preconfigured-htaccess

An Apache webserver uses an htaccess file in the site main directory for site specific configuration. A preconfigured htaccess file (htaccess.txt) is delivered with Joomla. It contains instructions to avoid common exploits and implements SEF urls. In addition it provides some settings that needs to be checked for your environment:

• IndexIgnore *
• Options +FollowSymLinks
• Options -Indexes
• RewriteBase /

Activating htaccess.txt means merging an existing .htaccess file with htaccess.txt and decide on the settings mentioned above.

Note:

The active file is set in one of the httpd.conf files with:

AccessFileName .htaccess

It defaults to .htaccess (which makes it hidden on a Unix-like filesystems). No need to change that.

On the Windows platform you might change it to:

AccessFileName htaccess.ini

so you can edit it more easily.

Don't use htaccess.txt here because when updating Joomla, it will be overwritten and changes will be lost.

Content of htaccess.txt:

##
# @package    Joomla
# @copyright  Copyright (C) 2005 - 2018 Open Source Matters. All rights reserved.
# @license    GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
##

##
# READ THIS COMPLETELY IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THIS FILE!
#
# The line 'Options +FollowSymLinks' may cause problems with some server configurations.
# It is required for the use of mod_rewrite, but it may have already been set by your 
# server administrator in a way that disallows changing it in this .htaccess file.
# If using it causes your site to produce an error, comment it out (add # to the 
# beginning of the line), reload your site in your browser and test your sef urls. If 
# they work, then it has been set by your server administrator and you do not need to 
# set it here.
##

## No directory listings

  IndexIgnore *


## Can be commented out if causes errors, see notes above.
Options +FollowSymlinks
Options -Indexes

## Mod_rewrite in use.

RewriteEngine On

## Begin - Rewrite rules to block out some common exploits.
# If you experience problems on your site then comment out the operations listed 
# below by adding a # to the beginning of the line.
# This attempts to block the most common type of exploit `attempts` on Joomla!
#
# Block any script trying to base64_encode data within the URL.
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} base64_encode[^(]*\([^)]*\) [OR]
# Block any script that includes a  tag in URL.
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (<|%3C)([^s]*s)+cript.*(>|%3E) [NC,OR]
# Block any script trying to set a PHP GLOBALS variable via URL.
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} GLOBALS(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2}) [OR]
# Block any script trying to modify a _REQUEST variable via URL.
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} _REQUEST(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2})
# Return 403 Forbidden header and show the content of the root home page
RewriteRule .* index.php [F]
#
## End - Rewrite rules to block out some common exploits.

## Begin - Custom redirects
#
# If you need to redirect some pages, or set a canonical non-www to
# www redirect (or vice versa), place that code here. Ensure those
# redirects use the correct RewriteRule syntax and the [R=301,L] flags.
#
## End - Custom redirects

##
# Uncomment the following line if your webserver's URL
# is not directly related to physical file paths.
# Update Your Joomla! Directory (just / for root).
##

# RewriteBase /

## Begin - Joomla! core SEF Section.
#
RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]
#
# If the requested path and file is not /index.php and the request
# has not already been internally rewritten to the index.php script
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/index\.php
# and the requested path and file doesn't directly match a physical file
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
# and the requested path and file doesn't directly match a physical folder
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
# internally rewrite the request to the index.php script
RewriteRule .* index.php [L]
#
## End - Joomla! core SEF Section.
</pre>

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