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How can I stop other websites displaying images directly from my hosting?
You can limit this practice, known as hotlinking, with rules that check the HTTP Referer header on image requests. These rules can prevent other websites from embedding your images using your files’ direct URLs. The method has limitations: the header may be missing or forged.
Before applying the rules, identify the domains that should be allowed to display your images, including any subdomains you use. Then test your website’s pages, direct image access and legitimate services that use the images. Do not automatically block every request without a Referer header, as this can affect valid uses. Hotlink protection does not prevent people from downloading and republishing your images.
