Why readme.php file often appears in web application frameworks, content management systems (CMS), and plugins. This PHP file typically provides information about the application, version, author details, and occasionally even the system’s technical specifications or instructions on installation and configuration. This article will discuss the function of readme.php, its importance, security implications, and provide best practices for website security, including recommended server security tools.
What is readme.php, and What is Its Purpose?
The readme.php file generally serves as a documentation file within web applications. It may contain a summary of the software version, changelog, and setup instructions, and is often intended for administrators and developers working on the site. In some CMS platforms, such as WordPress, readme.php helps provide transparency about the software version and other relevant details, which is especially useful during the software installation phase. In essence, readme.php is a PHP-based documentation file that is often visible to anyone accessing it directly.
Is readme.php Essential for Running My Server Site?
For most websites, especially those powered by CMS platforms like WordPress, readme.php is not necessary for the site to function. While it is helpful for developers and administrators during the initial setup or troubleshooting, it doesn’t play a crucial role in daily operations. However, its presence can be leveraged by attackers who can easily view it and collect information about the software version. Removing or restricting access to this file can significantly enhance your website’s security without affecting its functionality.
Why Are Malicious Users Targeting readme.php?
The primary reason malicious users target readme.php is the sensitive information it can reveal about your website. Hackers and cybercriminals often attempt to access this file because it may disclose:
- CMS Version: Attackers can learn which version of the CMS or software you are using. Outdated versions may contain known vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.
- Plugin Information: Some
readme.phpfiles, particularly within plugins, may reveal specific plugins in use, potentially exposing outdated or insecure plugins that hackers can target.
Malicious actors may exploit readme.php to gather intelligence and plan targeted attacks against specific vulnerabilities in the software version or plugins listed in the file.
Example of a Basic readme.php File
A typical readme.php file might look something like this:
<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Example Plugin
Plugin URI: https://example.com
Description: This is an example plugin for demonstration.
Version: 1.0
Author: Developer Name
Author URI: https://example.com
*/
?>The information within the readme.php file can provide details on the plugin’s version, author, and description, which could be useful for administrators but also poses a security risk if accessible to hackers.
How to Protect readme.php and Your Website from Exploitation
To protect readme.php and prevent it from becoming an entry point for attackers, follow these security practices:
- Restrict Access to
readme.php: Use.htaccessrules or server configurations to deny access toreadme.php. For example:
<Files readme.php>
Order allow,deny
Deny from all
</Files>- Remove Unnecessary Files: If
readme.phpis not needed, delete it. Deleting redundant files can significantly reduce security risks. - Monitor Access Logs: Regularly check server logs to detect unauthorized access attempts on sensitive files like
readme.php. - Update Software and Plugins: Ensure that all CMS software, plugins, and themes are up-to-date. This helps protect against known vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit based on the version information in
readme.php.
Recommended Server Security Tools
Here are a few server security tools that can help protect your website and block access to files like readme.php:
- Wordfence Security (for WordPress): A comprehensive security plugin that includes firewall and malware scanning features.
- Sucuri Security: A versatile security platform that provides firewall, malware scanning, and file integrity monitoring.
- ModSecurity: A popular web application firewall (WAF) that works with Apache, NGINX, and IIS servers, helping prevent various types of attacks.
Alternative Key Phrases
- PHP readme file security
- How to secure readme.php file
- Importance of readme.php in CMS
- readme.php vulnerability
- Protecting server files like readme.php
- readme.php best security practices
Content Using Key Phrases
- Understanding PHP
readmeFile Security
Thereadme.phpfile, commonly found in CMS platforms and plugins, offers essential information to developers. However, it can become a security vulnerability, as it provides information about the CMS and plugins in use. To avoid potential risks, regularly assess your server to determine if this file is essential for daily site operations. - How to Secure
readme.phpFile for Better Website Protection
Knowing how to secure thereadme.phpfile can significantly enhance your website’s security. One effective method is to restrict public access to it by modifying the.htaccessfile, which can prevent hackers from viewing software details. This simple change can reduce exposure to targeted attacks based on version information. - The Importance of
readme.phpin CMS Platforms
Whilereadme.phpis valuable for development, it poses security risks on live sites. By publicly revealing CMS version information, it opens doors to potential threats. Fortunately, removing or securingreadme.phpwill not affect website functionality, making it a smart move for protecting sensitive information. - Mitigating
readme.phpVulnerabilities for a Safer Website
To mitigate vulnerabilities related toreadme.php, implement a robust file monitoring system. Monitoring plugins or server security tools like Wordfence or ModSecurity help alert you to unauthorized access attempts, adding an extra layer of protection. - Protecting Server Files Like
readme.phpwith Security Tools
Utilizing server security applications is a critical measure in protecting files likereadme.php. Tools such as Sucuri Security and ModSecurity offer features like IP filtering, WAFs, and real-time monitoring, helping prevent unauthorized access to sensitive files. - Best Security Practices for
readme.phpFile Protection
To fully secure yourreadme.phpfile, follow best practices: limit its permissions, delete unnecessary files, and ensure your server software is updated. Additionally, consider security tools tailored for CMS protection to defend your site against potential exploits based on information inreadme.php.
