Does anyone know how I can block say the photographs, documents, etc, on a DVD, from being copy/pasted or say on a U*SB flash drive? Is there a blocking piece of software paid for or freeware available?

Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions.

You can put them all in a folder with password protection, I use 7zip. That's if it's a read write dvd. I have various folders on my pc with different passwords.

there will probably a few more different ways and someone will come along with possibly a better way.

Edited April 23, 20197 yr by bursco

33 minutes ago, bursco said:

You can put them all in a folder with password protection, I use 7zip. That's if it's a read write dvd. I have various folders on my pc with different passwords.

there will probably a few more different ways and someone will come along with possibly a better way.

Thanks for that. Basically, I do want the person I will be sending the DVD/USB stick. to see only view the photographs on the DVD but not purloin them pretending that he/she took the photographs, or copy/pasting them.

I can't think of a way other than using a watermark or other copyright markings. Once the image is out there, it's out there. If you can view it, you can copy it.

Maybe someone will have an idea.

You'll want to include a terms of use and also register the images with the copyright office.

 

5 hours ago, vc10man said:

Thanks for that. Basically, I do want the person I will be sending the DVD/USB stick. to see only view the photographs on the DVD but not purloin them pretending that he/she took the photographs, or copy/pasting them.

What's to prevent them from taking a screenshot?

Watermark is your only real option here.

4 minutes ago, TechguyMaxC said:

What's to prevent them from taking a screenshot?

Watermark is your only real option here.

Thanks, but I have heard that too, and the watermark option too. Nevertheless I fear that the person receiving the DVD will make copies to distribute, and if he wants to take screenshots then that will be an onerous task to do for over 600 images, but in the long run that is much more preferable than the easier Copy/Paste option.

5 hours ago, vc10man said:

Thanks for that. Basically, I do want the person I will be sending the DVD/USB stick. to see only view the photographs on the DVD but not purloin them pretending that he/she took the photographs, or copy/pasting them.

You would need some kind of copy protection for the disc, along with a proprietary image viewing application which automatically displays the disc's contents.  The photos would need to be encrypted in order to achieve this.  You're talking about something that basically doesn't exist in the realm of consumer software.    

Well, there's LockLizard, for the low, low price of $4995.  No, I didn't forget the decimal point.

The best (and probably only) real countermeasure is to not put your material in the hands of someone who is likely to misuse it.

 

Rick, If you are going to watermark, make em big and plentiful. Just enough to show the image as you intended, but copies/screenshots will always be spoiled by dirty big and plentiful watermarks. Also change and lock the file attribute on the copy.

Bob Scott,  a mere $5000.00 (catching my breath) whaaaaat! better need it for more than one DVD me thinks.  The sort of pricing better spent on FS and PC hardware.

12 hours ago, SoJourned said:

You'll want to include a terms of use and also register the images with the copyright office.

You can't register images in that way in the UK. All images in the UK (and text, video etc) are automatically copyright to the author, although proving that is a different matter.

As others have said, basically with consumer software if people can view it, they can copy it. All you can do is watermark the images and obviously that doesn't stop copying, it just makes it obvious they have done so.

33 minutes ago, Jethro said:

Rick, If you are going to watermark, make em big and plentiful. Just enough to show the image as you intended, but copies/screenshots will always be spoiled by dirty big and plentiful watermarks. Also change and lock the file attribute on the copy.

Bob Scott,  a mere $5000.00 (catching my breath) whaaaaat! better need it for more than one DVD me thinks.  The sort of pricing better spent on FS and PC hardware.

Great reply, Jethro, and thanks for all the replies to others. Encouraging after becoming crestfallen at that $5000 tag!

Can you kindly guide me on that 'change and lock the file attribute' tip?  Never had experience of doing this before.

Hi Rick,

Thankyou, I don't have or at least don't find the need to permanently change file attributes, but I do see what you are working toward so the link below might help, there are others but this one seemed like a good place to start. That also goes for the Password hidden folder YT vid, there are probably better ones out there but its a start. 

Using the CMD window  "Attrib.exe"  & switches, for a group of files or single file you may wish to permanently change. I would suggest isolating a copy of the files you wish to change before making attribute changes, thus preserving the original files and their original attributes. Then make your attribute changes to files in that isolated folder before burning to DVD. 

Here is a link and small tutorial article: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/change-file-attributes-windows-attribexe

The password "Hiding a password locked folder" method may not serve your purposes if you wish to share on DVD, because the folder would need to be unlocked and visible in order to copy/burn to DVD, defeating the password lock is still quite easy for a clued up recipient.

Here is a YT vid for that also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeZjaxk-H4o

 

It's certainly possible as this commercial software proves: https://www.secudrives.com/usb-copy-protection/.

This sounds like exactly what you're looking for: https://www.wenovo.com/freeware/usb-disks-access-manager-freeware.php and it's free (but may need to be installed on the user's PC). Alternatively: http://www.kakasoft.com/usb-copy-protect/benefits.html. Sadly, not free ($49.95) and I've no idea how safe/effective it is but there's a free download so you may get some sort of free trial with it.

Edited April 24, 20197 yr by vortex681

What can I say, Jethro and vortex681? Fantastic to both for that heads-up and links included. Many thanks. So well elucidated. Now I fee I can go forwards with  this dilemma tat was bugging me.