[apache] deny directory listing with htaccess

Options -Indexes returns a 403 forbidden error for a protected directory. The same behaviour can be achived by using the following Redirect in htaccess :

RedirectMatch 403 ^/folder/?$ 

This will return a forbidden error for example.com/folder/ .

You can also use mod-rewrite to forbid a request for folder.

RewriteEngine on

RewriteRule ^folder/?$ - [F]

If your htaccess is in the folder that you are going to forbid , change RewriteRule's pattern from ^folder/?$ to ^$ .