Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO

Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO

Table of Contents
Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO....................................................................................1
Marcus Faure, marcus@faure.de............................................................................................................1
1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................................1
2. Component installation........................................................................................................................1
3. Putting it all together............................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Description of the components..........................................................................................................1
1.2 Working configurations.....................................................................................................................2
1.3 History...............................................................................................................................................2
2. Component installation........................................................................................................................3
2.1 Preparations........................................................................................................................................3
2.2 Adding PHP.......................................................................................................................................3
2.3 Adding SSL........................................................................................................................................4
2.4 Adding frontpage...............................................................................................................................4
3. Putting it all together............................................................................................................................4
3.1 Apache modules to try.......................................................................................................................4
3.2 Giving CGI's more security...............................................................................................................5
3.3 Compiling and installing the server daemon.....................................................................................5
3.4 Adding frontpage support to a web....................................................................................................6
3.5 Starting the daemon...........................................................................................................................7
3.6 Some considerations left....................................................................................................................7
3.7 Known bugs.......................................................................................................................................7
3.8 The final word....................................................................................................................................7

i
Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO
Marcus Faure, [email protected]
v1.1, July 1998

This document is about building a multipurpose webserver that will support dynamic web content via the
PHP/FI scripting language, secure transmission of data based on Netscape's SSL, secure execution of
CGI's and M$ Frontpage Server Extensions

1. Introduction
• 1.1 Description of the components
• 1.2 Working configurations
• 1.3 History

2. Component installation
• 2.1 Preparations
• 2.2 Adding PHP
• 2.3 Adding SSL
• 2.4 Adding frontpage

3. Putting it all together

• 3.1 Apache modules to try
• 3.2 Giving CGI's more security
• 3.3 Compiling and installing the server daemon
• 3.4 Adding frontpage support to a web
• 3.5 Starting the daemon
• 3.6 Some considerations left
• 3.7 Known bugs
• 3.8 The final word

1. Introduction
Before you start reading: I am not a native speaker, so there are probably spelling/grammatical errors in this
document. Feel encouraged to inform me of mistakes.

1.1 Description of the components

The webserver you hopefully will get after having read this howto is composed of several parts, the original
apache sources with some (well, many) patches and some external executables. I recommend using the

Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO 1

 Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO

software versions I tried, they will probably compile without greater problems and result in a fairly stable
daemon. If you are courageous, you can try to compile all the latest−stuff−with−tons−of−new−features, but
don't blame me if something fails ;−). However, you may report other working configurations to be included
in future versions of this document. All of the steps were tested on a linux 2.0.35 box, so the howto is
somewhat linux−specific, but you should be able to use it for other unixes as well.

You do not necesserily have to compile in all components. I tried to structure this howto so that you can skip
the parts you are not interested in.

The document is neither a user manual to Apache, SSL, PHP/FI nor frontpage. Its prime intention is to save
webservice providers some headaches when installing their server and to do my little contribution to the linux
community.

PHP is a scripting language that supports dynamic HTML pages. It is a bit like Apache's SSI, but by far more
complex and has database modules for many popular dbs. The GD libraries are needed by PHP.

SSL is an implementation of Netscape's Secure Socket Layer that allow secure connections over insecure
networks, e.g. to transmit credit card numbers to web based forms.

frontpage is a wysiwyg web authoring tool that makes use of some server−specific extensions called
webbots. Some people think frontpage is cool because you can create feedback forms and discussion webs
without having to know a bit about html or cgi. It even protects the designer from uploading his/her site via
ftp by using a builtin publisher. If you wish to support frontpage but do not like to setup a windows server,
the apache server extensions are your choice.

