Htaccess: Prevent Directory Listing
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.htaccess: Introduction | Site error documents | Prevent Directory Listing | Redirect | Preventing hot linking | |
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.htaccess - Apache directory-level configuration file |
Prevent Folder (Directory) listing
I find some times I use the term folder and at other times directory these are interchangeable and mean the same thing so forgive me when I do this.
If you have read the [Htaccess: Site error documents | site error documents page]] you will have created a folder named error. Type the following into your browser address bar : http://localhost/errors/ you will be greeted with a full listing of its content (folders and files).
Try it on any folder that does not contain any of the following pages
- index.html, index.shtml, index.html.var
- index.htm, index.php3, index.php
- index.pl, index.cgi
and you will receive a listing of its contents as would anyone on the internet.
You may or may not find this desirable this page shows you how to prevent this listing.
htaccess commands
There is only a single command to learn:
| Command | Comment |
|---|---|
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IndexIgnore * |
This prevents listing of all the files, the * is a wildcard that matches all files |
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IndexIgnore *.gif *.jpg |
You can be selective and state the file types you do not want listed. Again the wildcard matches all files, in this example all gif and jpg image files are targeted and will not be displayed. While all others will be displayed. |
Personalise index page listings
If you are not going to prevent folder listings consider personalising the page displayed.
You can personalise the index pages listed by adding a header and footer. This requires either one of two files placed in the folder with the htaccess file as follows:
| File name | Comment |
|---|---|
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HEADER.html |
This is just a text file containing something like this: <h1>Power of htaccess</h1> Note: You can insert any regular HTML tag. They are not complete HTML pages just snippets that are included. |
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README.html |
Again this is a text file that uses any regular HTML tag for example: <h1>More Power of htaccess</h1>''' Note: You can insert any regular HTML tag. They are not complete HTML pages just snippets that are included. |
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Ric |