Strange URL Links

[Bun]

Just thought I'd check my stats and have a look at the referring URLs. Most of them was to be expected but I've noticed over the last few day that I'm getting refers that are dubious to say the least!!......for pornographic sites...etc.

Just followed a refer and it took me to something called Google Image Ripper....with a page full of images that seemed to be put together using the search term 'Gape'. I'm pressuming they've got an image from my site because we sell what's known as 'Wide Gape' fishing hooks

Anyone come across this before.....and is there a way to stop it?

[jont]

Do a search on here for "hotlinking images" as there are several ways to combat this - mainly geared towards actual image theft rather than hotlinking to images.

If your server allows mod rewrites you can create a script to prevent hotlinking (search under Google) ... but that can be quite a pain to set up (i have tried and it caused more problems) and it prevents say dropping an image off your site into a regular email to show customers.

I tend to get hotlinks to one specific product image - I now have called the image something obscure so Google can't possibly find it and then create a 4000px wide image and rename to the hotlinked image so it kills the offending sites layout

[Bun]

Yeah, I see what you mean now Jont. I think you've taken the best option by renaming the image.....I'll see how this goes and if it continues I'll do the same

Cheers

[pinbrook]

I also have a do not index images in my robots.txt

Disallow: /images/
Disallow: /*.gif$
Disallow: /*.jpg$

this prevents images being indexed and shown in google images (for example) and susquently getting hotlinked

just another small preventative measure that I don't know has any real effect. I also have a mod rewrite with a huge image, containing the text "Stolen Image" just for a laugh