Apache How Secure on XP?

[+Elі Subscriber²]

Hello everyone, I have just installed Apache Web Server 1.3 for win32 on an XP system, this is my first time installing a web server on my home computer and I have some serious concerns regading security.

Im using Norton Internet Security 2002 and I had to disable XPs default's firewall because some clients would not be able to connect to my site, after disableing it and installing Norton 2002 everyone appears to have no problem accessing my site however the firewall wizard asked me to open port 80 in order for outside clients to be able to connect to my computer.

All firewall tools I have tried strongly suggest me to know what Im doing if I have decided to have a web server cause they say its very risky to have port 80 open.

Any ideas if this is a real risk? how much can a hacker do with my port 80 open?

Has anyone tried Apache 1.3 on Windows XP?

Also I have this errors on my log file. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Apache server shutdown initiated...

[Wed Nov 21 02:11:xxxxxxxxxx] [error] [client xxxxxxxxx] File does not exist: c:/program files/apache group/apache/htdocs/scripts/root.exe

[Wed Nov 21 02:22:10 2001] [error] [client 208.61.232.94] File does not exist: c:/program files/apache group/apache/htdocs/_vti_bin/..%5c/..%5c/..%5c/winnt/system32/cmd.exe

[Wed Nov 21 02:22:10 2001] [error] [client xxxxxxxxxx] File does not exist: c:/program files/apache group/apache/htdocs/_mem_bin/..%5c/..%5c/..%5c/winnt/system32/cmd.exe

[Wed Nov 21 02:33:29 2001] [error] [client xxxxxxxxx] File does not exist: c:/program files/apache group/apache/htdocs/msadc/root.exe

That's about what I get a zillion times, I have removed IP addresses there.

Thanks in advance

Ely