Enhancing Clickbank Security with PHP Integration

Clickbank's Built-in Security Measures

Clickbank's inherent security is already quite effective. To prevent customers from sharing the "thank you" page URL, which grants access to the product, Clickbank provides a secret key system. This key is a unique identifier that you can set up in your Clickbank account settings. It's crucial to choose a secret key that is distinct from your Clickbank password for added security.

Implementing Clickbank's Security Code

Clickbank offers snippets of code in various programming languages, including PHP, to help protect your downloads. The process involves the following steps:

1. Your order link includes a "seed," which is a unique identifier you create.
2. After payment, Clickbank combines this seed with your secret key to generate a unique hash.
3. This hash is sent to your "thank you" page, where your PHP script will use the same secret key to recreate the hash.
4. If the hashes match, it confirms a legitimate purchase, as the customer does not have access to the secret key.

This mechanism is known as Clickbank's "cbpop" or Clickbank Proof of Purchase. It's virtually impossible for someone to replicate the correct Proof of Purchase code without the secret key.

PHP Validation Function

Clickbank provides a PHP function, cbValid, which takes three parameters: $seed, $cbpop, and $secret_key. The function processes these inputs and compares the result with the hash provided by Clickbank. If the validation fails, the script can be programmed to halt or redirect the user to an error page.

Expiration Strategy

To deter unauthorized sharing, you can set an expiration date on the access to the "thank you" page. Using PHP's strtotime() function, you can calculate a timestamp 30 days in the past and compare it with the purchase date. If the current date exceeds this 30-day window, access is denied.

Advanced Security Techniques

For those with multiple products, ensuring unique seeds for each product is essential. This can be achieved by appending a product-specific string to the timestamp, creating a distinct seed for each item. PHP's pattern matching functions can be used to extract the timestamp from the seed for validation purposes.

Protecting Multiple Products

To prevent a customer who has purchased one product from accessing all others, you can implement a naming convention for your "thank you" pages that corresponds with the seed used in the order link. This ensures that each product has a unique access point.

Clickbank Security Resources

For those new to Clickbank or seeking further guidance, resources such as Harvey Segal's ClickbankGuide.com provide valuable information. Additionally, the PHP script mentioned in this article can be downloaded from the provided link, complete with instructions for setup.

Final Thoughts

While Clickbank's security is robust, integrating PHP allows for an additional layer of protection and customization. By following the steps outlined in this article and utilizing the provided script, you can secure your digital products effectively against unauthorized sharing and access.

For more detailed information on Clickbank's security features and PHP integration, refer to the Clickbank Merchant Guide and consider exploring the book "Simple PHP" for a deeper understanding of PHP time functions.

Clickbank Merchant Guide Simple PHP Book Download PHP Script

By implementing these security measures, you can ensure that your digital products on Clickbank are protected, providing peace of mind for both you and your customers.