8. Hosting a Static Website and Changing the Configuration

8.2 Amazon Linux 2023 + Nginx

By Ravindra Bagale Last updated: 15 October 2026

Quick answer: the short, self-contained version of this lesson is the guide How to Host a Static Website on EC2 with Nginx.

sudo yum install -y nginx
sudo service nginx start
sudo systemctl enable nginx

sudo tee /etc/nginx/conf.d/mysite.conf > /dev/null <<'EOF'
server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;
    server_name YOUR_SERVER_NAME;
    root /var/www/mysite;
    index index.html;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
    error_page 404 /404.html;

    access_log /var/log/nginx/mysite_access.log;
    error_log  /var/log/nginx/mysite_error.log;
}
EOF

# put this server's public IP (or your domain) as server_name
sudo sed -i "s/YOUR_SERVER_NAME/$(curl -s https://checkip.amazonaws.com)/" /etc/nginx/conf.d/mysite.conf
sudo nginx -t && sudo service nginx reload
curl -s http://localhost -H "Host: $(curl -s https://checkip.amazonaws.com)" | head -5

Open http://<PUBLIC_IP> in your browser.

Why server_name = public IP here?

Amazon Linux and CentOS already have a default server { server_name _; } block inside /etc/nginx/nginx.conf that serves /usr/share/nginx/html. Giving our block the exact public IP (or a domain like mysite.example.com) makes Nginx pick our block when the browser asks for that host. If you later attach an Elastic IP or a domain, update server_name and reload. Quick method instead: simply copy your files into /usr/share/nginx/html/ — no config needed.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip

Even with the config correct, Nginx's welcome page shows up – many students get stuck here. The reason is that another server block won. Check whether server_name has your public IP or domain, and where default_server is. Read the "how a server block is chosen" rule in Section 7.5 again.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी

Config बरोबर असूनही Nginx चं welcome page दिसतं – बरेच students इथे अडकतात. कारण दुसरा server block जिंकला. server_name मध्ये तुमचा public IP किंवा domain आहे का, आणि default_server कुठे आहे ते बघा. Section 7.5 मधला "server block कसा निवडला जातो" हा नियम पुन्हा वाचा.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी

Config सही होने पर भी Nginx का welcome page दिखता है – बहुत से students यहाँ अटकते हैं. वजह यह है कि दूसरा server block जीत गया. देखो कि server_name में तुम्हारा public IP या domain है या नहीं, और default_server कहाँ है. Section 7.5 का "server block कैसे चुना जाता है" वाला नियम फिर से पढ़ो.

Lab

Host mysite with Nginx on Amazon Linux 2023. Request a page that does not exist and confirm your custom 404 page appears.

Extended teaching notes

Why this lesson matters

Use this lesson to strengthen systems you own: understand the risk, practise safely in a lab, then write and apply the fix.

Apply the fix across stacks

Same class of bug, same idea in every language.

Java / Spring Boot

Parameterise queries, encode output, CSRF tokens, limited Actuator, dependency scanning.

ASP.NET Core

EF Core / parameterised SQL, Razor encoding, HTTPS, Data Protection.

Node.js / Express

helmet, parameterised SQL, npm audit, avoid eval and shell concat.

Python / Django / Flask / FastAPI

ORM, autoescape, pip-audit, Bandit; never shell=True with user input.

PHP / Laravel

PDO/Eloquent, Blade escaping, composer audit.

Go / Ruby

database/sql placeholders / ActiveRecord; html/template / ERB escaping; govulncheck / Brakeman.

nginx / Apache / Tomcat

Hide versions, TLS, security headers, least-open ports.

MySQL / PostgreSQL / MongoDB / Redis

Private networks, auth on, least-privilege users, no 0.0.0.0/0.

AWS / Azure / GCP

Roles not long-lived keys, private data stores, cloud audit logs on.

Mini case study

Suppose we are on a purple-team exercise for an Indian mid-size company (sample data). Red notes a technique from this lesson against a lab clone. Blue must show the control that stops it, the log that would have fired, and the ticket that hardens production. That is the standard this course trains you for.

Defender's worksheet (do this today)

Write the lesson title, date and the exact lab target you are allowed to use.
List three owned systems (VMs, apps, or cloud accounts) where this lesson applies.
Run one safe check from the lesson on a lab system only. Paste the command and output.
Write a two-sentence fix you would give a teammate.
Name one related public advisory (CERT-In, CISA, NVD, or a vendor bulletin) with its date.

Indian workplace (sample data)

Suppose we are a junior analyst at Infosys, TCS, Wipro or a fintech SOC in Bengaluru/Pune. Turn this lesson into one checklist item with an owner, a due date and a place to store evidence (ticket + screenshot).

Global practice

Compare your notes with OWASP, CIS Benchmarks, NIST CSF/IR guidance or a cloud Well-Architected security question. Write five lines on what overlaps.

Everyday analogy

Explain the risk and the fix to a family member without jargon. If they can repeat the warning, you understand it well enough to teach juniors.

Key terms

Control: a safeguard (patch, config, process, detection).
Finding: a weakness backed by evidence.
Remediation: the fix plus how you verified it.
Scope: systems you have written permission to touch.
Least privilege: only the access the task needs.
Defence in depth: several layers so one failure does not end the story.

Common mistakes

Skipping written permission "just for a quick scan".
Practising on hostel, office or public targets without authorisation.
Collecting tool output without writing the fix.
Copying attack steps onto production to "verify". Defenders verify with versions, configs and patches.
Publishing screenshots that contain secrets, cookies or internal hostnames.

Recap

Evidence, fix, owner, date.
Own lab only.
Fix > spectacle.