docs/manual/mod/mod_authn_file.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE modulesynopsis SYSTEM "../style/modulesynopsis.dtd">
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../style/manual.en.xsl"?>
<modulesynopsis>

<name>mod_authn_file</name>
<description>User authentication using text files</description>
<status>Base</status>
<sourcefile>mod_authn_file.c</sourcefile>
<identifier>authn_file_module</identifier>
<compatibility>Available in Apache 2.0.44 and later</compatibility>

<summary>

    <p>This module provides authentication front-ends such as
    <module>mod_auth_digest</module> and <module>mod_auth_basic</module>
    to authenticate users by looking up users in plain text password files.
    Similar functionality is provided by <module>mod_authn_dbm</module>.</p>

    <p>When using <module>mod_auth_basic</module> or
    <module>mod_auth_digest</module>, this module is invoked via the
    <directive module="mod_auth_basic">AuthBasicProvider</directive> or
    <directive module="mod_auth_digest">AuthDigestProvider</directive>
    with the 'file' value.</p>

</summary>
<seealso><directive module="core">AuthName</directive></seealso>
<seealso><directive module="core">AuthType</directive></seealso>
<seealso>
  <directive module="mod_auth_basic">AuthBasicProvider</directive>
</seealso>
<seealso>
  <directive module="mod_auth_digest">AuthDigestProvider</directive>
</seealso>
 
<directivesynopsis>
<name>AuthUserFile</name>
<description>Sets the name of a text file containing the list of users and
passwords for authentication</description>
<syntax>AuthUserFile <em>file-path</em></syntax>
<contextlist>
  <context>directory</context>
  <context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>The <directive>AuthUserFile</directive> directive sets the name
    of a textual file containing the list of users and passwords for
    user authentication. <em>File-path</em> is the path to the user
    file. If it is not absolute (<em>i.e.</em>, if it doesn't begin
    with a slash), it is treated as relative to the <directive
    module="core">ServerRoot</directive>.</p>

    <p>Each line of the user file contains a username followed by
    a colon, followed by the <code>crypt()</code> encrypted
    password. The behavior of multiple occurrences of the same user is
    undefined.</p>

    <p>The utility <a href="../programs/htpasswd.html">htpasswd</a>
    which is installed as part of the binary distribution, or which
    can be found in <code>src/support</code>, is used to maintain
    this password file. See the <code>man</code> page for more
    details. In short:</p>

    <p>Create a password file 'Filename' with 'username' as the
    initial ID. It will prompt for the password:</p>
    <example>htpasswd -c Filename username</example>

    <p>Add or modify 'username2' in the password file 'Filename':</p>
    <example>htpasswd Filename username2</example>

    <p>Note that searching large text files is <em>very</em>
    inefficient; <directive
    module="mod_authn_dbm">AuthDBMUserFile</directive> should be used
    instead.</p>

    <note><title>Security</title>
    <p>Make sure that the <directive>AuthUserFile</directive> is
	stored outside the document tree of the web-server; do <em>not</em>
	put it in the directory that it protects. Otherwise, clients will
	be able to download the <directive>AuthUserFile</directive>.</p>
    </note>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

</modulesynopsis>