2.4.x/docs/manual/mod/mod_authn_dbm.xml

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<modulesynopsis metafile="mod_authn_dbm.xml.meta">

<name>mod_authn_dbm</name>
<description>User authentication using DBM files</description>
<status>Extension</status>
<sourcefile>mod_authn_dbm.c</sourcefile>
<identifier>authn_dbm_module</identifier>
<compatibility>Available in Apache 2.1 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 <dfn>dbm</dfn> password
    files. Similar functionality is provided by
    <module>mod_authn_file</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 <code>dbm</code> value.</p>
</summary>

<seealso><directive module="mod_authn_core">AuthName</directive></seealso>
<seealso><directive module="mod_authn_core">AuthType</directive></seealso>
<seealso>
  <directive module="mod_auth_basic">AuthBasicProvider</directive>
</seealso>
<seealso>
  <directive module="mod_auth_digest">AuthDigestProvider</directive>
</seealso>
<seealso><program>htpasswd</program></seealso>
<seealso><program>htdbm</program></seealso>
<seealso><a href="../misc/password_encryptions.html">Password Formats</a></seealso>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>AuthDBMUserFile</name>
<description>Sets the name of a database file containing the list of users and
passwords for authentication</description>
<syntax>AuthDBMUserFile <var>file-path</var></syntax>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>The <directive>AuthDBMUserFile</directive> directive sets the
    name of a DBM file containing the list of users and passwords for
    user authentication. <var>File-path</var> is the absolute path to
    the user file.</p>

    <p>The user file is keyed on the username. The value for a user is
    the encrypted password, optionally followed by a colon and arbitrary
    data. The colon and the data following it will be ignored by the
    server.</p>

    <note type="warning"><title>Security:</title>
      <p>Make sure that the <directive>AuthDBMUserFile</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>AuthDBMUserFile</directive>.</p>
    </note>

    <p>The encrypted password format depends on which authentication
    frontend (e.g. <module>mod_auth_basic</module> or
    <module>mod_auth_digest</module>) is being used.  See <a
    href="../misc/password_encryptions.html">Password Formats</a> for
    more information.</p>

    <p>Important compatibility note: The implementation of
    <code>dbmopen</code> in the Apache modules reads the string length of
    the hashed values from the DBM data structures, rather than relying
    upon the string being NULL-appended. Some applications, such as
    the Netscape web server, rely upon the string being
    NULL-appended, so if you are having trouble using DBM files
    interchangeably between applications this may be a part of the
    problem.</p>

    <p>A perl script called
    <program>dbmmanage</program> is included with
    Apache. This program can be used to create and update DBM
    format password files for use with this module. Another
    tool for maintaining the DBM files is the included program
    <program>htdbm</program>.</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>AuthDBMType</name>
<description>Sets the type of database file that is used to
store passwords</description>
<syntax>AuthDBMType default|SDBM|GDBM|NDBM|DB</syntax>
<default>AuthDBMType default</default>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>Sets the type of database file that is used to store the passwords.
    The default database type is determined at compile time. The
    availability of other types of database files also depends on
    <a href="../programs/configure.html#options">compile-time settings</a>.</p>

    <p>For example, in order to enable the support for Berkeley DB
    (correspondent to the <code>db</code> type) the
    <code>--with-berkeley-db</code> option needs to be added to httpd's
    configure to generate the necessary DSO.</p>

    <p>It is crucial that whatever program you use to create your password
    files is configured to use the same type of database.</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

</modulesynopsis>