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On an Nginx server running PHP through PHP-FPM, set cgi.fix_pathinfo=0 in the php.ini loaded by the FPM SAPI, restart the matching PHP-FPM service, and verify the value from the FPM runtime. The file path and service name depend on your operating system, PHP version, and package.
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This setting is only one part of a safe Nginx/PHP-FPM configuration. Your FastCGI block must also reject nonexistent scripts, set SCRIPT_FILENAME correctly, and keep the FPM listener inaccessible to untrusted clients.
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What cgi.fix_pathinfo controls
cgi.fix_pathinfo is a PHP CGI path-handling directive, not an Nginx directive. PHP documents it as an INI_SYSTEM boolean that provides real PATH_INFO and PATH_TRANSLATED support for CGI. With the value 1, PHP CGI attempts to fix paths to conform to the CGI specification; with 0, it uses the older behavior. PHP lists 1 as the default.
The security concern appears when Nginx accepts a request whose path looks like a PHP script but whose file does not exist, then passes that request to PHP-FPM. In the standard Nginx hardening procedure, setting the directive to 0 reduces this path-handling problem. It does not replace a correct Nginx try_files rule or a correct SCRIPT_FILENAME value.
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Some applications deliberately use PATH_INFO. Changing the value can affect those routes, so test the application in staging before applying the change to production. PHP’s core guidance is that scripts should use SCRIPT_FILENAME rather than PATH_TRANSLATED.
Understand the request path before editing
A browser request normally reaches Nginx first. Nginx evaluates the server and location rules, decides whether the request is for a PHP script, builds the FastCGI parameters, and forwards the request to the FPM pool selected by fastcgi_pass. FPM then reads the PHP configuration associated with its own SAPI and starts or reuses a worker to run the script identified by SCRIPT_FILENAME.
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This sequence explains why an apparently sensible edit can have no effect. If the virtual host points to a different socket, a different host, a container, or another PHP version, you may restart one FPM service while traffic continues to another. Likewise, a correct cgi.fix_pathinfo value cannot repair a document-root mismatch or a location rule that derives a script name from unchecked URL text.
Map the chain before changing it: identify the Nginx virtual host, read its fastcgi_pass target, find the FPM pool that owns that socket or listener, and then identify the php.ini loaded by that pool. Treat the socket or trusted TCP endpoint as the link between Nginx and the configuration you are about to edit.
Find the php.ini used by PHP-FPM
There is no universal location for this file. A command-line PHP installation and the FPM installation can load different configuration files, even when they use the same PHP version. Identify the FPM SAPI’s configuration before editing anything.
Check the installed PHP-FPM service
List services or inspect your package’s service definitions to find the FPM instance serving the Nginx virtual host. Common service names include a PHP version, such as php7.0-fpm.service, but distributions and package versions use different names.
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systemctl status php7.0-fpm.serviceReplace the example service name with the one actually installed. If several FPM versions are present, determine which socket or TCP listener the Nginx virtual host uses; that is the version whose php.ini must be changed.
Use package directories as a clue, not proof
Distribution packages commonly keep versioned configuration under a path such as /etc/php/7.0/fpm/php.ini. The version and directory can differ substantially between operating systems and package repositories. A source installation may instead copy php.ini-development to a path such as /usr/local/php/php.ini.
Inspect the FPM configuration directory and pool files for the active installation. Look for the FPM binary, its service unit, and the pool’s listen setting. A path that exists on disk is not necessarily the file loaded by the running process.
Confirm the loaded file through the FPM SAPI
The most reliable check is a controlled diagnostic executed by FPM itself. A temporary PHP page can report php_ini_loaded_file() and php_ini_scanned_files() when requested through the same Nginx virtual host and FPM pool. Restrict the page to an administrator’s address or equivalent access control, check it, and remove it immediately afterward.
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The command-line result from php --ini is useful for understanding the CLI installation but is not conclusive for FPM. If CLI and FPM are different versions, editing the CLI file will have no effect on web requests.
