Question

(LAMP server configuration)

As a workaround for another problem, I need PHP to be able to access local files, but prevent these files from being served over http by Apache.

Normally, I would just use .htaccess to accomplish this, however due to institutional restrictions, I cannot. I also can’t touch php.ini, although I can use php_ini_set within php.

As a creative solution, I thought that if php executes as its own linux user (not as apache) I could use normal chown’s and chmod’s to accomplish this.

Again, the goal is simply to have a directory of files that apache will not display, but php can access.

I’m open to any suggestions.

Answer 1

Here’s a thought. Set the permissions on the files to be inaccessible to even the owner, then when PHP needs them, chmod() then, read them, then chmod() them back to inaccessible.