Allow permanent deletion of PDFs and Images so they cannot still be accessed at their original URL after deletion

Currently when deleting a file from the asset manager it isn't actually deleted, and remains accessible at the old URL to allow webflow to include it in site backups. There are multiple reasons this is concerning from a security perspective:

  • Outdated customer pricing charts and information being accessible and indexed by google
  • Old versions of corporate contracts remaining publicly accessible and bot searchable
  • Cases where the wrong file was uploaded accidentally and contains confidential information
  • Unlicensed images included in webflow templates or used during site design stages still being associated with a client against the policy of stock warehouses.

I propose a number of potential solutions that could close this security concern:

1) In the asset manager, have a tickbox to show all "archived" files, so they can be deleted fully

2) When deleting a file, assume it is to be deleted permanently, but ask if the user would like to maintain a copy for backup purposes

3) Store all backup-only assets in a secure bucket within Webflow's AWS environment rather than have them remain on a publicly accessible server.

https://forum.webflow.com/t/final-deletion-of-a-file-in-the-asset-manager/76133/7 for more info.

  • Michael Naylor
  • Jan 21 2019
  • Reviewed
  • Lucian Chevallier commented
    17 May 04:08pm

    Has this still not been implemented?

  • Wendy commented
    9 Apr 08:18am

    A lot of wonderful functionalities are added to Webflow, but it would be really nice, but also necessary, to address these issues. On top of that, the Asstes Manager’s functionality is too limited and outdated:

    • very small thumbnails

    • impossible to see which images are not ‘active’ (added to an image element or as a background image)

    • impossible to find out, if an image is still used, where it is used

  • TPN Designer commented
    14 Dec, 2023 10:11pm

    Really need this to be a feature. from a security standpoint, this seems like a pretty big oversight.

  • Tin GRC commented
    17 Aug, 2023 05:35pm

    Still not fixed yet!! I need to contact support and sen them all the links that i want to delete for that! unbelievable in 2023

  • Zazzles Ro commented
    3 Aug, 2023 07:43pm

    This is a major issue, why has this not been fixed yet?!?!

  • Omer Gold commented
    15 Feb, 2023 09:04pm

    It's unbelievable that this issue wasn't addressed until now. We have the issue that Google indexed a photo as thumbnail and we must delete it. Contacting support every time is absurd.

  • Michael Naylor commented
    7 Jan, 2023 05:25am

    Has there been any progress on this item since being reviewed?

  • David Ditzler commented
    14 Dec, 2022 10:23pm

    This seems ridiculous. Is there a way to sync or update the server to remove the data?

  • Matt commented
    23 Nov, 2022 12:49am

    It blows my mind that issues like this are left years unaddressed. When we as customers delete a file from the website and the assets panel it stands to reason that it should be deleted from the server. At the least, Webflow should make it clear that files are not removed from the server. Not making this clear is negligent.
    After researching it due to others posting about the same issue with files being later found on Google, I am aware that I can contact support and have them do it but once again, it's another ill-conceived, unproductive band-aid fix.

  • RightAbove Brands commented
    25 Sep, 2021 02:28am

    Adding to this, if the file was linked for download on the website and google indexed it, it will show on google if you look it up.

    I had a client who needed a file deleted and they could still find it on google weeks after deletion. This almost led them to legal trouble and I lost the client. They are now with another agency and using WordPress.

  • Troy Matthew commented
    6 Feb, 2019 01:08am

    THIS IS SIGNIFICANT!  It is already a problem that it is not "white labeled" and discloses Webflow and then to top it off it permanently exists?!

  • +47