Set cgi.fix_pathinfo to 0
Edit the FPM php.ini with administrative privileges
- Back up the active FPM
php.iniand record the PHP version and SAPI it belongs to. - Open that file in an editor with administrative privileges.
- Search for
cgi.fix_pathinfo. If the line begins with a semicolon, remove the semicolon. - Set one authoritative value exactly as follows:
cgi.fix_pathinfo=0- Save the file and check that you did not create a second active definition later in the same file or in a scanned configuration fragment.
Because this is an INI_SYSTEM directive, an application cannot reliably change it with ini_set(). The value must be established in system-level PHP configuration loaded by the FPM process.
Keep a record of the change
Note the file path, PHP version, FPM service, date, and reason for the change. This prevents a later package upgrade or version switch from leaving you unsure which configuration is active. If your distribution uses separate configuration fragments, document which fragment owns the setting so administrators do not create conflicting values.
Configuration precedence and duplicate settings
PHP can load a main configuration file and additional scanned fragments. A directive shown in the main file may therefore be overridden, or appear to be overridden, by a later fragment. When the diagnostic reports the loaded file and scanned files, compare those names with the file you edited. Search the FPM configuration tree for every active occurrence of cgi.fix_pathinfo, then leave one clearly documented value for the pool you intend to change.
Do not confuse a commented example with an active setting: a leading semicolon disables the line. Conversely, adding a new line without checking existing fragments can create two competing definitions and make a future package update difficult to audit. Keep the backup outside the package-managed file if your operating system replaces configuration files during upgrades, and preserve the recorded path so the setting can be rechecked after a version change.
Restart PHP-FPM and verify the effective value
Restart the matching service
Restart the FPM service that serves the Nginx site. For example, a deployment using the versioned service shown in the package documentation would run:
sudo systemctl restart php7.0-fpm.serviceThe service name in that command is only an example. Use the exact unit identified on your server. A reload may be sufficient for some configuration changes, but a restart is the unambiguous way to ensure workers read the edited php.ini. Check the unit status and logs if the restart fails.
Reload Nginx when its FastCGI block changed
If you changed only php.ini, restarting FPM is the relevant operation. If you also changed Nginx routing, test and reload Nginx separately:
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sudo systemctl reload nginxNever reload a configuration that fails the syntax test. A successful Nginx reload does not prove that FPM loaded the intended PHP configuration.
Verify through FPM, not only through CLI
Use the restricted diagnostic page or FPM status tooling to confirm that the effective value is 0 and that the loaded configuration file is the one you edited. Remove the diagnostic page after verification. Leaving a public PHP-information page online can disclose paths, modules, environment details, and version information useful to an attacker.
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Check the Nginx FastCGI mapping
cgi.fix_pathinfo=0 is a control in the request path, not a substitute for correct Nginx routing. Review the PHP location block serving the virtual host.
Reject nonexistent scripts before FPM sees them
Use a file-existence check so a request is passed to FPM only when the requested script exists. A typical pattern is:
location ~ .php$ {
try_files $uri =404;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
}The socket path in this example is illustrative; use the socket shown by the active FPM pool’s listen directive. If your deployment uses a trusted TCP listener instead, ensure that listener is protected by network controls.
Set SCRIPT_FILENAME to the intended document root
FPM needs the complete filesystem path of the script. The SCRIPT_FILENAME value must resolve inside the virtual host’s intended document root, not to a user-controlled path or an unrelated directory. A wrong mapping can produce “file not found” responses, execute the wrong file, or make troubleshooting of PATH_INFO behavior misleading.
Limit which requests reach PHP
Pass only the extensions and locations that your application actually needs. Do not send arbitrary uploaded files, configuration files, or static assets to PHP-FPM. Review interactions with front-controller routing: if every URL is rewritten to one real index.php, make sure the rewrite and try_files rules deliberately select that file rather than deriving a script name from unchecked input.
Should the value be 0 or 1?
