Because Apache is entirely free of charge, you get a web server which is secured, functional and performance based without paying anything for it. If you are hosting your website on the Apache web server than it is vital for you to know that Apache changes the files when it sees or say calls a file. This means that it has some actions fixed for different types of files and Apache makes some changes when it works on a file.

Now as it is sure that apache is going to make changes in your file also you have to see that the changes made are according to you so that it is good for you and your file i.e. your website. It is possible for you to make a handler for the same purpose. An apache handler is the thing which will help you to tell apache or say command apache the changes which should be made to your file or website when apache works on your file or website. For example :- If you have a website which need a special service to run it, such as a file with server side includes that is not named with a .shtml extension, you need to tell Apache to treat these files differently. For this purpose you will need an apache handler. Below are some easy steps which will help you to create a apache handler.

Follow these Steps to create an Apache handler:-

1. Enter the handler you need to create in a first empty text box provided to you.

2. Enter the extension the handler will use when being called, in the second empty text box.

3. Now just click the add button and you will find that the Apache handler is created.

Either you can backup your entire ‘home’ directory, MySQL databases, or the email filters and forwarders configuration. Here below is an easy process which will help you to take the backup by generating a full backup and download that backup to your home PC.

* To access the Backup Menu, click on the icon above the word Backup on the main screen of your cPanel interface.

* Click on Generate/Download a Full Backup

* Select the destination you wish to save the backup to from the drop box next to Backup Destination:

* Enter your email address in the field next to Email Address:. An email will be sent to this address when the backup is
completed.

* If you are backing up to a remote server, place the server’s name, your username, and your password on that server in the appropriate fields.

* Click on Generate Backup to start the backup process.

Now you want to download tha backup to your home computer.

1. Click on download a home directory Backup
2. Save the file to your computer.
Its just simple.

Now, you can also download a database backup.

1. Exim.
Enable extended logging :
Add the following line in exim, below the first line recommended
log_selector = +address_rewrite +all_parents +arguments
+connection_reject +delay_delivery +delivery_size +dnslist_defer
+incoming_interface +incoming_port +lost_incoming_connection +queue_run
+received_sender +received_recipients +retry_defer +sender_on_delivery
+size_reject +skip_delivery +smtp_confirmation +smtp_connection
+smtp_protocol_error +smtp_syntax_error +subject +tls_cipher +tls_peerdn
+\

Fommail Trap
http://void.thunderteam.org/fm-trap.html

For Securing Exim i found this a Good resource
http://www.rvskin.com/index.php?page=public/antispam

2. Httpd :

install mod_security
install mod_dosevasive (causes problem with FP sometimes though)

3. PHP

disable_functions = “system,exec”

eAccelerator for PHP acceleration
http://sourceforge.net/projects/eaccelerator

4. Some small recommended apps

Install BFD from rfxnetworks.net
Install LSM from rfxnetworks.net
APF from rfxnetworks.net ( since we have portsentry not really required )
rkhunter can be found on www.rootkit.nl

5. cpanel script to disable compilers incase we have not done this yet
/scripts/compilers off

6. MYSQL

mysql query cache
vi /etc/my.cnf
query-cache-type = 1
query-cache-size = 100M
100M can be changed according to how busy the server is

7. Securing some binaries

chmod 750 /usr/bin/rcp
chmod 750 /usr/bin/wget
chmod 750 /usr/bin/lynx
chmod 750 /usr/bin/links
chmod 750 /usr/bin/scp
chmod 000 /etc/httpd/proxy/

I hope you might have found this Misc security tweaks helpful.

Follow these process to run Several MySQL versions on same Machine ;

First you need to download the tar file from mysql.com.

$> tar xfz mysql.tar.gz
$> cd mysql.XX

* Important **
“/etc/my.cnf ” is the default file that is used by a mysql server. When the new version is tested it will load the default configuration’s in /etc/my.cnf.

Now you can replace every instance of ” cnf ” inside the source folder to ” conf ” by using this following command.

find ./ -type f | xargs perl -pi -w -e ’s/cnf/conf/g;’

1) The default user generally is “mysql”. Add another user and group for example mysqlt for the new version of MySQL.

2) A typical ./configure command…

./configure –prefix=/usr/local/mysql –enable-local-infile
–with-tcp-port=4444 –with-mysqld-user=mysqlt
–with-base_dir=/usr/local/mysql –with-log=/usr/local/mysql/mysqld.log
–with-pid_file=/usr/local/mysql/mysqld.pid
-with-unix-socket-path=/tmp/mysqlt.sock –localstatedir=/var/lib/mysqlt

The new values you will use for your new MySQL server are:

Port number : 4444

mysql user : mysqlt

base_dir : /usr/local/mysql

data directory : /var/lib/mysqlt

log file : /usr/local/mysql/mysqld.log

3) Compile and Install

make && make install

4)Create your new MySQL config file.

cp support-files/my-medium.conf /etc/my.conf

cd /usr/local/mysql

bin/mysql_install_db –user=mysqlt
( this will install all the needed databases )
bin/mysqld_safe –user=mysqlt &

TO SET A PASSWORD FOR THE MySQL root USER

/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysqladmin -u root -h hostname password ‘new-password’

/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysqladmin -u root password ‘new-password’

5) To start the service

cd /usr/local/mysql

./share/mysql/mysql.server start

6) To test

#telnet localhost 4444

and you should see this
Trying 127.0.0.1…

Connected to localhost.