1.2 Working configurations

Though this document has been downloaded some 100 times since I published it, I received only little
feedback. In particular, noone told me of other working combinations. Combinations that work for me are:

• Linux 2.0.31, Apache 1.2.4, PHP 2.0.0, SSL 0.8.0, fp 98 3.0.3 (*)
• Linux 2.0.33, Apache 1.2.5, PHP 2.0.1, SSL 0.8.0, fp 98 3.0.3 (*)
• Linux 2.0.35, Apache 1.2.6, PHP 3, SSL 0.8.0, fp 98 3.0.4
(*) version 3.0.3 is not recommended

1.3 History
v0.0/Apr 98: Preview version

v1.0/Jun 98: Now using Apache 1.2.6, updated fp section, minor corrections

v1.1/Jul 98: Sgmlized and restructered version

You can find the latest version of this document at http://www.faure.de

1.2 Working configurations 2

 Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO

2. Component installation
2.1 Preparations
You will need:

• Apache 1.2.6 http://www.apache.org/dist/apache_1_2_6.tar.gz

• PHP/FI Extensions http://php.iquest.net/files/download.phtml?/files/php−2.01.tar.gz
• GD Library http://siva.cshl.org/gd/gd.html
• SSL 0.8.0 ftp://ftp.ox.ac.uk/pub/crypto/SSL/SSLeay−0.8.0.tar.gz
• SSL patch for Apache 1.2.6 ftp://ftp.ox.ac.uk/pub/crypto/SSL/apache_1.2.6+ssl_1.17.tar.gz
• frontpage 98 server extensions and install script http://www.rtr.com/fpsupport/download.htm

Get the sources you want. Untar apche, php, gd and ssl to /usr/src. Untar the SSL patch to
/usr/src/apache_1.2.6.

2.2 Adding PHP

cd to /usr/src/gd1.2 and type make. This will build the GD library libgd.a, that should be copied to
/usr/lib. Now cd to php−2.0.1 and run ./install.

The relevant questions are:

Would you like to compile PHP/FI as an Apache module? [yN] y

Are you compiling for an Apache 1.1 or later server? [Yn] y
Are you using Apache−Stronghold? [yN] y
Does your Apache server support ELF dynamic loading? [yN] y
Apache include directory (which has httpd.h)? [/usr/local/include/apache] /usr/src/apache_1.2.6/s
Would you like to build an ELF shared library? [yN] y
Additional directories to search for .h files []: /usr/src/gd1.2
Would you like the bundled regex library? [yN] n

Like the frontpage extensions, phtml includes a security problem because it is run under the uid of the
webserver. Be sure to turn on safe mode in src/php.h and restrict the search path to a save value. There are
some other options in php.h you may want to edit. If you are very concerned about security, compile php as a
cgi. However, this will be a performance loss and not as smart as the module version.

Type make to build all files. When the compilation is done, copy mod_php.* and libphp.a to
/usr/src/apache_1.2.6/src Add a line

Module php_module mod_php.o

to the end of /usr/src/apache_1.2.6/src/Configuration, add

−lphp −lm −lgdbm −lgd

to the EXTRA_LIBS in the same file,

application/x−httpd−php phtml

to Apache's mime.types and

2. Component installation 3
 Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO

AddType application/x−httpd−php .phtml

to Apache's srm.conf.

You may also want to add index.phtml to DirectoryIndex in that file so that a file index.phtml is
automatically loaded when its directory is requested.

2.3 Adding SSL

cd /usr/src/SSL−0.8.0; ./Configure linux−elf; make; make rehash This will
create libraries needed by apache. You may issue make test to verify the compilation. You have to apply
a patch to apache. It is important that you apply it before the frontpage patch, otherwise frontpage will not
work. cd to /usr/src/apache_1.2.6/src and issue patch <
/usr/src/apache_1.2.6/SSLpatch. Set SSL_BASE=/usr/src/SSLeay−0.8.0 in
Configuration. Make sure that Module proxy_module is disabled otherwise Apache won't compile.
If you are in need of a proxy, go for Squid http://squid.nlanr.net/

Now make certificate to generate SSLconf/conf/httpsd.pem.

2.4 Adding frontpage

Rename the fp30.linux.tar.Z file to fp30.linux.tar.gz, otherwise the install script will not find
it. Run ./fp_install to copy the extension files to /usr/local/frontpage. zcat can usually be
invoked as /usr/bin/zcat.