The safer choice for the standard Nginx/PHP-FPM hardening procedure is 0, but the correct operational choice depends on application behavior and the rest of the request path.
| Decision axis | cgi.fix_pathinfo=0 |
cgi.fix_pathinfo=1 |
|---|---|---|
| Nonexistent-path exposure | Recommended in the Nginx hardening procedure; reduces the legacy path-fixing behavior associated with passing nonexistent paths to FPM. | Retains PHP’s CGI path-fixing behavior and requires especially careful Nginx existence checks and filename mapping. |
| PATH_INFO compatibility | Can break applications that intentionally depend on the older path behavior or PATH_TRANSLATED semantics. |
May preserve compatibility for applications designed around CGI path information. |
| Nginx configuration quality | Still requires correct try_files, SCRIPT_FILENAME, and extension restrictions. |
Does not correct a broken FastCGI mapping or an Nginx rule that forwards nonexistent scripts. |
| Operations | Requires editing the FPM file, restarting the matching service, and testing routes. | Also requires explicit verification; leaving the default is not a substitute for reviewing the request path. |
Choose 1 only when a tested application genuinely needs its CGI path behavior and the Nginx configuration has been reviewed accordingly. Do not select a value merely because it is the PHP default.
Protect the PHP-FPM listener
PHP-FPM’s own documentation warns that it must not be reachable from an untrusted network. A client that can open a FastCGI connection can influence request configuration, including auto_prepend_file, and may be able to execute arbitrary code.
Prefer a local Unix socket
When Nginx and FPM run on the same server, a Unix socket keeps the listener local and avoids exposing a FastCGI port. Set the socket ownership and permissions so the Nginx worker can connect while unrelated users cannot.
Restrict a TCP listener
If FPM must run on another host, bind it to a private interface and enforce network controls that allow connections only from the designated Nginx server. Do not bind FPM to a publicly reachable address, and do not assume that an obscure port provides protection.
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Review the whole chain
- Confirm the Nginx host is the only intended FastCGI client.
- Check firewall rules after package upgrades or network changes.
- Keep FPM pools separated when applications have different trust levels.
- Remove test scripts and public diagnostic endpoints after verification.
Changing cgi.fix_pathinfo cannot compensate for an exposed FPM listener.
Operational requirements and safe rollback
Changing the directive requires administrative access to the FPM configuration and permission to restart the service. Plan the edit against the PHP version actually serving requests, not merely the version installed for command-line tools. Keep a copy of the previous file and note the exact service and endpoint so you can restore the prior value quickly if a route fails.
Apply the change first in a staging environment that mirrors the production PHP version, pool, Nginx location, and document-root layout. After the restart, verify both a normal script and a deliberately nonexistent PHP-looking URL. If a legitimate PATH_INFO route fails, capture the URL, the expected path data, and the relevant Nginx and FPM log entries before deciding whether compatibility requires value 1. A rollback should be a documented, tested decision rather than an automatic return to the default.
Test the change safely
Exercise ordinary PHP requests
Load a known, existing PHP page and confirm that it returns the expected response. Check application logs and the FPM journal for startup errors, permission failures, or “primary script unknown” messages.
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Request a path that does not correspond to a file, including a PHP-looking suffix and any route format your application uses. The request should be rejected by Nginx or handled by the intentional front controller; it should not cause an arbitrary nonexistent script to be executed.
Test legitimate PATH_INFO routes
If the application uses routes such as a real script followed by additional path information, test those URLs explicitly. Verify that the framework receives the expected path data and that static files, uploads, and configuration files remain inaccessible.
Compare staging and production configuration
Use the same PHP version, FPM pool settings, Nginx mapping, and document-root layout in staging whenever possible. A route that works under the CLI SAPI or a development server does not prove that the production FPM SAPI handles it the same way.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting common failures
The value remains 1 after editing
You probably edited the CLI php.ini, the wrong PHP version’s file, or a file that FPM does not load. Recheck the loaded configuration through FPM, inspect scanned configuration fragments, and restart the exact service connected to Nginx.
Nginx returns “File not found” after the change
Check SCRIPT_FILENAME, the virtual host’s document root, Unix-socket permissions, and the existence of the target script. A path mapping error is more likely than a failure of the directive itself.
