CMS Security: .htaccess File Protection
WordPress, Drupal, Joomla and most, if not all Content Mangement Systems use the .htaccess file.
It is a configuration file that is used on servers using Apache software.
A few uses for this configuration file
- Allow or Ban users based on their IP address.
- Redirect users from one URL to another URL.
- Enable password protection.
- Prevent Hotlinking.
- Direct to your custom pages, like 404 error page.
So this is a file that you would really want to protect from any unauthorized external sources.
Since the .htaccess file can manipulate site performance and functionality, I think it is critical to protect it for maintaining a secure environment.
A video tutorial on securing your .htaccess file.
Reference:
Gerald Watanabe