By following these best practices and using server security tools, you can keep your website safe from potential exploits while maintaining robust performance and user experience. Below is a php source file with the name Readme.php file, This source is display to the public by squirrelmail , feel free to view the code below for an ideal of what this file looks like. Please remember that all Readme.php file are different and customized for the owner website or application .
<?php
/**
* SquirrelMail html translation table documentation
*
* SquirrelMail provides own implementation of htmlentities() and
* get_html_translation_table() functions. Functions are called
* sq_get_html_translation_table() and sq_htmlentities(). They are
* included in functions/strings.php
*
* sq_htmlentities uses same syntax as functions available in php 4.1.0
* sq_get_html_translation_table adds third option that sets charset.
*
* <pre>
* string sq_htmlentities ( string string [, int quote_style [, string charset]])
* array sq_get_html_translation_table ( int table [, int quote_style [, string charset]])
* </pre>
*
* If sq_get_html_translation_table function is called with HTML_SPECIALCHARS option,
* it returns us-ascii translation table. If it is called with HTML_ENTITIES option,
* it returns translation table defined by charset. Function defaults to us-ascii charset
* and not to iso-8859-1.
*
* Why own functions are used instead of htmlspecialchars() and
* htmlentities() provided by php.
*
* <ul>
* <li>a) removes dependency on options available only in php v.4.1+</li>
* <li>b) default behavior of htmlentities() is disastrous in non iso-8859-1 environment.</li>
* <li>c) provides better control of transformations.</li>
* </ul>
*
* <pre>
* --- Full list of entities (w3.org html4.01 recommendations)
* 1. regural symbols
* U+0022 - "
* (replaced only when $style is not ENT_NOQUOTES or 0)
* U+0026 - &
* U+0027 - '
* (replaced only when $style is ENT_QUOTES or 3)
* U+003C - <
* U+003E - >
*
* 2. latin1 symbols (HTMLlat1.ent)
* U+00A0 - -- no-break space = non-breaking space
* U+00A1 - ¡ -- inverted exclamation mark
* U+00A2 - ¢ -- cent sign
* U+00A3 - £ -- pound sign
* U+00A4 - ¤ -- currency sign
* U+00A5 - ¥ -- yen sign
* U+00A6 - ¦ -- broken bar
* U+00A7 - § -- section sign
* U+00A8 - ¨ -- diaeresis
* U+00A9 - © -- copyright sign
* U+00AA - ª -- feminine ordinal indicator
* U+00AB - « -- left-pointing double angle quotation mark = left pointing guillemet
* U+00AC - ¬ -- not sign
* U+00AD - ­ -- soft hyphen = discretionary hyphen
* U+00AE - ® -- registered sign = registered trade mark sign
* U+00AF - ¯ -- macron = spacing macron = overline = APL overbar
* U+00B0 - ° -- degree sign
* U+00B1 - ± -- plus-minus sign = plus-or-minus sign
* U+00B2 - ² -- superscript two = superscript digit two = squared
* U+00B3 - ³ -- superscript three = superscript digit three = cubed
* U+00B4 - ´ -- acute accent = spacing acute
* U+00B5 - µ -- micro sign
* U+00B6 - ¶ -- pilcrow sign = paragraph sign
* U+00B7 - · -- middle dot = Georgian comma = Greek middle dot
* U+00B8 - ¸ -- cedilla = spacing cedilla
* U+00B9 - ¹ -- superscript one = superscript digit one
* U+00BA - º -- masculine ordinal indicator
* U+00BB - » -- right-pointing double angle quotation mark = right pointing guillemet
* U+00BC - ¼ -- vulgar fraction one quarter = fraction one quarter