You now have to apply the FP patch. cd to /usr/src/apache_1.2.6/src and type patch <
/usr/src/frontpage/version3.0/apache−fp/fp−patch−apache_1.2.5 This will create
the mod_frontpage.* files and do some modifications to Configuration etc. The 1.2.5 patch will
work with both apache 1.2.5 and 1.2.6. Skip the part about installing webs, you can do that later

3. Putting it all together

3.1 Apache modules to try
The modules I use besides SSL, PHP and frontpage are:

Module env_module mod_env.o

Module config_log_module mod_log_config.o
Module mime_module mod_mime.o
Module negotiation_module mod_negotiation.o
Module dir_module mod_dir.o
Module cgi_module mod_cgi.o
Module asis_module mod_asis.o
Module imap_module mod_imap.o
Module action_module mod_actions.o
Module alias_module mod_alias.o
Module rewrite_module mod_rewrite.o
Module access_module mod_access.o
Module auth_module mod_auth.o
Module anon_auth_module mod_auth_anon.o

2.3 Adding SSL 4

 Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO

Module digest_module mod_digest.o

Module expires_module mod_expires.o
Module headers_module mod_headers.o
Module browser_module mod_browser.o

3.2 Giving CGI's more security

If you are an ISP (you probably are when you read this) you will want to improve security. The suexec utility
allows you to do so; it will execute cgi's under the UID of the webowner instead of executing it under the
webservers UID. Go to /usr/src/apache_1.2.6/support and make suexec. chmod 4711
suxec and copy it to the location specified in ../src/httpd.h which is
/usr/local/etc/httpd/sbin/suexec by default. If the path seems a little cryptic to you − it did to
me − edit httpd.h and set the path to a more comfortable value.

3.3 Compiling and installing the server daemon

Enter /usr/src/apache_1.2.6/src and edit Configuration to set all the Modules you want to
include in your Apache daemon. When done, run ./Configure and make. This is the last (and most
complicated) compilation step, so cross your fingers. If it succeeds, cp httpsd to /usr/sbin. The
daemon is somewhat big, consider this when assembling your webserver. Create the directory
/var/httpd with subdirectories cgi−bin, conf, htdocs, icons, virt1, virt2 and logs. In
/usr/src/apache_1.2.6/conf edit access.conf−dist, mime.types and
srm.conf−dist to suit your needs and copy them to var/httpd/conf/access.conf,
srm.conf and mime.types. Copy the httpsd.pem you created with make certificate to
/var/httpd/conf. Use the following httpd.conf:

ServerType standalone
Port 80
Listen 80
Listen 443
User wwwrun
Group wwwrun
ServerAdmin [email protected]
ServerRoot /var/httpd
ErrorLog logs/error_log
TransferLog logs/access_log
PidFile logs/httpd.pid
ServerName www.yourhost.com
MinSpareServers 3
MaxSpareServers 20
StartServers 3

SSLCACertificatePath /var/httpd/conf
SSLCACertificateFile /var/httpd/conf/httpsd.pem
SSLCertificateFile /var/httpd/conf/httpsd.pem
SSLLogFile /var/httpd/logs/ssl.log

<VirtualHost www.virt1.com>
SSLDisable
ServerAdmin [email protected]
DocumentRoot /var/httpd/virt1
ScriptAlias /cgi−bin/ /var/httpd/virt1/cgi−bin/
ServerName www.virt1.com
ErrorLog logs/virt1−error.log
TransferLog logs/virt1−access.log
User virt1admin

