How to Enable Hotlink Protection in Webuzo

Hotlinking is when another website displays your images by linking directly to the files on your server. The problem? You pay the bandwidth bill for images shown on someone else’s site. Hotlink protection stops this by only allowing your own domain to load your files.

How hotlink protection works

When enabled, your server checks where each image request comes from. If the request originates from your site, it is allowed. If it comes from another domain, the image is refused — so your files (and bandwidth) stay yours.

Enable hotlink protection in Webuzo

1. Log in to your Webuzo Enduser Panel.
2. Open the Security section and click Hotlink Protection.
3. Confirm your own domain(s) are listed as allowed.
4. Optionally list the file types to protect, such as jpg, png, gif and webp.
5. Enable the protection and save.

Don’t forget legitimate sources

If you display your own images through a CDN, a subdomain, or allow search engines to show them, add those domains to the allowed list. Otherwise your images could stop showing where you actually want them.

Frequently asked questions

Will hotlink protection break image sharing on social media?

It can, since social platforms load images from your server. If you rely on rich previews, either allow those domains or accept that protection may limit them.

My own images stopped showing after enabling it.

Make sure every version of your domain (with and without www) is on the allowed list, plus any CDN or subdomain you use.

Does this reduce my bandwidth usage?

Yes — if others were hotlinking your files, blocking them can noticeably cut bandwidth and improve your resource usage.