* U+00BD - ½ -- vulgar fraction one half = fraction one half
* U+00BE - ¾ -- vulgar fraction three quarters = fraction three quarters
* U+00BF - ¿ -- inverted question mark = turned question mark
* U+0180 - À -- latin capital letter A with grave = latin capital letter A grave,
* U+0181 - Á -- latin capital letter A with acute
* U+0182 - Â -- latin capital letter A with circumflex
* U+0183 - Ã -- latin capital letter A with tilde
* U+0184 - Ä -- latin capital letter A with diaeresis
* U+0185 - Å -- latin capital letter A with ring above = latin capital letter A ring
* U+0186 - Æ -- latin capital letter AE = latin capital ligature AE
* U+0187 - Ç -- latin capital letter C with cedilla
* U+0188 - È -- latin capital letter E with grave
* U+0189 - É -- latin capital letter E with acute
* U+018A - Ê -- latin capital letter E with circumflex
* U+018B - Ë -- latin capital letter E with diaeresis
* U+018C - Ì -- latin capital letter I with grave
* U+018D - Í -- latin capital letter I with acute
* U+018E - Î -- latin capital letter I with circumflex
* U+018F - Ï -- latin capital letter I with diaeresis
* U+0190 - Ð -- latin capital letter ETH
* U+0191 - Ñ -- latin capital letter N with tilde
* U+0192 - Ò -- latin capital letter O with grave
* U+0193 - Ó -- latin capital letter O with acute
* U+0194 - Ô -- latin capital letter O with circumflex
* U+0195 - Õ -- latin capital letter O with tilde
* U+0196 - Ö -- latin capital letter O with diaeresis
* U+0197 - × -- multiplication sign
* U+0198 - Ø -- latin capital letter O with stroke = latin capital letter O slash
* U+0199 - Ù -- latin capital letter U with grave
* U+019A - Ú -- latin capital letter U with acute
* U+019B - Û -- latin capital letter U with circumflex
* U+019C - Ü -- latin capital letter U with diaeresis
* U+019D - Ý -- latin capital letter Y with acute
* U+019E - Þ -- latin capital letter THORN
* U+019F - ß -- latin small letter sharp s = ess-zed
* U+01A0 - à -- latin small letter a with grave = latin small letter a grave
* U+01A1 - á -- latin small letter a with acute
* U+01A2 - â -- latin small letter a with circumflex
* U+01A3 - ã -- latin small letter a with tilde
* U+01A4 - ä -- latin small letter a with diaeresis
* U+01A5 - å -- latin small letter a with ring above = latin small letter a ring
* U+01A6 - æ -- latin small letter ae = latin small ligature ae
* U+01A7 - ç -- latin small letter c with cedilla
* U+01A8 - è -- latin small letter e with grave
* U+01A9 - é -- latin small letter e with acute
* U+01AA - ê -- latin small letter e with circumflex
* U+01AB - ë -- latin small letter e with diaeresis
* U+01AC - ì -- latin small letter i with grave
* U+01AD - í -- latin small letter i with acute
* U+01AE - î -- latin small letter i with circumflex
* U+01AF - ï -- latin small letter i with diaeresis
* U+01B0 - ð -- latin small letter eth
* U+01B1 - ñ -- latin small letter n with tilde
* U+01B2 - ò -- latin small letter o with grave
* U+01B3 - ó -- latin small letter o with acute
* U+01B4 - ô -- latin small letter o with circumflex
* U+01B5 - õ -- latin small letter o with tilde
* U+01B6 - ö -- latin small letter o with diaeresis
* U+01B7 - ÷ -- division sign
* U+01B8 - ø -- latin small letter o with stroke = latin small letter o slash,
* U+01B9 - ù -- latin small letter u with grave
* U+01BA - ú -- latin small letter u with acute
* U+01BB - û -- latin small letter u with circumflex
