View only access using ArcGIS Online

3874
4
11-25-2015 07:28 AM
by Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hello,

I have a question that pertains to the ability to create a web app that will produce the following needs.

  1. We would like to create a web app that will allow a user to login and view the data only.
    1. We understand the need to setup a "Viewer only" role and apply to a username.
    2. We understand the need to share the data and web app with a group that this user is part of.
    3. We understand the need to share the feature service with the group in order for the data to be viewed within the app.
  2. What we DO NOT want is for this user to be able to by-pass the web app,
    1. log directly into the AGOL system, go into the group, go into the feature service details, into the REST Services page and then create a replica to download a copy of the Feature service data as any data format.
      1. Would this be achieved by not allowing other user to export the data in a different format?
    2. or, log into the collector app to create a copy of the feature service for offline editing.
      1. I'm guessing this would be prevented by not enabling offline mode within the feature service.

     However, when you setup the role to have view only permissions, the user can still access the feature service's rest services to download the data if they choose to. Is there any way to limit this access and to have a VIEW only viewer/login into the AGOL system?

Here is a screenshot of the "View Only" profile that still has access to the REST service through the Source link.

There was considering the route of using a web browser based Operations Dashboard to achieve the view only status with some of the reporting functionality, but that doesn't solve the fact that if someone thinks outside the box and can still get at the data.

There is also the consideration that we could build a custom app that would pass along the username, password, and URL, so that the web app could just access the data. However, I have limited programming experience, but love to learn the ins and outs of new tools.

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Mike

0 Kudos
4 Replies
EricErtl
New Contributor III

Hello Mike,

Are you hosting these services within your AGOL organization or do you have an ArcGIS Server Site that is hosting your feature service?

0 Kudos
by Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hello Eric,

     They are hosted on within our ArcGIS Online Organization.

0 Kudos
EricErtl
New Contributor III

Mike,

I have tried this before and I don't believe there is a way to block access entirely to the feature service properties. Although the person would have to have privileges to add content to AGOL in order to use/view that service. Unless they have ArcMap (if they do then they would be able to access and export the data) the only other medium is AGOL.  I don't have a lot of experience using hosted feature services within ArcGIS Online because I use ArcGIS Server.  ArcGIS Server allows for restriction to the service based on built-in roles and users or utilizing an existing enterprise system such as windows domain or LDAP. 

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

0 Kudos
by Anonymous User
Not applicable

Eric,

No problem and I appreciate the help, but we are basically looking to allow an external user view our data in real-time for a project. However, we have spent a lot to on developing the databases that are being utilized within the collector app and we want to protect them. It's a matter of retaining our investment and propitiatory FGDB.

I appreciate the possible help.

Thanks!
Mike

0 Kudos