Ubuntu Wiki

Purpose

When completed, this procedure allows users to securely run PHP files from ~/public_html/ to manipulate their own files.

Procedure

Install Apache 2, PHP 5, and support for executing pseudo-binaries. {{{sudo apt-get install apache2 php5-cgi binfmt-support }}}

Configure PHP 5 to run .php scripts from the shell. {{{sudo update-binfmts --install PHP /usr/bin/php5-cgi --extension php }}}

Enable necessary Apache modules.

{{{sudo a2enmod rewrite sudo a2enmod suexec sudo a2enmod include sudo a2enmod userdir }}}

Enable Apache's handling of PHP files. Add the following line to /etc/apache2/apache2.conf {{{AddHandler cgi-script .php }}}

Configure the userdir module. Uncomment the following lines in /etc/apache2/apache2.conf. {{{UserDir public_html UserDir disabled root

<Directory /home/*/public_html>

• AllowOverride FileInfo AuthConfig Limit Options Indexes SymLinksIfOwnerMatch IncludesNoExec

</Directory>}}}

Add the ExecCGI option. The block should now appear as below. {{{UserDir public_html UserDir disabled root

<Directory /home/*/public_html>

• AllowOverride FileInfo AuthConfig Limit Options Indexes SymLinksIfOwnerMatch IncludesNoExec ExecCGI

</Directory>}}}

Reload the Apache configuration. {{{sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 force-reload }}}