Challenge

A professional services firm needed to capture leads through gated content while maintaining strict security controls over sensitive documents.

Traditional file sharing methods lacked the granular access controls and tracking capabilities required to manage temporary access windows and monitor document downloads.

Solution

84EM developed a dual-system WordPress solution combining secure document management with automated lead capture to create a gated content platform.

The system integrates with Gravity Forms to capture visitor information, then grants time-limited access to protected documents while tracking all download activity.

Technical Implementation

• Secure document portal: Custom post type with isolated upload directory protected by .htaccess rules to prevent direct file access.
• Document management: Admin interface for uploading multiple file types including PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, and RTF with automatic sanitization.
• Gravity Forms integration: Automatic lead record creation upon form submission with visitor identification system.
• Time-based access control: 24-hour download windows using hash-based verification tied to visitor IP and browser fingerprint.
• Download tracking: Comprehensive logging system that records lead ID, document ID, timestamp, and visitor details for each download.
• Security hardening: Directory traversal attack prevention with canonical path verification before file operations.
• Taxonomy system: Document categorization and tagging for organized content management across multiple campaigns.

Results

The integrated solution transformed the firm’s lead generation workflow by automating lead capture and securing sensitive documents within a unified WordPress interface.

Staff gained complete visibility into download activity and lead behavior without relying on external platforms or manual tracking spreadsheets.

The time-limited access system created urgency while the detailed audit trail enabled data-driven follow-up strategies for sales teams.