How to Hide PHP Version Number in HTTP Header?

Introduction

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header is a crucial aspect of web communication between the client and the server. It contains various types of information, including the software used for running the website. In particular, it may reveal detailed information about your website's PHP version number.

PHP is a server-side scripting language that powers over 80% of websites worldwide and has a high likelihood of being targeted by hackers due to its popularity. It's important to hide your website's PHP version number not only to protect it from attackers who can exploit known vulnerabilities but also to prevent them from gaining insights into your system configuration.

This information can help attackers fine-tune their attacks and make them more specific, increasing their chances of success and causing significant harm to your digital assets or data. Therefore, it's imperative that you take necessary measures to secure your website by hiding its PHP version number in HTTP headers.

Methods to Hide PHP Version Number in HTTP Header

Using .htaccess file to Remove PHP Version Information

One of the most common and straightforward methods to hide PHP version number in HTTP header is by editing your website's .htaccess file. The .htaccess file is a server configuration file that controls various aspects of your website's behavior, such as URL redirection, access control, and MIME types.

By adding a simple code snippet to the .htaccess file, you can effectively remove any mention of PHP version number from the HTTP header. To edit your website's .htaccess file, you can use any text editor or FTP client that supports remote file editing.

First, locate your website's root directory and find the .htaccess file. If it doesn't exist yet, create a new one by creating a plain text document named ".htaccess" and uploading it to the root directory.

Next, open the .htaccess file with your preferred editor and add the following code at the bottom −

# Remove PHP version information 
Header unset X-Powered-By Header always unset X-Powered-By 

This code instructs Apache web server to remove "X-Powered-By" header field from the HTTP response if mod_php5 module is loaded. This field typically reveals PHP version number along with web server name.

Using this method provides an easy way for non-technical users who lack access to server configuration files on shared hosting infrastructure with limited privileges. However, this method may not work on all hosting providers or configurations due to differences in server setup.

Using Server Configuration Files to Disable PHP Version Information

Another way of hiding PHP version information involves configuring your web server software directly by modifying its configuration files. This approach allows you to make changes that affect all websites hosted on the server. In this case, you can disable PHP version information at the server level rather than a specific website.

To disable PHP version information at the server level, follow these steps −

• Locate your web server's configuration file.

• Open the configuration file with any text editor and search for "expose_php".

• If "expose_php" is set to "On", change it to "Off". If the directive is not present in the file, add it under your PHP module configuration section.

• Save and exit the configuration file.

• Restart your web server for changes to take effect.

After completing these steps, any requests made to your website will no longer reveal PHP version number in HTTP headers. This method provides a more effective approach but may require technical knowledge or access to server files, which may not always be available for shared hosting providers. Both of these methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. The .htaccess method is easier and quicker to implement, but its efficacy may vary depending on hosting provider policies. Meanwhile, configuring the webserver directly allows for more precise control over settings but requires a higher level of technical expertise and access permissions. Regardless of which method you choose, reducing exposure of sensitive information such as software versions can help improve security posture by making attacks more difficult or time-consuming for malicious actors.

Additional Tips for Securing Your Website's PHP Installation

Keeping Your PHP Installation Up-to-Date with the Latest Security Patches and Updates

Keeping your PHP installation updated with the latest security patches and updates is crucial to ensure that your website is always protected against potential threats and vulnerabilities. PHP developers regularly release updates to address newly discovered security issues, so it's important to keep an eye on these releases and apply them as soon as possible.

One of the best ways to stay informed about new updates is by subscribing to official PHP mailing lists or following official social media accounts. These sources will provide you with information about when new releases are scheduled and what changes they include.

Once you have identified a new update, make sure to test it thoroughly in a non-production environment before applying it to your live website. This extra step can help avoid any potential compatibility issues that could cause downtime or other problems.

Removing Unnecessary Extensions and Modules from Your PHP Installation to Reduce Attack Surface Area

The more extensions and modules you have installed on your server, the larger your attack surface area becomes. Attack surface area refers to all of the points where attackers can potentially exploit weaknesses in your system.

If you have unnecessary extensions or modules installed, then each one becomes an additional point of entry for attackers. To minimize this risk, it is recommended that you review all of the extensions currently installed on your server and remove any that are not essential for your website's functionality.

This process can be time-consuming but is well worth the effort in terms of increasing security. When removing extensions or modules from your server, make sure that you do so in a controlled manner, testing each change thoroughly before making any additional modifications.

Keep detailed documentation throughout the process so that if anything goes wrong, you can quickly identify what was changed and revert back if necessary. By doing this, you'll be better equipped to protect your website from potential threats.

Conclusion

As we have discussed in this article, it is important to hide your website's PHP version number in HTTP header to increase its security. By revealing your PHP version number, you are providing valuable information to potential attackers who can then exploit known vulnerabilities that exist in older versions. This can lead to severe consequences such as data breaches or complete takeover of your website's server.

In this article, we have outlined two methods for hiding the PHP version number: using .htaccess file and using server configuration files. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, but they are effective ways of securing your website's PHP installation.

Hiding the PHP version number is just one part of securing your website. There are many other measures you can take to improve its overall security such as keeping your software up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates, removing unnecessary extensions and modules from your PHP installation, implementing strong passwords policies and regular backups, and using HTTPS protocol for secure communication between client-server.