also @ TechSpot: Intel SSD 520 Series 240GB Review
Welcome to the TechSpot OpenBoards. Please read the FAQ if you have any questions. Sign up or Login to participate.

Go Back   TechSpot OpenBoards > Software > Software Apps

Collaborate in the cloud with Office, Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync

How can I password protect RSS and XMl feed

Thread Tools Search this Thread
  #1  
Old 09-08-2010
Newcomer, in training
 
Member since: Sep 2010, 4 posts
How can I password protect RSS and XMl feed

I want to Monitor users who subscribe to my RSS Feeds.

How can i use an authentication Process to block users from getting access.
  #2  
Old 09-08-2010
jobeard's Avatar
TechSpot Ambassador
 
Location: Southern Calif.
Member since: Apr 2005, 10,825 posts
the normal RSS feed is
  • just a url
  • to a specially formated file
To 'control' that access, you would need your users to 'login' before accessing it,
and that breaks the RSS subscription data flow; ie any Pop3 email client can 'subscribe' to an RSS feed.

To 'monitor' without control, place a fixed image in the feed, like the FAVICO.ico file reference. Now your server logs will contain an entry for each time it's served.

Instead of the FAVICO.ico, which is served to every browser that accesses ANY content on the server, create your own gif in some other location,
eg rss/rssaccessed.gif
and each 'hit' was from a RSS subscription.
  #3  
Old 09-08-2010
TechSpot Enthusiast
 
Member since: Sep 2010, 298 posts
Ah, clever.

Then, just look through the IP's of individuals who have accessed your .gif file and block the IP of who ever you don't want viewing your RSS feed?
  #4  
Old 09-08-2010
jobeard's Avatar
TechSpot Ambassador
 
Location: Southern Calif.
Member since: Apr 2005, 10,825 posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by PYGMUS View Post
Then, just look through the IP's of individuals who have accessed your .gif file and block the IP of who ever you don't want viewing your RSS feed?
hmmmmm; blocking IP addresses is unreliable and you can't be sure you've
a) got the right guy(s)
b) they didn't access it from elsewhere, say a hotspot.

Again: monitoring is different that access control

you might try a Public vs Private concept, where
  • /Public/rss/* is accessible via a link anywhere on your site and could be emailed as you see fit

  • /Private/rss/* has no links anywhere and the only access is when you tell someone how to find it

but don't delude yourself - - - if JoeDoe knows of /Private, 10 minutes later, hist friends will too.
Closed Thread

Similar Topics
Topic Replies Forum
How do I password protect downloads? 1 Storage and Networking
Can't password protect and don't know why 2 Windows OS
Password Protect Files? 2 Windows OS
Password Protect 6 Software Apps
Password Protect for .SWF files 0 Software Apps

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:22 PM.