HTML Guard 3.3.4
Description by the Software Developer:"If you want to prevent unauthorized copies of parts of your Internet sites you should have a look at HTML Guard.
Among other features this software lets you encrypt your HTML source code and disable the right mouse button, text selection and the print function within a browser. Put an end to copying and modification of your HTML code, images and text by others thus protecting your copyright.
While not offering absolute security, the combination of several tricks creates protection that certainly adds a great level of difficulty to circumvention.
Once secured by HTML Guard, the files retain their original appearance and pages can be viewed in any common JavaScript enabled browser.
How secure are the methods used by "HTML Guard"?
Let's be clear from the start: a reliable protection against copying of HTML pages and associated images does not exist. Unfortunately, "HTML Guard" cannot offer one hundred percent security either.
However, the program uses a combination of multifaceted tricks that make copying much more difficult. The combination of different methods used, activates a protection that cannot be bypassed in the twinkling of an eye.
The following table lists several of the protection features of "HTML Guard" and both advantages and drawbacks will be detailed, allowing you to reach your own conclusion.
1. Encode source code
By encrypting HTML source code you protect your web site from being easily stolen. The code becomes indecipherable to both the human eye and to HTML editors.
To display an encoded page, the browser will decrypt the file's source code by executing a JavaScript. As the required decryption script is embedded into the source text, everyone is able to read it there as plain text. This is perhaps, like giving away the lock together with the key. Consequently anybody with JavaScript skills may analyze the script and get the original source text this way. However approximately 99 percent of all Internet users will certainly not be able to overcome this obstacle.
2. "Squeeze" source code (remove line feeds)
Removing unnecessary line feeds and blank characters leaves the source text looking extremely intricate and difficult to read, because the original structure of the code will be disturbed.
Although manual editing is made much more difficult in this way, visual HTML editors can process the "squeezed" code without difficulty. Furthermore programs are available that are able to convert unstructured source code into clearly arranged HTML.
3. Insert blank lines
"HTML Guard" offers the option to add blank lines to the top and the end of your source code. This way it will appear to the viewer as if no source code is available. In order to intensify this effect you can enter an additional text such as "Source code not available" which will be shown at the top of the code.
This method is a relatively simple diversion which a professional will certainly never be taken in by, because the source code can easily be reached by scrolling down the window. However, searching for the source text can be made significantly more difficult by increasing the number of blank lines. When using this option you should be aware that each additional empty line increases the file size by two bytes.
4. Lock the menu on the right mouse button
To prevent copying of images and links you can disable the right mouse button in the browser. Consequently the menu that normally appears after a right click will no longer be available.
Unfortunately, this method currently only works with Internet Explorer (version 3.0 and above) and Netscape Navigator (3.0 or above). The majority of other available browsers, while in the minority, are unaffected by the right click protection and both images and links can be copied using the right mouse button.
Furthermore you should consider that people do not like to be restricted too much and therefore a complete deactivation of the right mouse button might be an unpopular decision. That is why we include the option to "Disable right click on images" to allow you more flexibility.
5. Block text selection
Using the "Block text selection" option, you can stop visitors from selecting text, images or other elements in their browsers. This prevents people from copying your content to the clipboard.
It should be noted that this method only works with Internet Explorer 4.0 (and above) and Netscape Navigator 6.0 (and above). However, with Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator being so widely used, this option will prevent the majority of users from stealing your content.
6. Disable Clipboard
The "Disable clipboard" function clears the Windows clipboard at periodic intervals and thus prevents data being copied to other programs. This, among other things, disables the "Print Screen" key that can be used for taking screenshots.
So far, this function is effective only in Internet Explorer 5.0 (and higher). Moreover, it will not only disable copying information out of the browser, but it will block all data exchange between programs via the clipboard, which places a considerable restriction on the user's abilities.
7. Deactivate browser's print function
Selecting the "Print only blank pages" option will prevent visitors from printing your pages. Any time someone uses the print function, either the browser will refuse to print (Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher) or only a blank page will be output (Netscape Navigator 6.0 or higher and Opera 4.0 or higher).
This function works with almost every CSS 2.0-enabled browser. Be aware that no warning is given, so users in this scenario may suspect a faulty printer or defective software.
8. Disable image caching in browser
If you chose to disable the right mouse button menu to keep users from saving your images, it would be wise to also stop the browser's image caching. As this cannot be achieved by a simple source code modification with current browsers, "HTML Guard" uses a PHP script to load and show images when required.
Though PHP is server side script language, the images can only be loaded on web servers that come with PHP3 support. Furthermore, deactivating the caching decreases the loading speed of a page because multiple used images have to be loaded again and again.
Having read the above text, you will be aware that "HTML Guard" is no general purpose weapon for the protection of HTML pages. There is always a way to reach the source code and elements of a page, but how many people do you know that are good enough at JavaScript programming to bypass the source code protection? Would your friends not be impressed by a message like "Function not available" after right clicking an image? For the majority of Internet users, the protection mechanisms will be an obstacle that they cannot overcome without seeking outside help.
In many Internet and Usenet forums the question about protection possibilties of HTML pages is a "Frequently Forbidden Question" (FFQ) that is answered unwillingly, if at all, and rarely without a cynical comment. The reason for this is that HTML is an open principle and almost every webmaster has gained experience by studying the source code of others. However, protecting text, images or scripts should not be considered as moral abjectly because this is the custom in other fields - and who would like to find content that had been created after spending enormous amounts of time, on somebody else's web site? Please remember that excessive use of protectection and limitation could prevent visitors from returning to your web site."
Softoogle's Review of HTML Guard 2.33 upd. October 15, 2006
HTML Guard is a program that lets you encrypt your HTML source code and disable the right mouse button, text selection and the print function within a browser. "Put an end to copying and modification of your HTML code, images, and text by others!" -- such is the HTML Guard's motto. The HTML Guard developers' website details the eight encryption methods employed by this wondrous software. Method #1 is called "Encode Source Code" and the developers confess that this method is "perhaps, like giving away the lock together with the key." By using method #2, which is called "Squeeze Source Code", HTML Guard "removes unnecessary line feeds and blank characters thus leaving the source text looking extremely intricate and difficult to read." But "although manual editing is made much more difficult in this way, visual HTML editors can process the 'squeezed' code without difficulty." In fact, "HTML Guard also offers the option to add blank lines to the top and the end of your source code," but this of course "is a relatively simple diversion which a professional will certainly never be taken in by, because the source code can easily be reached by scrolling down the window." Encryption method #4 is to "lock the menu on the right mouse button" and "unfortunately, this method currently only works with Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. The majority of other available browsers, while in the minority, are unaffected by the right click protection." Luckily, there is also the "Block text selection" option whereby "you can stop visitors from selecting text, images or other elements in their browsers" (doesn't work with anything other than Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, natch). Method #6 is to "Disable Clipboard" ("So far, this function is effective only in IE 5.0 and higher.") By using the smart encryption method #7, HTML Guard "deactivates browser's print function" (this doesn't work if CSS 2.0 is disabled). Method #8 is to "disable image caching in browser." HTML Guard achieves that "by using a PHP script to load and show images when required." Unsurprizingly, "the images can only be loaded on web servers that come with PHP3 support. Furthermore, deactivating the caching decreases the loading speed of a page because multiple used images have to be loaded again and again."
Well, at least the developers are being honest. If someone who is technically savvy wants to copy your HTML code, they will do it, HTML Guard or no HTML Guard.
