Resolving Apache 2.4 .htaccess Errors with Akismet

If you've recently upgraded to Apache 2.4 or are using a hosting provider that has, you may have encountered errors related to the .htaccess file in the Akismet Anti-spam plugin directory. These errors can fill up your server's error log and, in some cases, may cause unexpected behavior. This guide will explain why this happens and provide the most common solutions.

Why This Error Occurs

The core of the issue is a change in the Apache web server between versions 2.2 and 2.4. Apache 2.4 introduced a new authorization module, mod_authz_core, which uses a different syntax for access control. The old directives like Order, Allow, and Deny are deprecated in Apache 2.4 and are replaced by the Require directive.

The Akismet plugin includes a .htaccess file to restrict direct access to its plugin files for security reasons, only allowing necessary CSS, JavaScript, and image files to be served. Older versions of this file used the Apache 2.2 syntax, which is incompatible with Apache 2.4 and generates errors like:

Invalid command 'Order', perhaps misspelled or defined by a module not included in the server configuration

or

Require not allowed here

Common Solutions

1. Update the Akismet Plugin

The simplest solution is to ensure you are running the latest version of the Akismet plugin. The 'Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection' team has addressed this compatibility issue in a plugin update. The updated .htaccess file uses conditional statements to provide rules that are compatible with both Apache 2.2 and 2.4.

If you have updated the plugin but are still seeing errors, your server may not have overwritten the old .htaccess file. Check that the file's contents match the official version.

2. Manually Update the .htaccess File

If you cannot update the plugin or the file was not updated correctly, you can manually replace the contents of the .htaccess file located in the /wp-content/plugins/akismet/ directory. The correct, compatible content is:

# Only allow direct access to specific Web-available files.

# Apache 2.2
<IfModule !mod_authz_core.c>
 Order Deny,Allow
 Deny from all
</IfModule>

# Apache 2.4
<IfModule mod_authz_core.c>
 Require all denied
</IfModule>

# Akismet CSS and JS
<FilesMatch "^(form.js|akismet.js|akismet.css)$">
 <IfModule !mod_authz_core.c>
  Allow from all
 </IfModule>
 
 <IfModule mod_authz_core.c>
  Require all granted
 </IfModule>
</FilesMatch>

# Akismet images
<FilesMatch "^logo-full-2x.png$">
 <IfModule !mod_authz_core.c>
  Allow from all
 </IfModule>
 
 <IfModule mod_authz_core.c>
  Require all granted
 </IfModule>
</FilesMatch>

3. For NGINX Users

Since NGINX does not use .htaccess files, you will need to translate the access rules into NGINX's configuration syntax. The goal of the rules is to deny all direct access to files in the Akismet directory, except for the specific CSS, JS, and image files needed for the plugin to function. You will need to add the appropriate location blocks to your server configuration. Consult the NGINX documentation for the correct syntax to achieve this.

4. The .htaccess File is Not Required

It is important to note that the .htaccess file is not required for Akismet's core anti-spam functionality. It is an added security measure to prevent direct access to plugin files. If you are unable to resolve the Apache errors, your site will still be protected from spam. You can choose to remove the file, though this is not generally recommended.

Conclusion

Apache 2.4 compatibility issues with the Akismet .htaccess file are a common but easily solvable problem. By updating the plugin or manually applying the correct configuration, you can eliminate these errors from your server logs. For those on NGINX, translating the rules into your server config will provide the same layer of security.