Password protecting files for download- recommendations

muzzler · 17 Jan 2012 at 12:03

Hi,
My partner has a training consultancy and now wishes to have her training files on her website for clients to download.
She wishes to have each file individually password protected with seperate links etc to their location.
I'm not sure what the best approach would be! It has to be as simple as possible and quite accessable so she can get used to uploading files etc.
I'm tempted to just password protect the actual files and then link to them through a log in page, but i was also thinking of a good reliable file hosting/sharing service?
Any of you avail of any file services for your business?

Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
thanks,
Steve.

namnoc · 17 Jan 2012 at 12:19

The simplest solution is a long random generated path to the file on the server and email the client the link.

RoyMi6 · 17 Jan 2012 at 14:32

Ugh, you're actually recommending security by obscurity? Simplest, yes, but my god man!

WordPress can easily be configured to protect all attachments posted under password protected pages: http://www.idowebdesign.ca/wordpress/password-protect-wordpress-attachments/

GravyMonster · 17 Jan 2012 at 14:46

namnoc said:
The simplest solution is a long random generated path to the file on the server and email the client the link.

The simplest way to go to space is to strap yourself to a really big firework.

Doesn't make it a good idea.

namnoc · 17 Jan 2012 at 15:51

Spunkey said:
The simplest way to go to space is to strap yourself to a really big firework.

Not at all. It would be very difficult to design a single stage solid fuel rocket that would do that. Not to mention the tensile strength of the straps. Much simpler to ask someone else for a lift.

namnoc · 17 Jan 2012 at 15:54

RoyMi6 said:
Ugh, you're actually recommending security by obscurity? Simplest, yes, but my god man!

It all depends on the value of the documents and the cost of them being in the hands of the wrong people as to what level of security is needed.

GravyMonster · 17 Jan 2012 at 15:57

You work for Sony, right?

muzzler · 17 Jan 2012 at 16:51

thanks for the replies

I was actually thinking of a wordpress site to run along her main one.
The files are quite important, and if they got into the wrong hands could be altered and used by the other businesses.

JimAroo · 17 Jan 2012 at 18:23

NVM: Delete : (

eXor · 18 Jan 2012 at 06:34

htaccess and htpasswd won't suffice?

Google it.

mp3duck · 18 Jan 2012 at 08:33

Add the files as blob fields in a database, and then just code in the access to them.

Or, if you're using a .net application, you can use asp.net membership to restrict access to certain folders on your site to a given usergroup. Only registered (and paid) users will then have membership to this group.

RoyMi6 · 18 Jan 2012 at 15:10

eXor said:
htaccess and htpasswd won't suffice?

My first thought but not particularly maintainable for her I'd have though.

mp3duck said:
Or, if you're using a .net application, you can use asp.net membership to restrict access to certain folders on your site to a given usergroup. Only registered (and paid) users will then have membership to this group.

Pretty sure ASP.Net membership only works against ASP.Net files so it's a little more involved than just that. Not unachievable though.

Stoner81 · 18 Jan 2012 at 16:21

Why not archive the files using 7Zip since it uses AES encryption which will take years to break into. You can then upload them to somewhere like Rapidshare which is SSL encrypted and the only way people can download the files is to know the exact link so nobody can gain access unless you allow it.

Stoner81.

muzzler · 18 Jan 2012 at 17:56

cheers all for the suggestions,
the zip and rapidshare suggestion sounds great and i think she'll be able to handle that!!

Thanks.