Questions and Answers

Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:28 pm

I had a script written into the image description which gave a Copyright notice pop-up whenever anyone tried to right click, and this was working as of yesterday. Yes, I know they can do a screen capture, but this helped the newbies not steal my stuff.

Now that doesn't work, they can go straight to the regular right click menu. What happened to change it??

"<div id="imagecaption" class="imagecaption">
<p class="caption">

<body oncontextmenu="alert('These images are protected by Copyright Law. No download allowed, no use allowed without express written permission. All rights reserved. ©Sandra Jackson 1999-2008'); return false;">
</p>
</div>"

Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:49 pm

sjackson wrote:I had a script written into the image description which gave a Copyright notice pop-up whenever anyone tried to right click, and this was working as of yesterday. Yes, I know they can do a screen capture, but this helped the newbies not steal my stuff.

Now that doesn't work, they can go straight to the regular right click menu. What happened to change it??

"<div id="imagecaption" class="imagecaption">
<p class="caption">

<body oncontextmenu="alert('These images are protected by Copyright Law. No download allowed, no use allowed without express written permission. All rights reserved. ©Sandra Jackson 1999-2008'); return false;">
</p>
</div>"

See this post
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=36436&p=271556#p271556
Pbase management disabled it.
I suppose there is nothing to do

Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:28 pm

this fully sucks balls.

Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:54 pm

why are they disabling Javascript, what do they care? Good way to upset the paying membership. :evil:

Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:05 pm

This goes back to 2007, when slide shows were changed. There's a long discussion in the original thread here:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=32005&hilit=javascript

Slug wrote:

July 10th, 2007, 2:35 am

Apologies, but due to cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, we have been forced to disable javascript entirely.
We very much regret limiting your ability to use javascript to enhance your site, but cross-site-scripting would easily allow an attacker to steal cookies and gain access to many PBase accounts.
You can read more about this type of attack at http://www.cgisecurity.com/articles/xss-faq.shtml

We will be looking for a solution so that you can continue to use your stat counters and other javascript features.

We've been avoiding this action because we would like for you to have the flexibility that javascript can offer.
Unfortunately, this kind of attack is so easy to implement, and the possible damage so great, it would be negligent for us to ignore it.

One of the most common uses of javascript is by people who enable various statistics services on their pages.
We hope we can come up with a method to at least allow the necessary javascript for some of the more popular stat counter services.

For the time being, on galleries with javascript has been removed, you will see a explanation message if it is your own gallery so that you will be alerted to the change.

Again, we're truly sorry for the sudden change and the affect it might have on your site, but we really have no choice.

Thanks to Erik Persson for pointing out to me how much of a risk this is.

-Chuck Neel
slug@pbase.com

Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:57 pm

The message from PBase you quote is dated July 10, 2007. Why did the right click disable work until today?

Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:34 pm

amoxtli wrote:The message from PBase you quote is dated July 10, 2007. Why did the right click disable work until today?

As far as I understand it, the intention in 2007 was to disable all javascript but the method used to do so did not identify certain types of javascript that were therefore able to slip through the net. I suspect that the original focus may have been on stripping out code identified by <script> tags, which doesn't cover the right-click disable feature - but that's just a guess.

Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:56 pm

This is one of the more frequent topics and requests. It should be easy for PBase to implement at least a user-defined right click message that can be applied selectively to photos, by gallery or for all galleries as the user determines. PBase did a good job IMO with implementing the statistics counters following the java script disabling, I think adding the message ability would be a well received feature.

Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:10 pm

dougj wrote:This is one of the more frequent topics and requests. It should be easy for PBase to implement at least a user-defined right click message that can be applied selectively to photos, by gallery or for all galleries as the user determines. PBase did a good job IMO with implementing the statistics counters following the java script disabling, I think adding the message ability would be a well received feature.

I asked them to do this in early 2007 I believe and if I recall correctly the reply was that they were working on this and other ways to prevent image theft. Can't find their email anymore so I can't quote. Sorry.

Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:23 pm

It wouldn't surprise me if this is to be included in the PBase major revision they've hinted at for awhile. I suppose it might be a question of taking time away from the rewrite to add patches for the short-term.

Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:24 am

I have not updated my pBase since after Christmas, in contemplation of a complete move from pBase.
I actually decided to hang around one more year, namely because of the community here. But pBase, the corporate side, is doing everything to tell me I should walk.

This disabling the ability for members to at least have minimal protection of their work/images is about one of the last few straws. I love the people and friends I made here, but, it is getting more and more difficult to live in this place, friends aside.

Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:31 pm

deadpoetphotography wrote:This disabling the ability for members to at least have minimal protection of their work/images is about one of the last few straws.

In reality, right click disable is simply a false sense of security. It's only use is to distract the most novice computer user, who will simply do a screen shot instead.. So lets look at things allowing "script" implementation could do:

1. Anyone who uses right click for navigation will probably leave, costing you hits. As an alternative, it's better to use "Tineye" image tracking instead.
Much worse...
2. Allowing scripts could allow someone to steal your personal information.

Lets consider someone takes a trial account, adds a few photos you happen to view. They've included script which gives them access to your password, and they delete your photos, which may not be the worst that could happen. If highly motivated they possibly include a virus for "denial of service", or you find your computer shuts down and requires reformatting. Then, you've also lost all photos on your hard drive. Or, perhaps, they implement a trojan to gain access to all your personal information.

When admin decided to disable java script, it wasn't to punish anyone, and we should trust their judgment. They responded quickly to implement a safe slide show function, and shortly after added support for stat counters. Rather than be negative, we should applaud their actions.

Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:18 pm

Is-there another way to have right-click disable ? I know it's a false sense of security but for me it's just an additional reminder for those who want to save my images on their pc. I repeat my question :

Is-there another way to have right-click disable ?

Thanks !

Dom

Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:53 pm

OK, I can buy into the security benefit of disabling javascript. But then, how does Smugmug go about providing the overlayer of a single pixel layer which is copied when using the "right click" and not the actual image file underneath?

Does that procedure utilize javascript? Is it otherwise security weak? Does Firefox and Safari work around that method?

I don't know, but there is a lot of my clientele who email me about wanting to use web resolution images and have found the right click disabled. So, IMHO, there are a lot more "novice" users than you "experts" care to admit there are.

I need to discourage copying even if only at the novice level within my arena. If it means moving my galleries somewhere else, I guess that is an option I will have to investigate.

I find it difficult to believe some type of fix is not available for a problem that has been discussed over the lenght of time this one has.

Perhaps I'm wrong.
Joe
http://www.pbase.com/jmsprophoto/main_gallery_page

Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:53 pm

I was a supporter of the right-click-disable and used it on all my galleries were I was trying to sell photos. My reaction to your decision - deleted 2 main galleries - 20+ sub galleries - with over 1900 images.
Hummm... Not posting certain pictures here - why stay?
(yes, I know R.C.D. wasn't fool proof, but I sure sold a lot with it enabled and NONE without it)

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