General Website Security

Question

I pay monthly for a website hosting service that provides me with PHP and FTP support. I can upload my files and create directories and such.

Now, I am wondering... If I upload a folder full of images.. or music.. basically personal stuff to my website and name it 'junk1234' can other people find it?

Or even search engines?

If so, How would I restrict any but those who know the folder name from seeing files in it? Possibly httaccess files?

I also have cpanel installed.

Answer 1

If the URL is unique enough it is unlikely that a random person will find it but why not add a username and password for added security?

You could add something like this to your .htaccess file to require authentication by a particular user on the system:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Authorization Required"
AuthUserFile /var/www/passwords
Require User tom

To create the authentication file /var/www/passwords with user tom in it:

htpasswd -c /var/www/passwords tom

(related link)

Here is a related link that claims that unsecured "secret" directories will most likely remain private as long as know one that knows about them publishes their location.