3.2 Giving CGI's more security 5

 Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO

Group users
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost www.virt1.com:443>
ServerAdmin [email protected]
DocumentRoot /var/httpd/virt1
ScriptAlias /cgi−bin/ /var/httpd/virt1/cgi−bin/
ServerName www.virt1.com
ErrorLog logs/virt1−ssl−error.log
TransferLog logs/virt1−ssl−access.log
User virt1admin
Group users
SSLCACertificatePath /var/httpd/conf
SSLCACertificateFile /var/httpd/conf/httpsd.pem
SSLCertificateFile /var/httpd/conf/httpsd.pem
SSLLogFile /var/httpd/logs/virt1−ssl.log
SSLVerifyClient 0
SSLFakeBasicAuth
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost www.virt2.com>
SSLDisable
ServerAdmin [email protected]
DocumentRoot /var/httpd/virt2
ScriptAlias /cgi−bin/ /var/httpd/virt2/cgi−bin/
ServerName www.virt2.com
ErrorLog logs/virt2−error.log
TransferLog logs/virt2−access.log
</VirtualHost>

Depending on the modules compiled in, not all directives may be available. You can retrieve a list of
available directives with httpsd −h.

3.4 Adding frontpage support to a web

Enter /usr/local/frontpage/version3.0/bin and load ./fpsrvadm. Choose install and
apache−fp. The next questions should be answered the following way:

Enter server config filename: /var/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Enter host name for multi−hosting []: www.virt2.com
Starting install, port: www.virt2.com:80, web: ""
Enter user's name []: virt2admin
Enter user's password:
Confirm password:
Creating root web
Recalculate links for root web
Install completed.

The user name must be the unix login of the webowner. The password does not necessarily have to match the
system password. You have to manually add sendmailcommand:/usr/sbin/sendmail %r to
/usr/local/frontpage/www.virt2.com:80.conf, otherwise your users will not be able to send
web−generated eMails. kill −HUP your httpsd to make fp reread its config. You can now access
www.virt2.com with your frontpage client.

Under some circumstances fpsrvadm complaints that a root web has to be installed first. This is pretty
useless, but you should do so to silence fpsrvadm.

3.4 Adding frontpage support to a web 6

 Linux Apache SSL PHP/FI frontpage mini−HOWTO

3.5 Starting the daemon

Start Apache with httpsd −f /var/httpd/conf/httpd.conf. You can now access
www.virt1.com both through http and https which is pretty cool. Of course you have to pay for a real
certificate if you want to offer webwide SSL or users might laugh at you.

Copy one of the demo files from the php examples directory to virt1 to test phtml.

3.6 Some considerations left

Do not use frontpage 97 extensions. They do not work, at least under Linux. When installing specific
versions of the c++ libraries, they appear to work but your logs will soon fill with premature end of
script headers and your mailbox will fill with complaints. Do not use frontpage 98 extensions before
version 3.0.2.1330. Do not be confused, version numbers are somewhat inheterogenous. When telnetting to
port 80, typing "get / http/1.0" and hitting return twice, you get a version number 3.0.4 for frontpage.

You can find out the more specific version number by executing
/usr/local/frontpage/currentversion/exes/_vti_bin/shtml.exe −version. Older
versions have a nasty bug that requires httpd.conf to be writable by the gid of the webserver. This should
make you scream if you are at all concerned about security. Versions since 3.0.2.1330 are more usable.

3.7 Known bugs

When touching Recalculate Links in the frontpage client, the server starts a process that consumes
99% cpu cycles and some 10 mb of memory. But even for medium−sized webs and fast machines, the client
sometimes recieves a timeout message, though the calculation will be finished correctly. Inform frontpage
users to be patient and not to hit Recalculate Links several times. Inform yourself to equip the server
with at least 64MB.

Please note that at the time of writing both SSL and frontpage work, but not at the same time, that means you
can neither publish your web using ssl nor make use of the webbots through https. You can publish your web
on port 80 and access it encrypted on port 443, but your counters etc. will be broken. I consider this a bug.
This problem shall be fixed in SSL 0.9.0.

3.8 The final word

For those who think the title of this howto is nearly as long as the document: Did you ever listened to Meat
Loaf?

O.K. readers, you're done for today. Feel free to send me your feedback, eternal gratitude, flowers, ecash,
cars, oil sources etc.

3.5 Starting the daemon 7