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Free Plugin by zuda v3.3.3

Hotlink Protection

The WordPress Automatic Image Hotlink Protection plugin is a single step script designed to stop others from stealing your images.

Hotlink Protection

The facts

Rating
1★ from 5
Active installs
200+
Price
Free
Last updated
16 Aug 2018
Added
Jun 2009
Requires WP
4.0.0
Tested up to
WP 4.9.31
Downloads
56,088

Our analysis

AI-assisted

Hotlink Protection is a WordPress plugin designed to prevent other websites from directly linking to your images. It achieves this by adding an .htaccess file to your root folder, which restricts access to your files from external servers. The plugin automatically checks your web server's compatibility before making any changes.

This plugin is suitable for users who want to protect their images from being used without permission. However, it may not function on all server setups and is best regarded as a beta version.

Best for: This plugin is best for website owners looking to protect their images from unauthorized use.

What it does well

  • Prevents image hotlinking
  • Automatically tests server compatibility
  • Removes code from .htaccess when deactivated

Where it falls short

  • Low rating and limited active installs
  • May not work on all setups
  • Only supports primary domains, not subdomains

Verdict

While Hotlink Protection offers a straightforward solution for image protection, its low rating and compatibility concerns may limit its effectiveness for some users.

From the developer

zuda's own description of Hotlink Protection, lightly tidied.

This plugin is adopted and being maintained. Caution: This plugin may not work on all setups and is best to be considered beta. It has been updated to work on more setups than it previously worked on.

The WordPress Automatic Image Hotlink Protection plugin is a single step script designed to stop others from stealing your images. Simply add an .htaccess file to your root folder thereby stopping external web servers from linking directly to your files.

The script automatically tests to to see if your web server is compatible with the script before adding the .htaccess file and setting the appropriate permissions. If deactivated, the script removes the code from your .htaccess file.

  • Please Note : This plugin works only with the primary domain, and the www. addition not subdomains, for example mycow.example.com would not work, but example.com should work.

Read the full description on the official page →

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