Run a script.php on cron job on linux/apache server but restrict public access to the php file

Question

I have this script.php file which i want to run as a cron job on my linux/apache server.

However, i do not want public to access www.mycompanyname.com/script.php and

Answer 1

Method 1.

If you are executing PHP directly from the Cron Job e.g. php /path/to/your_script.php then add the following line at the top of your PHP script:

if (php_sapi_name() !='cli') exit;

Method 2.

If the Cron Job uses wget, curl or lynx to run your script via its URL, then insert this code at the top of your PHP script (change the User Agent string to one known only by you) :

if ($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'] != 'yourSecretAgent') exit;

You will also have to set the User Agent in the Cron Job; as in this wget example:

wget -O - --user-agent=“yourSecretAgent” http://example.com/your_script.php