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Answer 1

A:

Put this code on link 2. For those with JavaScript enabled,

<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
window.location = "http://externalsite/"
//-->
</script>

This will redirect them to http://externalsite/ as soon as it executes. Put this as early on within the <head> as possible, so that the redirect occurs as early in the page loading as possible

Then just put a manual link for those with JavaScript disabled.

Either way, link 2 will be the HTTP_REFERER for externalsite.

(Caveat: This is a really, really unsecure method of authentication.)

EDIT: It looks like there's a known issue with IE not passing HTTP_REFERER on javascript redirects. Here is the workaround: http://webbugtrack.blogspot.com/2008/11/bug-421-ie-fails-to-pass-http-referer.html

yc 2010-09-02 14:50:05

I was thinking it'd have to be client-side JS. Are there browser inconsistency issues with this though, with some changing the referer as wanted but others not?(and yeah I agree with that caveat but it's not our system so nothing I can do about that).

Chao 2010-09-02 14:54:23

There shouldn't be any browser inconsistencies, but you can test it out here: http://htmlto.com/redirect/1.html . Clicking the link will take you to 2.html, which will Javascript redirect to 3.php, which is set to echo the HTTP_REFERER. It should say 2.html; if it ever says 1.html, you've got a browser inconsistency.

yc 2010-09-02 15:06:47

I stand corrected; IE won't pass the http_referer off of a JavaScript redirect; see my edit for the fix.

yc 2010-09-02 15:13:47

The test isn't working (the document.body reference comes before there is a body element loaded in the DOM) but the issue with IE is the main thing needed so answer accepted.

Chao 2010-09-06 14:13:22

Oops, thanks! Fixed and tested.

yc 2010-09-06 16:21:13

Still doesn't work. The script has to go in the body tag or be in a function in the head that's called in the body, having it as a function like on webbugtrack also has the advantage of being reusable. I also replaced the browser sniffing with IE conditional comments.

Chao 2010-09-06 16:27:55

Weirdly it works in my IE7-8. Moved it into the body anyways. Oh well, as long as it works for you.

yc 2010-09-06 18:25:26

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Changing http-referer via a redirect

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