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Installing EE 1.x above webroot
- Posted by Drylouvre
- September 28, 2009
- 3 people have found this tip helpful.
Although it’s been long rumoured to be possible in the 1.x branch, the documentation isn’t entirely clear on this. It turns out that it’s quite easy:
1. Install EE as normal within a web-accessible directory
2. Manually move the entire system (or whatever you renamed it) to your preferred location
3. Edit the system_path variable in path.php to reflect the new location of your system folder
4. Now follow the EE docs instructions for Masking Access to the Control Panel
5. Er, there is no step 5!
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Sean Smith — 08:40 on 09.29.2009
and when it comes time to update to a new version you’ll have to reverse those steps right? Is there an advantage to having it above the webroot?
Drylouvre — 08:54 on 09.29.2009
@Sean
Yes, when updating from an earlier version I think that you will have to move the system directory back whilst you do that. In respect of why you’d want to do this, increased security would be the main reason.
moogaloo — 15:46 on 10.03.2009
this is presumably so if someone knows that you’re running EE, they’ll look for a system directory, but by hiding it one layer further in, its a lot harder to track down?
its a visibilty thing?
its not that burying the login page deeper in has any increased security in itself?
Drylouvre — 15:58 on 10.03.2009
@moogaloo
This describes moving the system directory above any directory accessible via a browser. It means that no file in the system directory can be directly accessed even if the name of it is known or guessed. Therefore it is much more secure than simply renaming the directory or masking access.
moogaloo — 17:30 on 10.03.2009
right - cool
just listened to the 1st EE podcast that said a simlar thing - didnt actually realise this.
moogaloo — 04:54 on 10.27.2009
OK
I’ve just managed to get the system folder stored above webroot and the CP masked.
I’ve also made sure the themes folder is correctly linked to in the webroot folder as the images need to linked to correctly… but other extensions, eg WYGWAM aren’t working as I can’t direct the browser to find the image files in a web accessible folder.
I’ve since mirrored the system > extensions > fieldtypes folder into a parallel system folder in the webroot so it can, but this seems like a very clumsy and high maintenance approach.
Does anyone know of a more elegant solution to this?
Matthew Pennell — 09:15 on 10.27.2009
I wrote up how to run the update script when you have your EE setup like this here:
http://www.thewatchmakerproject.com/blog/how-to-update-expressionengine-when-your-system-folder-is-outside-the-web-r/
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