[clug-talk] Apache web server with cgi / perl scipts

[Shawn]

if you just want a password protected directory, why not just use htpasswd?

You would first set up a password file:

htpasswd -c /path/to/password_file myuser

Enter the passwords.  These are encrypted and stored in the specified 
file.  (NOTE:  the -c means to create, so only use -c for the first user).

Any user can enter this command (sans the -c parameter), as long as they 
can write to the password file.  The password file should be readable by 
the web service account too.  So, you can control who can modify the 
file with simple file permissions.

Next, you modify your Apache config a little to indicate it should be 
using passwords.  I add the following to my vhosts files:

<Directory /path/to/my/secure/folder>
     AuthType Basic
     AuthName "My Authentication Realm"
     ## Modify the path to match that used in the htpasswd command
     AuthUserFile /home/svn/project1/.htpasswd
     Require valid-user
</Directory>

The AuthType and related directives can be placed at server, vhost, 
directory, and or Location levels.

Once that is done, reload the apache config with
   /etc/init.d/apache2 reload  (or similar depending on distro)

And you are done.  Accessing the server/vhost/directory/location will 
now require a password.

I tend to prefer this method because it is part of Apache and requires 
no extra processes (like Perl).  It is simple, and flexible.  If you 
want htdigest authentication instead, it's only a slight change.  With a 
little tweaking and understanding of the Apache config directives 
(and/or modules), you can even authenticate against Active Directory 
servers with a similar set up (though that IS a little more complex).

Anyways, glad you got your problem beat.  Perhaps this is an alternative.

Shawn


Gustin Johnson wrote:
> <snip>
>> perhaps there is another solution to this problem.  What I am attempting
>> to do, is to create a secure section of the web site (password
>> required)  If anyone can suggest another non-perl program that will
>> allow an authorized person to add or remove users, and allow the user to
>> retrieve / change their information as needed, let me know about it and
>> I will give it a try.