Re: Web Site Security Hole

If properly designed, it shouldn't really matter if someone sees your code. Everyone can see the source code for Linux and lots of other systems you may be using (MySQL, PHP, etc.), but they are considered fairly secure. Knowing your methodology will only help someone in finding security holes in your code. Knowing your table structures and how you query them only allows someone to skip the trial and error phase of hacking. Keeping important information outside the document will prevent downloading of that information using the method your describe. If the web server is configured correctly of course. Your code should fail gracefully if the relevant information and validation is not present. It sounds like you've read about proper security measures. As long as you always assume that the data you are receiving may not have come from one your pages, you should be in pretty good shape. On Apr 7, 2005, at 9:55 AM, Don wrote:

Hi, I'm developing a small web site that does a bit of e-commerce (that is, it creates security keys and such). I've been very careful to keep all constants used in calculations in a local directory above docroot, but all of my main .php pages are in (or under) docroot (my host won't allow .php scripts to operate in /cgi-bin). I was feeling pretty secure until a friend reminded me you can download complete sites by importing them with such tools as FrontPage and Dreamweaver. That way, the "protection" provided by the PHP server is non-existant. Someone doing an import would be able to see the specific methodology I'm using for calculations and security, even though they wouldn't have access to MySQL passwords and constants. But the "security" that provides suddenly doesn't seem like much security at all! Can I manage this situation by setting directory and/or file permissions in docroot? Or is there some other solution? Thanks in advance. -Don -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php -- Brent Baisley Systems Architect Landover Associates, Inc. Search & Advisory Services for Advanced Technology Environments p: 212.759.6400/800.759.0577