* U+01BC - ü -- latin small letter u with diaeresis
* U+01BD - ý -- latin small letter y with acute
* U+01BE - þ -- latin small letter thorn,
* U+01BF - ÿ -- latin small letter y with diaeresis
*
* 3. Special symbols (HTMLspecial.ent)
* Latin Extended-A
* U+0152 - Π--
* U+0153 - œ -- latin small ligature oe
* U+0160 - Š -- latin capital letter S with caron
* U+0161 - š -- latin small letter s with caron
* U+0178 - Ÿ -- latin capital letter Y with diaeresis
* Spacing Modifier Letters
* U+02C6 - ˆ -- modifier letter circumflex accent
* U+02DC - ˜ -- small tilde
* General Punctuation
* U+2002 -   -- en space
* U+2003 -   -- em space
* U+2009 -   -- thin space
* U+200C - ‌ -- zero width non-joiner
* U+200D - ‍ -- zero width joiner
* U+200E - ‎ -- left-to-right mark
* U+200F - ‏ -- right-to-left mark
* U+2013 - – -- en dash
* U+2014 - — -- em dash
* U+2018 - ‘ -- left single quotation mark
* U+2019 - ’ -- right single quotation mark
* U+201A - ‚ -- single low-9 quotation mark
* U+201C - “ -- left double quotation mark
* U+201D - ” -- right double quotation mark
* U+201E - „ -- double low-9 quotation mark
* U+2020 - † -- dagger
* U+2021 - ‡ -- double dagger
* U+2030 - ‰ -- per mille sign
* U+2039 - ‹ -- single left-pointing angle quotation mark
* U+203A - › -- single right-pointing angle quotation mark
* U+20AC - € -- euro sign
*
* 4. Other symbols (HTMLsymbol.ent)
* Latin Extended-B
* U+0192 - ƒ -- latin small f with hook = function = florin
* Greek
* U+0391 - Α -- greek capital letter alpha
* U+0392 - Β -- greek capital letter beta
* U+0393 - Γ -- greek capital letter gamma
* U+0394 - Δ -- greek capital letter delta
* U+0395 - Ε -- greek capital letter epsilon
* U+0396 - Ζ -- greek capital letter zeta
* U+0397 - Η -- greek capital letter eta
* U+0398 - Θ -- greek capital letter theta
* U+0399 - Ι -- greek capital letter iota
* U+039A - Κ -- greek capital letter kappa
* U+039B - Λ -- greek capital letter lambda
* U+039C - Μ -- greek capital letter mu
* U+039D - Ν -- greek capital letter nu
* U+039E - Ξ -- greek capital letter xi
* U+039F - Ο -- greek capital letter omicron
* U+03A0 - Π -- greek capital letter pi
* U+03A1 - Ρ -- greek capital letter rho
* U+03A3 - Σ -- greek capital letter sigma
* U+03A4 - Τ -- greek capital letter tau
* U+03A5 - Υ -- greek capital letter upsilon
* U+03A6 - Φ -- greek capital letter phi
* U+03A7 - Χ -- greek capital letter chi
* U+03A8 - Ψ -- greek capital letter psi
* U+03A9 - Ω -- greek capital letter omega
* U+03B1 - α -- greek small letter alpha
* U+03B2 - β -- greek small letter beta
* U+03B3 - γ -- greek small letter gamma
* U+03B4 - δ -- greek small letter delta
* U+03B5 - ε -- greek small letter epsilon
* U+03B6 - ζ -- greek small letter zeta
* U+03B7 - η -- greek small letter eta
* U+03B8 - θ -- greek small letter theta
* U+03B9 - ι -- greek small letter iota
* U+03BA - κ -- greek small letter kappa
* U+03BB - λ -- greek small letter lambda
* U+03BC - μ -- greek small letter mu
* U+03BD - ν -- greek small letter nu
* U+03BE - ξ -- greek small letter xi
* U+03BF - ο -- greek small letter omicron
* U+03C0 - π -- greek small letter pi
* U+03C1 - ρ -- greek small letter rho
* U+03C2 - ς -- greek small letter final sigma
* U+03C3 - σ -- greek small letter sigma
* U+03C4 - τ -- greek small letter tau
* U+03C5 - υ -- greek small letter upsilon
* U+03C6 - φ -- greek small letter phi
