Title: [Plugin: BulletProof Security] Options -Indexes Causing 500 Error
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# [Plugin: BulletProof Security] Options -Indexes Causing 500 Error

 *  Resolved [narfonix](https://wordpress.org/support/users/narfonix/)
 * (@narfonix)
 * [15 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/)
 * Thanks for a great plugin.
 * I am unable to get Bulletproof Security working for a site I am working on if
   I don’t comment out “Options -Indexes” in both the root .htaccess and the wp-
   admin .htaccess.
 * The host has the following configured in the virtual host configuration relating
   to Indexes.
 * AllowOverride Indexes
 * Does allowing Indexes defeat the purpose of having Bulletproof installed?

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

 *  Plugin Author [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * (@aitpro)
 * [15 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988345)
 * Hi,
 * Options -Indexes is not really all that important for WordPress anyway. It would
   be an important thing to have if you had an HTML website. Options -Indexes was
   added by popular request and it is really not necessary for WordPress so you 
   can just delete it.
 * If you have access to and can edit the httpd.conf file on the host then you can
   change this, but like I said the Options -Indexes directive is not really necessary
   for WordPress.
 * Just for the heck of it you could try uncommenting # Options +FollowSymlinks 
   and see what happens. You will probably get a 500 error. Thanks.
    Ed
 *  Thread Starter [narfonix](https://wordpress.org/support/users/narfonix/)
 * (@narfonix)
 * [15 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988349)
 * Hello Ed,
 * Thanks so much for the response. This plugin is absolutely perfect for what I
   needed.
 * Thanks.
    alex
 *  Plugin Author [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * (@aitpro)
 * [15 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988350)
 * Cool! Glad you like it. 😉
    Thanks, Ed
 *  [chumtarou](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chumtarou/)
 * (@chumtarou)
 * [15 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988496)
 * Hi Ed,
 * First, great plugin thank you!
 * My question is the opposite of Alex: I noticed in the latest build we installed
   that the root does not include Options – Indexes and leaves non-Wordpress folders
   open for viewing.
 * I have since added in the line but wondering if this has been removed from your
   feature set. Having an option to turn on or off this feature would be great for
   those that need/don’t need Options -Indexes.
 * Thanks!
 *  Plugin Author [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * (@aitpro)
 * [15 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988497)
 * Several people have asked about this so i guess i will stick it back in the master
   files and just comment it out. That way people can uncomment it if they want 
   to use this directive. Thanks.
 *  [chumtarou](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chumtarou/)
 * (@chumtarou)
 * [15 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988498)
 * Much appreciated thanks!
 * Would be great if future updates to this plugin won’t re-comment out options -
   indexes so that installations we don’t check often won’t become open. Just in
   case we’ll add .htaccess to non-wp folders but thought I’d mention in case you
   were designing a new function for this.
 * Again, thanks for your plugin – I’ll be asking clients to go your way for security
   services when they are live.
 *  Plugin Author [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * (@aitpro)
 * [15 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988499)
 * well maybe i will just add some DB savable options for the htaccess files then.
   it’s very quick and simple with the WordPress Settings API. I was planning on
   doing this eventually for the Maintenance mode form so adding some DB savable
   checkboxes for the htaccess files would be a relatively quick thing to add. What
   i want to stay away from is ending up having a full form that offers checkboxes
   for every line of code in the htaccess files. LOL Thanks again.
 *  [chumtarou](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chumtarou/)
 * (@chumtarou)
 * [15 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988500)
 * LOL agreed – your clean interface is what makes it a great for us on each installation
   and much more straight forward to clients which we appreciate. And *really* appreciate
   your care and time to consider this option for a future version.
 * Cheers!
 *  Plugin Author [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * (@aitpro)
 * [15 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988501)
 * Cool! We created a version of BPS in the very beginning for testing with a form
   where you could build the htaccess file by selecting which things you wanted 
   to add. OMG was that a disaster. LOL. So pre-made was the final winning version
   hands down. 😉
 *  [chumtarou](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chumtarou/)
 * (@chumtarou)
 * [15 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988502)
 * LOL too true. This makes me think of [Missing Missy](http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html)
   🙂 If you haven’t read it, I think you’ll enjoy it.
 *  Plugin Author [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * (@aitpro)
 * [14 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988506)
 * I checked out Missing Missy – absolutely hysterical and so true to life. LOL
   
   BPS .46.3 has Options -Indexes included as a regular feature with a help note
   to those minority of people who have hosts that do not allow the Options directive
   in htaccess files. I actually discovered that there is a very minor and really
   not so important “thing” that can be done in WordPress if you are not using Options-
   Indexes. The worst that could happen is someone could see something in WP that
   they should not be able to see. Cryptic enough? LOL Never give em ammo to shoot
   you with. LOL Thanks.
 * Ed

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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 * 11 replies
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 * Last reply from: [AITpro](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aitpro/)
 * Last activity: [14 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-bulletproof-security-options-indexes-causing-500-error/#post-1988506)
 * Status: resolved