Using symlinks in webapps
I have read in some of the archives that using symlinks in tomcat cannot be done? Is this true, or is it just not the preferred way to handle it? The problem that I am encountering is that my application uses Apache and Tomcat, as well as a third party application. Instead of having 3 different directories with the same images style sheet and having to update images in 3 places I set up one main images folder and one main style folder on the Apache server, and set up symlinks to these folders everywhere else. From within my Tomcat web app my images and styles are not working. I have all the proper JkMount statements, and the images style sheets do exist in the specified location. I am looking further into this problem, but just wanted to run it by the list to see whether or not symlinks are definitely not supported so I don't go nuts trying to solve something that can't possibly work. Thanks! Denise - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Using symlinks in webapps
Ok sorry for that. Finally got the right answer from the archives. Apparently symlinks have been disabled since 4.1.12 for security reasons. I noticed in the archives that it was suggested to set the allowLinking in my server.xml file be enough? Resources className=org.apache.naming.resources.FileDirContext allowLinking=true docBase= / But if it was disabled for security reasons, then doesn't enabling it make me susceptible to those same security risks? Can anyone suggest an alternative solution without having multiple images/styles directories? I read something about setting up a Context for these directories. Is that the path I should explore? Sorry to ask what seems to have been asked many times before, just trying to get pointed in the right direction :) Thanks! Denise -Original Message- From: Denise Mangano [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 11:59 PM To: 'Tomcat Users List' Subject: Using symlinks in webapps I have read in some of the archives that using symlinks in tomcat cannot be done? Is this true, or is it just not the preferred way to handle it? The problem that I am encountering is that my application uses Apache and Tomcat, as well as a third party application. Instead of having 3 different directories with the same images style sheet and having to update images in 3 places I set up one main images folder and one main style folder on the Apache server, and set up symlinks to these folders everywhere else. From within my Tomcat web app my images and styles are not working. I have all the proper JkMount statements, and the images style sheets do exist in the specified location. I am looking further into this problem, but just wanted to run it by the list to see whether or not symlinks are definitely not supported so I don't go nuts trying to solve something that can't possibly work. Thanks! Denise - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Using symlinks in webapps
The security risk are relatively minor if you have control over who can update your webapp. An example of a problem (if you aren't using a sandbox) would be somebody deciding to do ln -s /etc/passwd within $CATALINA_HOME/webapps/ROOT (and letting the entire world know what user accounts are on your box). The alternative (since you are using Apache) is to place the images/stylesheets into directories outside of the webapp, and known only to Apache. i.e. have a huge directory with all of your stylesheets and do something like: link rel=stylesheet type=text/css href=/styles/myStyle.css or even: link rel=stylesheet type=text/css href=/styles%= request.getContextPath() %/myStyle.css Denise Mangano [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Ok sorry for that. Finally got the right answer from the archives. Apparently symlinks have been disabled since 4.1.12 for security reasons. I noticed in the archives that it was suggested to set the allowLinking in my server.xml file be enough? Resources className=org.apache.naming.resources.FileDirContext allowLinking=true docBase= / But if it was disabled for security reasons, then doesn't enabling it make me susceptible to those same security risks? Can anyone suggest an alternative solution without having multiple images/styles directories? I read something about setting up a Context for these directories. Is that the path I should explore? Sorry to ask what seems to have been asked many times before, just trying to get pointed in the right direction :) Thanks! Denise -Original Message- From: Denise Mangano [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 11:59 PM To: 'Tomcat Users List' Subject: Using symlinks in webapps I have read in some of the archives that using symlinks in tomcat cannot be done? Is this true, or is it just not the preferred way to handle it? The problem that I am encountering is that my application uses Apache and Tomcat, as well as a third party application. Instead of having 3 different directories with the same images style sheet and having to update images in 3 places I set up one main images folder and one main style folder on the Apache server, and set up symlinks to these folders everywhere else. From within my Tomcat web app my images and styles are not working. I have all the proper JkMount statements, and the images style sheets do exist in the specified location. I am looking further into this problem, but just wanted to run it by the list to see whether or not symlinks are definitely not supported so I don't go nuts trying to solve something that can't possibly work. Thanks! Denise - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
