I just got an email from Google Maps Premier team, announcing that they are implementing some extra security on the Static Maps API. Basically the URL needs to be signed with a private key, and added to the query (by March 2nd, or they are rejected).
Details here:
code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/premier/guide.html#URLSigning
Here is a copy of the email too:
The Google Maps API Premier team looks to customer input as we build tools that enrich websites, applications, and devices with location information. Customers frequently tell us that the higher than standard limits on web services such as geocoding and static maps are among the most valuable aspects of Maps API Premier.
However, any web service can be vulnerable to anonymous automated access. To further protect you from any unauthorized use of your client IDs, we’re adding an additional layer of security to Google Maps API Premier.
In this email is a private cryptographic key, unique to your account. From now on, requests made to certain web services from Maps API Premier accounts will need to be “signed” with this key. This security enhancement will ensure that requests are authorized by you, the owner of the Maps API Premier client ID specified in the request.
For documentation explaining how to use this cryptographic key to sign requests, please refer to the Maps API Premier Developer Guide:
code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/premier/guide.html#Services
The Static Maps V2 API is the first API to support URL signing:
code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/staticmaps/
As of March 2, 2010, requests made to the Static Maps V2 API will need to be signed to be accepted. However, for added security, we encourage you to begin signing requests you make to this service now.
Should you need assistance, please contact Google Enterprise Support by logging on to the Google Enterprise Support Portal, or by sending an email containing your client id and a detailed description of the issue to mapsenterprisesupport@google.com.
By enhancing the security of our services we better protect the interests of our customers and of our data content partners. I’m excited to continue to develop the secure infrastructure that support ongoing innovation from Google – and for our customers.
Daniel Chu Product Manager, Google Enterprise Maps & Earth team