docs/manual/mod/mod_authn_anon.xml

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<!DOCTYPE modulesynopsis SYSTEM "../style/modulesynopsis.dtd">
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<modulesynopsis>

<name>mod_authn_anon</name>
<description>Allows "anonymous" user access to authenticated
    areas</description>
<status>Extension</status>
<sourcefile>mod_authn_anon.c</sourcefile>
<identifier>authn_anon_module</identifier>
<compatibility>Available in Apache 2.0.44 and later</compatibility>

<summary>
    <p>This module does access control in a manner similar to
    anonymous-ftp sites; <em>i.e.</em> have a 'magic' user id
    'anonymous' and the email address as a password. These email
    addresses can be logged.</p>

    <p>Combined with other (database) access control methods, this
    allows for effective user tracking and customization according
    to a user profile while still keeping the site open for
    'unregistered' users. One advantage of using Auth-based user
    tracking is that, unlike magic-cookies and funny URL
    pre/postfixes, it is completely browser independent and it
    allows users to share URLs.</p>
</summary>

<section><title>Example</title>

    <p>The example below (when combined with the Auth directives of a
    htpasswd-file based (or GDM, mSQL <em>etc.</em>) base access
    control system allows users in as 'guests' with the following
    properties:</p>

    <ul>
      <li>It insists that the user enters a userId.
      (<code>Anonymous_NoUserId</code>)</li>

      <li>It insists that the user enters a password.
      (<code>Anonymous_MustGiveEmail</code>)</li>

      <li>The password entered must be a valid email address, ie.
      contain at least one '@' and a '.'.
      (<code>Anonymous_VerifyEmail</code>)</li>

      <li>The userID must be one of <code>anonymous guest www test
      welcome</code> and comparison is <strong>not</strong> case
      sensitive.</li>

      <li>And the Email addresses entered in the passwd field are
      logged to the error log file
      (<code>Anonymous_LogEmail</code>)</li>
    </ul>

    <p>Excerpt of httpd.conf:</p>

<example>
       Anonymous_NoUserId off<br />
       Anonymous_MustGiveEmail on<br />
       Anonymous_VerifyEmail on<br />
       Anonymous_LogEmail on<br />
       Anonymous anonymous guest www test welcome<br />
<br />
      AuthName "Use 'anonymous' &amp; Email address for
      guest entry"<br />
      AuthType basic<br />
<br />
       # An
      AuthUserFile/AuthDBMUserFile<br />
       # directive must be specified, or use<br />
       # Anonymous_Authoritative for public access.<br />
       # In the .htaccess for the public directory, add:<br />
       &lt;Files *&gt;<br />
       Order Deny,Allow<br />
       Allow from all<br />
<br />
       Require valid-user<br />
       &lt;/Files&gt;<br />
</example>
</section>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>Anonymous</name>
<description>Specifies userIDs that areallowed access without
password verification</description>
<syntax>Anonymous <em>user</em> [<em>user</em>] ...</syntax>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>A list of one or more 'magic' userIDs which are allowed
    access without password verification. The userIDs are space
    separated. It is possible to use the ' and " quotes to allow a
    space in a userID as well as the \ escape character.</p>

    <p>Please note that the comparison is
    <strong>case-IN-sensitive</strong>.<br />
     I strongly suggest that the magic username
    '<code>anonymous</code>' is always one of the allowed
    userIDs.</p>

    <p>Example:</p>
<example>Anonymous anonymous "Not Registered" 'I don\'t know'</example>

    <p>This would allow the user to enter without password
    verification by using the userId's 'anonymous',
    'AnonyMous','Not Registered' and 'I Don't Know'.</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>Anonymous_Authoritative</name>
<description>Configures if authorization will fall-through
to other methods</description>
<syntax>Anonymous_Authoritative on|off</syntax>
<default>Anonymous_Authoritative off</default>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>When set 'on', there is no fall-through to other authorization
    methods. So if a userID does not match the values specified in the
    <directive module="mod_authn_anon">Anonymous</directive> directive,
    access is denied.</p>

    <p>Be sure you know what you are doing when you decide to
    switch it on. And remember that it is the linking order of the
    modules (in the Configuration / Make file) which details the
    order in which the Authorization modules are queried.</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>Anonymous_LogEmail</name>
<description>Sets whether the password entered will be logged in the
error log</description>
<syntax>Anonymous_LogEmail on|off</syntax>
<default>Anonymous_LogEmail on</default>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>When set <code>on</code>, the default, the 'password' entered
    (which hopefully contains a sensible email address) is logged in
    the error log.</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>Anonymous_MustGiveEmail</name>
<description>Specifies whether blank passwords are allowed</description>
<syntax>Anonymous_MustGiveEmail on|off</syntax>
<default>Anonymous_MustGiveEmail on</default>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>Specifies whether the user must specify an email address as
    the password. This prohibits blank passwords.</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>Anonymous_NoUserID</name>
<description>Sets whether the userID field may be empty</description>
<syntax>Anonymous_NoUserID on|off</syntax>
<default>Anonymous_NoUserID off</default>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>When set <code>on</code>, users can leave the userID (and
    perhaps the password field) empty. This can be very convenient for
    MS-Explorer users who can just hit return or click directly on the
    OK button; which seems a natural reaction.</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>Anonymous_VerifyEmail</name>
<description>Sets whether to check the password field for a correctly
formatted email address</description>
<syntax>Anonymous_VerifyEmail on|off</syntax>
<default>Anonymous_VerifyEmail off</default>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>When set <code>on</code> the 'password' entered is checked for
    at least one '@' and a '.' to encourage users to enter valid email
    addresses (see the above <directive
    module="mod_authn_anon">Auth_LogEmail</directive>).</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

</modulesynopsis>