[thelist] making site content secure as possible

[Bird]

I don't want to get into the arguments of how if you don't want someone
to steal your content then don't put it on the web. I have been through
that already with my client.

What I need is good advice or please point me in the right direction of
what terms I should be searching for on google. I do not plan to do the
security side of things on this site but want to be knowledgeable when I
speak to a programmer with the necessary skills and my client.

My client wants certain parts of his website to be only accessible by
members of his 'club', those people who have signed up and have been
vetted by him to join his 'club' for a better term. It is a financial
site and he does not want his competitors copying his research.

I am familiar with databases and setting some kind of login for members
which would allow only logged in members access.

But is there anything else I can do?

My client asks about encrypting his content, it would be text and PDF
files. Is that an option? How exactly would encrypting text prevent
people who are not supposed to see it from viewing it?

Also on a related note, my client thinks that maybe some members may
share their user names and passwords with their friends. Is it possible
to track who logs in to the site and from where? Would we be able to
find out if member logins were being passed around or not?

Does anyone have any good strategies for preventing this kind of thing
or to make it more difficult?

TIA

Lisa