9.1 Static vs Dynamic and How PHP Runs

By Ravindra Bagale Last updated: 15 October 2026

Static site madhe server fakt file uchalun deto. Dynamic site madhe server aadhi code chalavto (PHP), code database la vicharto, aani mag tayar zalela HTML pathavto.

 Static:   Browser --GET /about.html--> Nginx --reads file--> same HTML for everyone

 Dynamic:  Browser --GET /feed.php--> Nginx --FastCGI--> PHP-FPM --SQL--> MySQL
                                                           |
                               HTML built for THIS user <--+

Way to run PHP	Used with	How it works
`mod_php`	Apache (common on Ubuntu)	PHP is loaded inside every Apache process
PHP-FPM	Nginx (always), Apache on Amazon Linux	Separate pool of PHP worker processes; web server talks to it over a unix socket (FastCGI)

Why this matters for security

Dynamic code is where most serious web vulnerabilities live – SQL injection, XSS, file upload, command injection (Part 11). A static site has very little to attack; a PHP app that talks to a database has a lot. That is why we build one ourselves before we attack one.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip

Many students think PHP runs in the browser. No! PHP runs on the server, and the browser only receives HTML – that's why you can't see PHP code in "View Source". If PHP code shows up in the browser, the server isn't running PHP – that's a configuration mistake.

Practice task

Draw the request flow for a static page and for a PHP page, labelling the port or socket at each arrow.

Extended teaching notes

Why this lesson matters

Malware analysis in this course is defensive: recognise indicators, isolate hosts, preserve evidence. Never run unknown malware on your main OS or on someone else's network.

Isolate the host from the network.
Capture volatile data if trained to do so.
Hash samples; search only in licensed/safe tools.
Rebuild from a known-good image when unsure.
Share IOCs with your SOC, not on random chats.

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.