How can I protect my site from HTTrack or other software's ripping?

Question

I recently got a Site Template approved on Themeforest. I am getting just too much traffic on my site and noticed that my demo on Themeforest is getting ripped by some softwares such as HTTrack. If it continues sales on the item may decrease eventually.

So, is there ANYWAY to stop those users ripping the demo?

FYI, I am not using any kind of VPS or personal server. I just hosted my files on a shared hosting.

I would be glad if anyone helps me in this problem.

Loveinamist

Answer 1

No, there is nothing you can do about this. If you have a demo you need to protect, watermark it. However, watermarks can be removed, and someone may think the watermark is in the actual product.

I would use something like TinEye.com and look for unlicensed usage of your images on a monthly basis. You can go after people stealing your work.

Harris

I heard there is something like encrypting files. Do you know anything about that? – Loveinamist

@FahimMurshed, It doesn't matter. If someone can see it on a screen, it can be copied. Even if you didn't provide sliced-up images, they can still copy it if they can see it. – Harris

OK Thanks. I have minified my JS and CSS codes. Maybe it will help a little bit and THANKS AGAIN for the TinEye.com I will take a look at there. Thanks for your time :) – Loveinamist

@FahimMurshed, Minification will do nothing to stop anyone, and if I was something buying your template, I'd be very unhappy to see what a mess the code was. – Harris

No! I am just making the minification in the DEMO. Not in the final product which they will download. The Purchased ZIP file has everything CLEAN :) And I made the minification only to make it difficult for them to read IN THE DEMO ONLY and as you said, "I'd be very unhappy to see what a mess the code was." I hope you got what I mean :) – Loveinamist

@FahimMurshed, Ah, that makes sense then. Just remember that there are many tools available for cleaning up compressed/minified code. – Harris

Answer 2

At least, you can try any of these though user agent can be tricked.

(1) In .htaccess

RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^HTTrack [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^SiteSucker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebZip [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebCopier [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Zeus
RewriteRule ^.*$ no_download.html [L]

Add additional Spam_bot by adding RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Other_Spam_bot after [OR]

(2) In robots.txt

User-agent: AhrefsBot
User-agent: Baiduspider
User-agent: EasouSpider
User-agent: Ezooms
User-agent: YandexBot
User-agent: MJ12bot
User-agent: SiteSucker
User-agent: HTTrack
Disallow: /

Add additional Spam_bot by adding User-agent: Other_Spam_bot before Disallow: /

Erase

Though this method is effective for GUI based user but it is possible to break this by changing User-Agent HTTRACK commandline. Example: httrack bootexperts.com/html/lilama-preview/lilama/index-3.html -O /tmp/shop3 -F "Mozilla/5.0 (Android 4.4; Mobile; rv:41.0) Gecko/41.0 Firefox/41.0" – Eclat

This trick helped me at least for some bots like httrack. Thank you for your answer. – Cannibalism

Answer 3

Put this code into your .htaccess file. it protects your website from all clone software.

RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} almaden [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Anarchie [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^ASPSeek [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^attach [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^autoemailspider [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^BackWeb [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Bandit [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^BatchFTP [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^BlackWidow [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Bot\ mailto:[email protected] [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Buddy [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^bumblebee [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^CherryPicker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^ChinaClaw [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^CICC [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Collector [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Copier [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Crescent [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Custo [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^DA [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^DIIbot [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^DISCo [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^DISCo\ Pump [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Download\ Demon [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Download\ Wonder [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Downloader [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Drip [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^DSurf15a [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^eCatch [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^EasyDL/2.99 [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^EirGrabber [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} email [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^EmailCollector [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^EmailSiphon [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^EmailWolf [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Express\ WebPictures [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^ExtractorPro [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^EyeNetIE [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^FileHound [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^FlashGet [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} FrontPage [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^GetRight [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^GetSmart [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^GetWeb! [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^gigabaz [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Go\!Zilla [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Go!Zilla [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Go-Ahead-Got-It [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^gotit [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Grabber [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^GrabNet [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Grafula [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^grub-client [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^HMView [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^HTTrack [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^httpdown [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} .*httrack.* [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^ia_archiver [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Image\ Stripper [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Image\ Sucker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Indy*Library [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Indy\ Library [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^InterGET [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^InternetLinkagent [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Internet\ Ninja [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^InternetSeer.com [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Iria [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^JBH*agent [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^JetCar [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^JOC\ Web\ Spider [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^JustView [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^larbin [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^LeechFTP [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^LexiBot [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^lftp [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Link*Sleuth [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^likse [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Link [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^LinkWalker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Mag-Net [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Magnet [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Mass\ Downloader [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Memo [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Microsoft.URL [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^MIDown\ tool [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Mirror [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Mister\ PiX [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Mozilla.*Indy [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Mozilla.*NEWT [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Mozilla*MSIECrawler [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^MS\ FrontPage* [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^MSFrontPage [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^MSIECrawler [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^MSProxy [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Navroad [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^NearSite [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^NetAnts [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^NetMechanic [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^NetSpider [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Net\ Vampire [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^NetZIP [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^NICErsPRO [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Ninja [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Octopus [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Offline\ Explorer [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Offline\ Navigator [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Openfind [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^PageGrabber [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Papa\ Foto [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^pavuk [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^pcBrowser [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Ping [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^PingALink [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Pockey [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^psbot [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Pump [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^QRVA [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^RealDownload [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Reaper [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Recorder [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^ReGet [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Scooter [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Seeker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Siphon [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^sitecheck.internetseer.com [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^SiteSnagger [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^SlySearch [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^SmartDownload [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Snake [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^SpaceBison [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^sproose [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Stripper [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Sucker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^SuperBot [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^SuperHTTP [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Surfbot [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Szukacz [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^tAkeOut [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Teleport\ Pro [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^URLSpiderPro [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Vacuum [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^VoidEYE [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Web\ Image\ Collector [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Web\ Sucker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebAuto [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^[Ww]eb[Bb]andit [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^webcollage [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebCopier [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Web\ Downloader [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebEMailExtrac.* [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebFetch [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebGo\ IS [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebHook [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebLeacher [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebMiner [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebMirror [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebReaper [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebSauger [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Website [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Website\ eXtractor [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Website\ Quester [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Webster [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebStripper [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} WebWhacker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WebZIP [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Wget [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Whacker [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Widow [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^WWWOFFLE [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^x-Tractor [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Xaldon\ WebSpider [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Xenu [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Zeus.*Webster [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^Zeus
RewriteRule ^.* – [F,L]

Bicephalous

Answer 4

since everyone is able to read your html source through browser there's nothing you can do.

Sainfoin

Answer 5

There isn't much you can do sadly. However, you can stop script kitties half way by importing your source code for your style through the style.css using @import url('here'). They can still view your .css styling but you they'll have to type in the full url to get it. Which can deter some, but not all.

Other ways is to Obstruficate Javascript code into many numbers so it makes your code confusing and unreadable. As far as HTML files those are readable because the browser has to read it.

I obstruficate some code on my sites and I haven't had problems with it. It's a last resort kind of security workaround.

Other ways you can work things out is to embed php files within each other.

Other than that, you can't really do much.

Terraqueous

Thanks for your suggestions. I have already applied everything you said :) I also minified the JS and CSS codes so that they becomes hard to read out! – Loveinamist

Yeah I wish the code wasn't viewable. I've tried putting themes on themeforest, but I don't want them to be distributed through the interwebs for free. Best of luck for securing your theme! – Terraqueous