the largest display size on your galleries to anything smaller than Original. I have mine set to X3 because I'd like to provide a good browsing environment. My originals are used for printing, but they can't be accessed online.

You should choose the largest size smaller than original that you are comfortable with for public access.

Right click protection is only a small discouragement. Anything that can be seen on a browser is in the browser cache on the local computer. Turn right click protection on, but watermark your photos and protect the originals.

--- Denise

Tina Manley · April 30, 2008

denisegoldberg wrote:

This really is not a SmugMug issue - it's the reality of using a browser.

Original files are very safe on SmugMug - as long as you disable display of the originals. The originals are used for printing, but they really are not needed for display.

--- Denise

This has nothing to do with display size. I do not have any originals available as display but the web developer who cautioned me was still able to easily download the originals, with no watermarks. As he says, "all the URLs of all the page elements are displayed, including the original
image. You just scroll down until you see a .jpg set as a background
image and click 'save as'. Lovely, nice free pictures!"

I could limit the display size to "small" and, if I had uploaded the original so that SmugMug could make prints, anybody who knows how would still be able to download the original. That is what concerns me. Especially with the Orphan Works bill about to be passed by Congress. I don't want any photos out there that could be downloaded and used without my consent. Right now, all of my originals on SmugMug are vulnerable. I am going to have to delete all originals and not use SmugMug for printing.

Tina
www.tinamanley.com

Andy · April 30, 2008

Tina Manley wrote:

This has nothing to do with display size. I do not have any originals available as display but the web developer who cautioned me was still able to easily download the originals, with no watermarks. As he says, "all the URLs of all the page elements are displayed, including the original
image. You just scroll down until you see a .jpg set as a background
image and click 'save as'. Lovely, nice free pictures!"

I could limit the display size to "small" and, if I had uploaded the original so that SmugMug could make prints, anybody who knows how would still be able to download the original. That is what concerns me. Especially with the Orphan Works bill about to be passed by Congress. I don't want any photos out there that could be downloaded and used without my consent. Right now, all of my originals on SmugMug are vulnerable. I am going to have to delete all originals and not use SmugMug for printing.

Tina
www.tinamanley.com

Hi Tina, give us a gallery link where this is being done - we'll show you, okay?

We take this *very* seriously

If you block your originals, they are blocked. If you watermark your photos, they are watermarked. Add right click protection, as a mild-deterrent (it's not foolproof, as you probably know).

Turn off easy sharing and external links if you don't want folks to grab the image easily, or link it from your website. Example, this gallery of yours has easy sharing on.

Here's one to play with:

http://www.moonriverphotography.com/gallery/2843486_cJ9sk#152357886_k3VbU-A-LB

Gallery link:
http://www.moonriverphotography.com/gallery/2843486_cJ9sk#152357400_VRNrS

Tina Manley · April 30, 2008

Andy wrote:

Hi Tina, give us a gallery link where this is being done - we'll show you, okay?

Andy - I've sent you a private e-mail with all of the details. I hope there is a way around this because I'd hate to have to remove all of my originals from SmugMug! :cry

Tina
www.tinamanley.com

Andy · April 30, 2008

Hi Tina, got your PM. The california wildflowers image that your friend could see, in original size, is because you have originals enabled in that gallery.

In that gallery, you also have no right click protection, and you are allowing external links. We do exactly as you say in your gallery settings.... so, if you change them, and then log out, or use visitor view, you'll see that things are quite safe

Here's some help, holler if you have questions on the settings, okay?

http://www.smugmug.com/help/image-protection

thanks!

Oh and PS: I hope you'll tell your friend with Web dev tool that we're safe! Thanks

Tina Manley wrote:

Andy wrote:

Hi Tina, give us a gallery link where this is being done - we'll show you, okay?

Andy - I've sent you a private e-mail with all of the details. I hope there is a way around this because I'd hate to have to remove all of my originals from SmugMug! :cry

Tina
www.tinamanley.com

Tina Manley · April 30, 2008

Andy wrote:

Hi Tina, got your PM. The california wildflowers image that your friend could see, in original size, is because you have originals enabled in that gallery.

Oh and PS: I hope you'll tell your friend with Web dev tool that we're safe! Thanks

Thanks, Andy. I thought I had set all galleries to be as security enabled as possible. I still can't see how that gallery has originals enabled. Is there a global setting that I can use for all galleries to be sure that every possible security setting is enabled? No originals, no sharing, nothing that would comprimise the original files? One setting that applies to everything uploaded? Maybe that could be a default setting for all Pro accounts? As soon as I'm sure that all of my galleries have all security settings enabled, I will ask my friend to try to steal the photos again. If there is anything else I should know before I challenge him, please let me know. He is convinced that he can steal anything from SmugMug and lots of people are listening to this debate on another forum.

Thanks,

Tina
www.tinamanley.com

Andy · April 30, 2008

Tina Manley wrote:

Thanks, Andy. I thought I had set all galleries to be as security enabled as possible. I still can't see how that gallery has originals enabled. Is there a global setting that I can use for all galleries to be sure that every possible security setting is enabled? No originals, no sharing, nothing that would comprimise the original files? One setting that applies to everything uploaded? Maybe that could be a default setting for all Pro accounts? As soon as I'm sure that all of my galleries have all security settings enabled, I will ask my friend to try to steal the photos again. If there is anything else I should know before I challenge him, please let me know. He is convinced that he can steal anything from SmugMug and lots of people are listening to this debate on another forum.

Thanks,

Tina
www.tinamanley.com

Hi Tina, use a quicksetting:
http://www.smugmug.com/help/picture-storage

Make up your preferred default settings and apply them to your galleries, you can do it in bulk, too.

Holler with questions

Tina Manley · May 1, 2008

Andy wrote:

Hi Tina, use a quicksetting:
http://www.smugmug.com/help/picture-storage

Thanks, Andy! I reworked all of the galleries and challenged my friend to try to download the originals again. Here is his reply:
"The files sizes that are accessible are those that appear in the menu that floats in over the gallery, so your originals (if they are indeed still there) now appear to be safe."

As long as the originals are safe, I'm happy.

Tina

Andy · May 1, 2008

Tina Manley wrote:

Andy wrote:

Hi Tina, use a quicksetting:
http://www.smugmug.com/help/picture-storage

Thanks, Andy! I reworked all of the galleries and challenged my friend to try to download the originals again. Here is his reply:
"The files sizes that are accessible are those that appear in the menu that floats in over the gallery, so your originals (if they are indeed still there) now appear to be safe."

As long as the originals are safe, I'm happy.

Tina

Original Files Vulnerable

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