docs/manual/mod/mod_authz_groupfile.xml

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

<name>mod_authz_groupfile</name>
<description>Group authorization using plaintext files</description>
<status>Base</status>
<sourcefile>mod_authz_groupfile.c</sourcefile>
<identifier>authz_groupfile_module</identifier>
<compatibility>Available in Apache 2.1 and later</compatibility>

<summary>
    <p>This module provides authorization capabilities so that
    authenticated users can be allowed or denied access to portions
    of the web site by group membership. Similar functionality is
    provided by <module>mod_authz_dbm</module>.</p>
</summary>

<seealso><directive module="core">Require</directive></seealso>
<seealso><directive module="core">Satisfy</directive></seealso>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>AuthGroupFile</name>
<description>Sets the name of a text file containing the list
of user groups for authentication</description>
<syntax>AuthGroupFile <var>file-path</var></syntax>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>The <directive>AuthGroupFile</directive> directive sets the
    name of a textual file containing the list of user groups for user
    authentication. <var>File-path</var> is the path to the group
    file. If it is not absolute, it is treated as relative to the <directive
    module="core">ServerRoot</directive>.</p>

    <p>Each line of the group file contains a groupname followed by a
    colon, followed by the member usernames separated by spaces.</p>

    <example><title>Example:</title>
      mygroup: bob joe anne
    </example> 

    <p>Note that searching large text files is <em>very</em>
    inefficient; <directive module="mod_authz_dbm"
    >AuthDBMGroupFile</directive> provides a much better performance.</p>

    <note type="warning"><title>Security</title>
      <p>Make sure that the <directive>AuthGroupFile</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 may
      be able to download the <directive>AuthGroupFile</directive>.</p>
    </note>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

<directivesynopsis>
<name>AuthzGroupFileAuthoritative</name>
<description>Sets whether authorization will be passed on to lower level
modules</description>
<syntax>AuthzGroupFileAuthoritative On|Off</syntax>
<default>AuthzGroupFileAuthoritative On</default>
<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>
</contextlist>
<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>
    <p>Setting the <directive>AuthzGroupFileAuthoritative</directive>
    directive explicitly to <code>Off</code> allows for
    group authorization to be passed on to lower level modules (as defined
    in the <code>modules.c</code> files) if there is <strong>no
    group</strong> matching the supplied userID.</p>

    <p>By default, control is not passed on and an unknown group
    will result in an Authentication Required reply. Not
    setting it thus keeps the system secure and forces an NCSA
    compliant behaviour.</p>

    <note type="warning"><title>Security</title>
      <p>Do consider the implications of allowing a user to
      allow fall-through in his <code>.htaccess</code> file; and verify
      that this is really what you want; Generally it is easier to just
      secure a single <code>.htpasswd</code> file, than it is to secure
      a database which might have more access interfaces.</p>
    </note>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>

</modulesynopsis>