Routes that use PATH_INFO stop working
Confirm that the application actually requires CGI path information and identify whether it expects PATH_INFO or the obsolete PATH_TRANSLATED. Review the Nginx location and rewrite rules, then test the route with the application’s documented URL format. If the dependency is genuine, evaluate whether retaining 1 with strict file checks is necessary; do not restore it without documenting the security trade-off.
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FPM will not restart
Run the service’s status and journal commands to find syntax errors, permission problems, invalid pool settings, or a socket already in use. Restore the backup only if necessary, correct the underlying error, and repeat the configuration test before restarting.
Changing the setting appears to do nothing
Verify that the Nginx virtual host points to the FPM socket or TCP endpoint you inspected. Multiple PHP versions, containers, chrooted pools, and separate hosts can make an apparently correct edit irrelevant to the traffic you are testing.
A repeatable change checklist
- Identify the Nginx virtual host and the FPM socket or trusted TCP endpoint it uses.
- Identify the corresponding FPM service, PHP version, and loaded
php.ini. - Back up the file and set one active line to
cgi.fix_pathinfo=0. - Confirm that the Nginx PHP location rejects nonexistent scripts and sets
SCRIPT_FILENAMEto the intended document root. - Restart the matching FPM service.
- Run an Nginx syntax test and reload Nginx only if its configuration changed.
- Verify the effective value through FPM and remove any diagnostic endpoint.
- Test existing scripts, nonexistent PHP-looking paths, front-controller routes, and legitimate
PATH_INFOURLs. - Confirm that FPM is reachable only from approved clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is cgi.fix_pathinfo in php.ini?
There is no universal path. Find the FPM service and pool used by the Nginx virtual host, then confirm the loaded file with an FPM diagnostic reporting php_ini_loaded_file(). Distribution paths such as /etc/php/7.0/fpm/php.ini are examples, not guarantees.
Should cgi.fix_pathinfo be 0 or 1 with Nginx?
Use 0 for the standard Nginx/PHP-FPM hardening procedure, provided the application does not depend on CGI path behavior. Test any legitimate PATH_INFO routes first; retain 1 only when that compatibility need is real and Nginx file checks are strict.
How do I restart PHP-FPM after changing php.ini?
Restart the versioned FPM service connected to the Nginx site, for example sudo systemctl restart php7.0-fpm.service. Substitute your installed unit name, check its status and logs, and verify the value through FPM rather than through the CLI SAPI.
Why does Nginx pass a nonexistent PHP file to PHP-FPM?
A PHP location block may lack a file-existence check or may construct an unsafe script path. Add an appropriate try_files $uri =404; rule, set SCRIPT_FILENAME to the intended document root, and limit which requests are sent to FPM.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIs cgi.fix_pathinfo an Nginx setting?
No. It is a PHP CGI directive classified as INI_SYSTEM, so configure it in the system-level php.ini used by FPM. Nginx still needs its own FastCGI routing and security rules.
Do I need to reload Nginx after editing php.ini?
Not when only the FPM php.ini changed; restart the matching FPM service. If you also changed the Nginx FastCGI block, run nginx -t and reload Nginx after the syntax test succeeds.
What if setting 0 breaks my framework routes?
Check whether the framework genuinely requires PATH_INFO and whether it incorrectly relies on PATH_TRANSLATED. Review rewrites and test the documented route. If value 1 is unavoidable, keep strict existence checks and record the trade-off.
Can I expose PHP-FPM on a public TCP port?
No. PHP-FPM warns that it must not be reachable from an untrusted network. Prefer a local Unix socket, or bind a remote listener to a private interface and allow connections only from the designated Nginx host.
The Bottom Line
Find the php.ini loaded by the FPM SAPI that your Nginx site actually uses, set cgi.fix_pathinfo=0, restart that exact FPM service, and verify the live value. Then audit try_files, SCRIPT_FILENAME, extension limits, PATH_INFO routes, and the FPM listener. A secure value is effective only when the complete Nginx-to-FPM request path is correct and the FastCGI endpoint is trusted.
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