[Resolved] Server vunerability...?

Xpheyel

Hello, World....

Ok, I just started working on a website with PHP. So I decided to install PHP and an Apache server on my computer so I could test out my code before uploading. Ok, thats done. Everything is configured and PHP works. My only worry is that doing this will open my computer to outside attack... I've got it configured so the server denies all IPs except the loop-back, and for now I'm leaving it off most of the time just to be sure. Can anyone tell me if theres something I can do to increase its security, or if theres anything I NEED to do. Is it actually possible for someone to get into my computer without having a trojan or something installed?

Just being paranoid. Its an old habit.

stolzyboy

you on nix or win

Xpheyel

Windows, I'm afraid...

stolzyboy

well i guess, you really don't have to worry about too much either way, there are very little vulnerabilities in Apache regardless what platform you are on, but with windows, keep norton or whatever running, cuz you are always vulnerable to viruses, but Apache isn't like IIS and where you have to worry about it

keep coding away, and i wouldn't worry about your box being on all the time

jerdo

Your best bet would be to get a firewall, either a *nix box to act as a firewall or a hardware firewall. The software firewalls (Norton, BlackIce, etc) are basically garbage, they tend to try and block things they shouldn't (so you have to dink with configuration, sometimes on a per site basis) and are more prone to have bugs. If you are behind a firewall and haven't opened port 80 and routed it to your internal machines IP you don't have to worry about people getting to your system that way.