Group


Syntax: Group unix-group
Default: Group #-1
Context: server config, virtual host
Status: core

The Group directive sets the group under which the server will answer requests. In order to use this directive, the stand-alone server must be run initially as root. Unix-group is one of:

A group name
Refers to the given group by name.
# followed by a group number.
Refers to a group by its number.
It is recommended that you set up a new group specifically for running the server. Some admins use user nobody, but this is not always possible or desirable.

Note: if you start the server as a non-root user, it will fail to change to the specified group, and will instead continue to run as the group of the original user.

Special note: Use of this directive in <VirtualHost> requires a properly configured suEXEC wrapper. When used inside a <VirtualHost> in this manner, only the group that CGIs are run as is affected. Non-CGI requests are still processed as the group specified in the main Group directive.

SECURITY: See User for a discussion of the security considerations.