Category: Domains and DNS

Our web servers are set to display a file called “index” by default. For example:

• index.html
• index.htm
• index.php
• index.pl

Whenever a visitor types your domain (e.g., my-best-domain.com), the server looks for the index file in your domain's main folder.

Why Hide Directory Content?

If a directory lacks an index file, visitors may see the directory structure, which could expose sensitive files.

Options to Hide Directory Content

Option 1: Create Empty Index Files

Create an empty index.html file in each folder without an actual index file. While effective, this can be time-consuming for many sub-folders.

Option 2: Change Directory Permissions

Set folder permissions to 711 using an FTP client. This will disable directory listing. For details, refer to how to change permissions via FTP.

Option 3: Use a Custom .htaccess File

Implement a .htaccess file to disable directory listing or exclude specific file types. Here’s how:

1. Create an empty .htaccess file in your main domain directory.
2. Edit the file and add the following code:

IndexIgnore *

This rule excludes all files from directory listing, applying recursively to all sub-directories.