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In WordPress by default you can see which fonts are being used and download the .woff2 files.

I'd like to prevent this from happening without causing any issues to the website's appearance as fonts are purchased.

I've already searched for the subject before, tried multiple suggestions found in here for the .htaccess. None worked. ChatGPT didn't provide a working solution either.

Have already read multiple posts such as How to prevent user downloading font in Apache but i have high hopes that something has changed as those posts are old.

Using LiteSpeed Enterprise Web Server with cPanel on CloudLinux OS.

Would you please be so kind to help me find a working solution?

Thank you!

olet
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    https://blog.typekit.com/2009/07/21/serving-and-protecting-fonts-on-the-web/: _"The fact is, for something to appear in a browser, it has to be on the web. If it’s on the web, it can’t be completely protected."_ - and that's _from_ a commercial web font provider, so if they already acknowledged that there isn't anything _perfect_ that could be done about this, you'll have to accept that, too. – CBroe Aug 31 '23 at 08:49
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    It goes on with _"We’ve put up a few hurdles of our own. Our intent is only to discourage casual misuse and to make it clear that taking fonts from Typekit is an explicit and intentional act."_, and that's about as much as you'll be to do on your site as well. – CBroe Aug 31 '23 at 08:49
  • You can use them locally instead – WPDevotion Aug 31 '23 at 09:55
  • @WPDevotion huh? What's using them locally got to do with the question and how will that help? Seriously... – Mat Aug 31 '23 at 11:01
  • @CBroe Their logic is really unhelpful. Well "it has to be on the web" but that does not mean that i cannot make it harder for someone to steal me, does it? They pretty much say that all those "bad actors" are free to download and use our purchased fonts... So why do we even buy them in the first place? (rhetorical question) – olet Sep 01 '23 at 10:05
  • @CBroe and thank you for your reply. – olet Sep 01 '23 at 10:11
  • _"but that does not mean that i cannot make it harder for someone to steal me, does it?"_ - they are already explaining there, what _technically possible_ measures they are undertaking from their end _"They pretty much say that all those "bad actors" are free to download and use our purchased fonts..."_ - no, they are not saying that, not at all. – CBroe Sep 01 '23 at 10:12
  • _"So why do we even buy them in the first place?"_ - because that gives _you_ the right, to use them on _your_ site. End-of, Period. If anyone else "steals" them and uses them on their site, without permission - that is not _your_ problem, not _your_ business - but that of the font provider. – CBroe Sep 01 '23 at 10:14

2 Answers2

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No. Unfortunately, as your fonts are being displayed on your website and used/loaded by the browser, there is no way whatsoever to stop users from downloading fonts, should they wish to do so.

It's kind of like displaying text on a website and then wanting to block people copy/pasting it... Theres nothing you can do and it will happen...

The closest method you have to preventing people downloading your fonts is to disable right click in your browser so that it's difficult (not impossible) for users to view your websites source code.

But, if someone wants to get your fonts, they will and there's nothing you can do about it, unfortunately.

Mat
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  • I had high hopes that an encryption method would have been introduced to fonts protection during those 9 years since the post i quoted in my OP. Too bad :( Thank you for your reply. – olet Sep 01 '23 at 10:11
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It is difficult or impossible to do it. But, the most common protected method used is Obfuscation. However, you can learn more about the Defense in Depth strategy.

Here you can find more details how you can protect it: https://blog.typekit.com/2009/07/21/serving-and-protecting-fonts-on-the-web

fatlum
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  • Spam post. Unrelated and doesn't answer the question or resolve the 'issue'. Please refrain from posting junk answers. – Mat Aug 31 '23 at 10:56
  • why is spam? did you read this article https://blog.typekit.com/2009/07/21/serving-and-protecting-fonts-on-the-web? – fatlum Aug 31 '23 at 14:10
  • Thank you for your reply. I'll check it out. – olet Sep 01 '23 at 10:12