Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Protecting files on CD-ROM

  • 09-09-2004 1:50pm
    #1
    Ponster
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I need to send a CD-ROM of copyrighted images to a company but I'm trying to put some form of protection on the CD.

    Is there any way I can burn the images to the disk but in such a way that the company would have to call me in order to get a password to access the files?


Comments

  • #2
    stevenmu
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,689 Mod ✭✭✭✭stevenmu


    There's no (easy) way to build protection into the CD itself.
    I suppose you could use winzip to create a password protected zip file and burn that to the CD. This isn't fool proof but I think (with the newer versions especially) it's likely to take weeks to crack the password if they try. I'm sure there are plenty of other file encryption utilities, you can check out http://www.download.com/3120-20-0.html?qt=file+encryption&tg=dl-2001&search.x=18&search.y=9 or google for free ones. Just remember to include the decryption program on the CD unless it's automatically packed in whatever archive you create.

    Unless you're sending out cds to random companies and seeing if they ring up is it really worth sending the cd out at all. Could you not just wait untill they call and sort whatever arrangements and then send the files unencrypted ?


  • #3
    Syth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,865 ✭✭✭Syth


    Ponster wrote:
    I need to send a CD-ROM of copyrighted images to a company but I'm trying to put some form of protection on the CD.

    Is there any way I can burn the images to the disk but in such a way that the company would have to call me in order to get a password to access the files?
    Well some form of encryption software would do the trick. Try GnuPG. Of course once that company has the password, there's nothing to stop them copying it like mad (except penalty of death :)). There is nothing unique about putting it on a CD. If you encript the file, then anyone who doesn't have the passkey can't get decrypt it, without settting billions of CPUs at it. The fact that it's on a CD doesn't matter. Just encrypt the file and burn that file on the CD, or you could email the encrypted file, or put it on a floppy.

    If you are thinking like those music discs you can get that only play 3 times, or can't be copied off the disc, those kinds of technologies do exist, they are refered to as DRM technology. (Digitial Roghts Managment), however there are some things to keep in mind.
    1. They are not actually CD-ROMs. Hence why I just called them disc. CD-ROMs must conform to a standard so that they can be read in any device with the 'Compact Disc' logo on it.
    2. They are as secure as locking your car door with a single small piece of sellotape. One form of DRM can be bypassed by holding down the shoft key when the disc is loaded.


  • #4
    Redshift
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,486 ✭✭✭Redshift


    have a look at www.digimarc.com they specialise in protecting images you might find something there. Or you could just put the text "SAMPLE" across each image in translucent lettering and a largeish font that would allow them to see the image but would render it useless for production use.


  • #5
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,563 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    If you want to protect documents use http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

    it's free open source and if you tick Adobe 5 format you get acrobat compatible PDF's with 128 bit encryption and security options like No Printing etc.


Advertisement