For each parent directory leading to your web root (e.g. ~/my, ~/my/web, ~/my/web/root):

  • chmod go-rwx DIR (nobody other than owner can access content)
  • chmod go+x DIR (to allow “users” including _www to “enter” the dir)
  • sudo chgrp -R _www ~/my/web/root (all web content is now group _www)
  • chmod -R go-rwx ~/my/web/root (nobody other than owner can access web content)
  • chmod -R g+rx ~/my/web/root (all web content is now readable/executable/enterable by _www)

 

Taken from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2001881/correct-owner-group-permissions-for-apache-2-site-files-folders-under-mac-os-x

Proper way to set file permissions