How To Check If Directory Browsing Is Disabled Or Enabled.

Usually some hosting providers like Godaddy.com. will take care of this for security reasons, and some will leave it as optional. However, it's your duty to check and secure your site if directory browsing is enabled. Follow steps below to check and secure your site now.

• First of all, you'll open your web browser.
• Enter your domain name and a path to a folder inside your root directory and hit enter;
  • www.ghanachild.com/video
• If your browser display any content from your site [Files or Folders]. Then you should be aware, everyone can also see what you are seeing by requesting the same way, which means, directory browsing is enabled. [Pray no hacker will find this] .
• However, if you see a 403 Error page -Forbidden screen like the one below, then your site's directory browsing is disabled.
• Good luck, because this user's act sounds suspicious to the server.

See the 403 error image below.

If directory browsing enabled, no fret, Just follow steps below to disable it.

Disable Directory Browsing Using .htaccess.

For this tutorial, I assumed that you know how to go around with .htaccess file, if not then, go and learn how to do this from our .htaccess tutorial.

Now open your .htaccess file, search for Options Indexes. And simply add a minus sign in front of Indexes like this: Options -Indexes

If you did not find it in there, just skip to a new line, add Options -Indexes save the .htaccess file, and upload it back to your server again.

Restart or refresh your server, and the effect will take place. The directory browsing will be disabled. Now try to access the directory again as we did above.

See illustration below.

Options -Indexes

Disable Directory Browsing Using httpd.conf.

Open your httpd.conf file, Usual location is /usr/local/apache/conf or /etc/httpd.conf.

In your own Virtual Host Settings you'll find Options Indexes. And simply add a minus sign in front of Indexes like this: Options -Indexes

If you did not find it in there, just skip to add a new line, add Options -Indexes save the .htaccess file, and upload it back to your server again.

Restart or refresh your server, and the effect will take place. The directory browsing will be disabled. Now try to access the directory again as we did above.

There are other methods, used to disable directory browsing, you may ask your hosting provider for their alternatives. Check also the video tutorial below.

Disabling Dirctory Browsing.