Setting Up and Securing Apache Web Server

Deploying a web server involves several steps, from installing the server software to securing it and enabling SSL for secure connections. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up an Apache web server on a Linux system, configuring it, and securing it with SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt using Certbot.

1. Update and Upgrade the System

Before installing any new software, it’s crucial to ensure your system is up to date. Open your terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

These commands will fetch the latest package lists and install any available upgrades, ensuring your system has the latest security patches and features.

2. Install Apache

Install the Apache web server.

sudo apt-get install apache2

3. Start Apache Service

Once Apache is installed, you need to start the service to begin serving web pages:

sudo systemctl start apache2

4. Enable Apache Service

To ensure Apache starts automatically on system boot, enable the service:

sudo systemctl enable apache2

5. Check Apache Status

Verify that Apache is running correctly with:

sudo systemctl status apache2

you should see an output indicating that Apache is active and running. If there are any issues, this status check can provide valuable information for troubleshooting.

6. Allow Apache through UFW

Allow Apache through the firewall.

sudo ufw allow 'Apache'
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status

7. Testing Apache Web Server

The best way to test the Apache service is requesting a page from Apache. For this we need IP address. Get the IP address by executing this command

ip addr

If you see the Apache Ubuntu default welcome web page, it indicates a successful web server installation.

8. Configure Apache

Next, configure Apache to serve your web pages. Open the Apache configuration file.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

Add the following block to disable the directory listing:

<Directory /var/www/>
    Options -Indexes
</Directory>

Save and close the file by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y, and Enter.

Next, we need to hide the Apache Version and OS information for security purposes.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/conf-available/security.conf

change ServerTokens to Prod and ServerSignature to Off

9. Install Apache Security Module

To enhance your server’s security, install the mod_security module. This module helps protect your server from various web attacks. Install it using:

sudo apt-get install libapache2-mod-security2

10. Enable Security Module

After installation, enable the mod_security module with:

sudo a2enmod security2

11. Restart Apache Service

Restart Apache to apply changes.

sudo systemctl restart apache2

12. Install Certbot for SSL

To enable SSL and secure your website, install Certbot and the Certbot Apache plugin

sudo apt-get install certbot python3-certbot-apache

13. Obtain SSL Certificate

Use Certbot to obtain and install an SSL certificate for your domain. Run the following command and follow the prompts:

sudo certbot --apache

Follow the prompts to:

• Select your domain.
• Provide an email address for urgent renewal and security notices.
• Agree to the terms of service.

Certbot will automatically configure Apache to use the obtained SSL certificate.

14. Monitor Apache Logs

Finally, it’s important to monitor your Apache server logs to ensure everything is running smoothly and to diagnose any issues that arise. Use the following commands to view the access and error logs:

sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/access.log
sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/error.log

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully deploy an Apache web server, configure it to serve web pages, secure it with mod_security, and enable SSL using Certbot. This setup ensures that your server is secure and capable of serving content over encrypted connections