Escape character is ‘^]’.

+ 4.0.26-logIE^*THL

Now you can copy mysql.server >> rc.d to start it when the server is rebooted.

once you go through those steps you can download and configure different mysql versions to use different values for port, data directory, mysql user, configuration file etc.

Important Note: You should make sure that you never have two servers that update data in the same databases.

CSF ConfigServer Firewall is the better choice for securing your server from unauthorized access.

Here is the procedure to install CSF firewall, if you’ve the root access of your linux server you can easily install and configure CSF firewall following these easy steps;

Login to your linux server with root user.

You have to download csf from following URL:

If you are having any previous csf installation which is not working you should remove it with

rm -fv csf.tgz

Download :

# wget http://www.configserver.com/free/csf.tgz

Untar the compressed file

#tar -zxvf csf.tgz

#cd csf

For installation execute following command

# sh install.sh

To enabling csf firewall you have to use following command

#csf -e

and for disabling csf

#csf -x

Microsoft will shortly releasing the beta of Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate. It’s good news for business and individuals who are running Windows out of taste.

In addition make sure your php script ALWAYS start with <?php  this tells your server that it is in fact a php script

<?php

//You can replace the domain with an IP if you wish

$site = “mysite.com”;  //this is the site you wish to check

// Let’s check our common ports 80, 21, and 110
$http = fsockopen($site, 80);
$ftp = fsockopen($site, 21);
$pop3 = fsockopen($site, 110);

if ($http) {
$status .= “<font face=\”Arial\”><font size=\”2\”><b>HTTP</b>: Working</font></font><br>”;
}
else {
$status .= “<font face=\”Arial\”><font size=\”2\”><b>HTTP</b>: Not Working</font></font><br>”;
}

if ($ftp) {
$status .= “<font face=\”Arial\”><font size=\”2\”><b>FTP</b>: Working</font></font><br>”;
}
else {
$status .= “<font face=\”Arial\”><font size=\”2\”><b>FTP</b>: Not Working</font></font><br>”;
}

if ($pop3) {
$status .= “<font face=\”Arial\”><font size=\”2\”><b>POP3/SMTP</b>: Working</font></font><br>”;
}
else {
$status .= “<font face=\”Arial\”><font size=\”2\”><b>POP3/SMTP</b>: Not Working</font></font><br>”;
}
echo(”$status”);

echo(”<hr>”);

// Users and load information
$reguptime = trim(exec(”uptime”));
if ($reguptime) {
if (preg_match(”/, *(\d) (users?), .*: (.*), (.*), (.*)/”, $reguptime, $uptime)) {
$users[0] = $uptime[1];
$users[1] = $uptime[2];
$loadnow = $uptime[3];
$load15 = $uptime[4];
$load30 = $uptime[5];
}
} else {
$users[0] = “Unavailable”;
$users[1] = “–”;
$loadnow = “Unavailable”;
$load15 = “–”;
$load30 = “–”;
}

echo(”<b>Current Users:</b> $users[0]<br>
<b>Current Load:</b> $loadnow<br><b>Load 15 mins ago:</b> $load15<br><b>Load 15 mins ago:</b> $load30<br><hr>”);

// Operating system
$fp = @fopen(”/proc/version”, “r”);
if ($fp) {
$temp = fgets($fp);
fclose($fp);

if (preg_match(”/version (.*?) /”, $temp, $osarray)) {
$kernel = $osarray[1];
preg_match(”/[0-9]{5,} (\((.* *)\)\))/”, $temp, $osarray);
$flavour = $osarray[2];
$operatingsystem = $flavour.” (”.PHP_OS.” “.$kernel.”)”;
if (preg_match(”/SMP/”, $buf)) {
$operatingsystem .= ” (SMP)”;
}
} else {
$result = “(N/A)”;
}
} else {
$result = “(N/A)”;
}

echo(”<b>Operating System:</b><br>$operatingsystem”);
?>

When you upload the above code to your server, it will display the status of your services,  the load average and your user.

Now you can work with this, and make it look however you want, add new ports, etc.

Remember, this is just a very basic stat script.

Key Issue
Make sure your host should allow the exec() funtion, in order for this to work properly.

While choosing a VPS host give priority to select a virtual private server hosting plan that preferably offer both linux vps hosting and window vps hosting because in case if you launch a site which need window hosting, it will save your time in searching a window VPS host providers. Also make sure the plans are geared towards the requirement of your websites which might need higher resources and secured environment.

Each VPS has its own absolute directory structure and set of dedicated applications. Each can be rebooted without having an effect on any other VPS on the physical server. This technology features ‘fair share’ scheduling of processes, memory, and network, hence each VPS receives the deserved resources and additional brust memory. The VPS features include complete virtual isolation and you get dedicated IP address and fully customize server where you can run your own applications and get root SSH level access. Within the fraction of the cost you get more likely same benefits of a dedicated server and still have same guarantees of a dedicated server.

Micfo use Virtuozzo technology which is time tested and security built up, it all has friendly residents and provide enough memory and superb network to make sure each VPS receives the deserved resources.