About Logging
Printed From: Web Wiz Forums
Category: Web Wiz Web App Support Forums
Forum Name: Web Wiz Forums
Forum Description: Support forum for Web Wiz Forums application.
URL: https://forums.webwiz.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=26187
Printed Date: 03 April 2026 at 7:59am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.08 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: About Logging
Posted By: iSec
Subject: About Logging
Date Posted: 30 August 2008 at 5:16am
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I gather that without giving the IUSER account write/modify permissions to the log_files folder, loggin would not work, and even results in an error (800a0046 - permission denied when a logged action takes place), etc...
Now, this can be a security problem, because ANYONE that knows the path to the log_files folder / date-time can easily read log files. These log files contain sensetive information such as IP addresses, and that's another privacy issue... Forum members will not like their IP's being exposed and this may cause a bad reputation to the website.
So what do we do here? ------------- "When it gets dark enough, you can see the stars" -Charles A. Beard |
Replies:
Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 30 August 2008 at 8:39am
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Yes you do need to have read, write, and modify permissions set for the IUSR account on the folder containing the log files. No you shouldn't have log files saved in the log_file folder in a public folder. For this reason when configuring log files in the includes/setup_options_inc.asp file it says to change the location where the log files are stored to a non-public folder outside the root of your public website. I would suggest that you place the log files in a parent folder above the folder containing your website on the server. You need to use the path from the forum application to the log file folder. Change the following line:-
To:-
Change the part in red to the location you want your log files stored. The part ../ is to move up to the parent directory above the location the forum is located. ------------- https://www.webwiz.net/web-wiz-forums/forum-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - Web Wiz Forums Hosting https://www.webwiz.net/web-hosting/windows-web-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - ASP.NET Web Hosting |
Posted By: iSec
Date Posted: 30 August 2008 at 9:35am
Bruce 
I didn't think about the idea of changing the path to a folder that is parent to the folder containing the website. Thank you so much! ------------- "When it gets dark enough, you can see the stars" -Charles A. Beard |
Posted By: iSec
Date Posted: 30 August 2008 at 10:35am
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Just a side note on the method that Bruce suggested (in case someone wonders), this method requires that parent paths be enabled in IIS. To configure IIS to allow parent paths, do this:
P.S. I'm using IIS 6... not sure how it's done in IIS 7. ------------- "When it gets dark enough, you can see the stars" -Charles A. Beard |
Posted By: Nick-V
Date Posted: 30 August 2008 at 12:36pm
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Does enabling parent paths in IIS present a security risk in itself?
Can the logfile location be specified as a disk rather than relative URL? C:\logfiles
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Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 31 August 2008 at 8:51am
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Parent paths can coursed a security issue if you do not have your server setup securely. The present logging feature is still really in early development and so can not use phyiscal paths. On busy forums you should be careful not to enable logging for everything as there is a BIG performance hit in using logging. It's mainly intended to log the actions of moderators and admins as a number of people have requested this so they can findout which moderator deleted a topic or post and for legal reasons so that if legal action is taken due to a dodgy post it can be proved legally when the Topic/Post was removed by the admin or moderator. On busy forums I would ONLY enable logging for moderator actions and not for anything else. ------------- https://www.webwiz.net/web-wiz-forums/forum-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - Web Wiz Forums Hosting https://www.webwiz.net/web-hosting/windows-web-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - ASP.NET Web Hosting |
Posted By: Nick-V
Date Posted: 31 August 2008 at 11:09am
| Many thanks. |