* U+03C7 - χ -- greek small letter chi
* U+03C8 - ψ -- greek small letter psi
* U+03C9 - ω -- greek small letter omega
* U+03D1 - ϑ -- greek small letter theta symbol
* U+03D2 - ϒ -- greek upsilon with hook symbol
* U+03D6 - ϖ -- greek pi symbol
*
* General Punctuation
* U+2022 - • -- bullet = black small circle
* U+2026 - … -- horizontal ellipsis = three dot leader
* U+2032 - ′ -- prime = minutes = feet
* U+2033 - ″ -- double prime = seconds = inches
* U+203E - ‾ -- overline = spacing overscore
* U+2044 - ⁄ -- fraction slash
*
* Letterlike Symbols
* U+2118 - ℘ -- script capital P = power set = Weierstrass p
* U+2111 - ℑ -- blackletter capital I = imaginary part
* U+211C - ℜ -- blackletter capital R = real part symbol
* U+2122 - ™ -- trade mark sign
* U+2135 - ℵ -- alef symbol = first transfinite cardinal
*
* Arrows
* U+2190 - ← -- leftwards arrow
* U+2191 - ↑ -- upwards arrow
* U+2192 - → -- rightwards arrow
* U+2193 - ↓ -- downwards arrow
* U+2194 - ↔ -- left right arrow
* U+21B5 - ↵ -- downwards arrow with corner leftwards = carriage return
* U+21D0 - ⇐ -- leftwards double arrow
* U+21D1 - ⇑ -- upwards double arrow
* U+21D2 - ⇒ -- rightwards double arrow
* U+21D3 - ⇓ -- downwards double arrow
* U+21D4 - ⇔ -- left right double arrow
*
* Mathematical Operators
* U+2200 - ∀ -- for all
* U+2202 - ∂ -- partial differential
* U+2203 - ∃ -- there exists
* U+2205 - ∅ -- empty set = null set = diameter
* U+2207 - ∇ -- nabla = backward difference
* U+2208 - ∈ -- element of
* U+2209 - ∉ -- not an element of
* U+220B - ∋ -- contains as member
* U+220F - ∏ -- n-ary product = product sign
* U+2211 - ∑ -- n-ary sumation
* U+2212 - − -- minus sign
* U+2217 - ∗ -- asterisk operator
* U+221A - √ -- square root = radical sign
* U+221D - ∝ -- proportional to
* U+221E - ∞ -- infinity
* U+2220 - ∠ -- angle
* U+2227 - ∧ -- logical and = wedge
* U+2228 - ∨ -- logical or = vee
* U+2229 - ∩ -- intersection = cap
* U+222A - ∪ -- union = cup
* U+222B - ∫ -- integral
* U+2234 - ∴ -- therefore
* U+223C - ∼ -- tilde operator = varies with = similar to
* U+2245 - ≅ -- approximately equal to
* U+2248 - ≈ -- almost equal to = asymptotic to
* U+2260 - ≠ -- not equal to
* U+2261 - ≡ -- identical to
* U+2264 - ≤ -- less-than or equal to
* U+2265 - ≥ -- greater-than or equal to
* U+2282 - ⊂ -- subset of
* U+2283 - ⊃ -- superset of
* U+2284 - ⊄ -- not a subset of
* U+2286 - ⊆ -- subset of or equal to
* U+2287 - ⊇ -- superset of or equal to
* U+2295 - ⊕ -- circled plus = direct sum
* U+2297 - ⊗ -- circled times = vector product
* U+22A5 - ⊥ -- up tack = orthogonal to = perpendicular
* U+22C5 - ⋅ -- dot operator
*
* Miscellaneous Technical
* U+2308 - ⌈ -- left ceiling = apl upstile
* U+2309 - ⌉ -- right ceiling
* U+230A - ⌊ -- left floor = apl downstile
* U+230B - ⌋ -- right floor
* U+2329 - ⟨ -- left-pointing angle bracket = bra
* U+232A - ⟩ -- right-pointing angle bracket = ket
*
* Geometric Shapes
* U+25CA - ◊ -- lozenge
*
* Miscellaneous Symbols
* U+2660 - ♠ -- black spade suit
* U+2663 - ♣ -- black club suit = shamrock
* U+2665 - ♥ -- black heart suit = valentine
* U+2666 - ♦ -- black diamond suit
* </pre>
*
* @copyright © 2004-2006 The SquirrelMail Project Team
* @license http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php GNU Public License
* @version $Id: readme.php,v 1.11 2006/07/15 12:01:08 tokul Exp $
* @package squirrelmail
* @subpackage strings
*/