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Contents 1 LocalSettings.php 1.1 Fix 2 PHP breakage security problems 2.1 Fix

LocalSettings.php

LocalSettings.php contains MySQL database passwords, and the WikiSysop passwords. Verify that apache can gain access to this file, and only administrators have access to this file when logged in.

Fix

Check with your distro for what the apache user is.

chown apache mediawikifolder
chgrp apache mediawikifolder
chmod o-rxw mediawikifolder  (removes the access rights from other)
(probably repeat with g-rxw ... for LocalSettings.php )
make sure that u has r and x (or chmod 500 LocalSettings.php)

Note: The fix above only works if you are granted rights to change your wiki-folder owner and group to the apache's owner and group. If you do execute the above you get: Access denied. To prevent this, do:

chmod 755 mediawikifolder

Note: Rights then required for LocalSettings.php are:

chmod 600 Localsettings.php

No need for the executable bit.

PHP breakage security problems

If your php breaks, it will serve LocalSettings.php as a regular file, giving the world your WikiSysop password!

Fix

(may break elsewhere!)

<IfModule !sapi_apache2.c>
    <Files ~ '\.php$'>
        Order allow,deny
        Deny from all
        Allow from none
    </Files>
    <Files ~ '\.phps'>
        Order deny,allow
        Allow from all
    </Files>
</IfModule>

Replace sapi_apache2.c with mod_php4.c for apache 1.3