Newb: Desperately need help to password protect a directory

Newb: Desperately need help to password protect a directory SOLVED

EDIT:

(Please read the whole thread but I hope this is the solution...)

This is simplicity itself. Only took me just over two weeks

I am running Ubuntu server 8.04 LTS, set up with ISPc3.

I need to protect a folder /var/www/lockthisfolder . I want to use Digest authentication.

I created a directory "lockbydigest" in / to contain the htdigest file.

NOTE: Only use the -c flag the first time you create the htdigest file. Otherwise a new one will be created for you and you will lose the details of the existing users you have set up.

Code:

root@mybox:/lockbydigest# htdigest -c digest private myname
Adding password for myname in realm private.
New password: 
Re-type new password: 
root@mybox:/lockbydigest# ls
digest
root@mybox:/lockbydigest# locate lockthisfolder
/var/www/lockthisfolder
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# touch .htaccess
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# ls
pma
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# ls -a
.  ..  .htaccess  pma
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# sudo nano .htaccess
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# /etc/init.d/apache2 restart
 * Restarting web server apache2
   ...done.
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# exit

The /var/www/lockthisfolder/.htaccess file contains:

Code:

AuthType Digest
AuthName "private"
AuthDigestDomain /var/www/lockthisfolder http://www.my.servername.com/lockthisfolder
AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/lockbydigest/digest
Require valid-user

Restart apache

Code:

sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

Be sure to do

Code:

sudo chown root:www-data digest
sudo chmod 640 .htaccess

on the digest file and the .htaccess file.

I think that was all I did! Look through the rest of the thread if something isn't working.

S


Hi,

(Starting this here as it's probably to do with the ISPc3 htaccess file...?)

I urgently need to password protect a directory and seem to be getting things wrong, as usual...

I'm running Ubuntu 8.04 LTS server with ISPc3 running fine.

I need to protect a folder /var/www/lockthisfolder . I want to use Digest authentication.

I created a directory "lockbydigest" in / to contain the htdigest file.

Then I did:

Code:

root@mybox:/lockbydigest# htdigest -c digest private myname
Adding password for myname in realm private.
New password: 
Re-type new password: 
root@mybox:/lockbydigest# ls
digest
root@mybox:/lockbydigest# locate lockthisfolder
/var/www/lockthisfolder
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# touch .htaccess
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# ls
pma
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# ls -a
.  ..  .htaccess  pma
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# sudo nano .htaccess
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# /etc/init.d/apache2 restart
 * Restarting web server apache2
   ...done.
root@mybox:/var/www/lockthisfolder# exit

The /var/www/lockthisfolder/.htaccess file contains:

Code:

<Directory /var/www/lockthisfolder>
        AuthType Digest
        AuthName "Private"
        AuthDigestFile /etc/apache2/lockbydigest/digest
        Require user myname
</Directory>

Why don't I get a username/password challenge when I go to /var/www/lockthisfolder ?

Thanks as always

S

 

did you check that .htaccess directive are read by Apache webserver ?
i am referring to the "AllowOverride" setting directive inside apache httpd.conf

look here:
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/mod/core.html#allowoverride

When this directive is set to "None",
then .htaccess files are completely ignored.

 

prisfeo,

Thanks for chipping in...

ISPc3 relies on Apache directives so I'm sure they must be activated. No?

S

 

yes,
but pay attention that after regular ispconfig3 installation,
if you look inside /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
you'll see this setting:
"AllowOverride None"

and only in /etc/httpd/conf/sites-available/www.yoursite.com.vhost apache config files there is:
"AllowOverride All"

that "enables" .htaccess "looking" by apache.
so that, check if your "/var/www/lockthisfolder"
is configured inside a httpd virtual host with that AllowOverride setting.

i mean the following:

<Directory /var/www/lockthisfolder>
AllowOverride All
.....
.....
</Directory>

 

prisfeo,

I'm not quite following...

Do you mean that the .htacess file inside /var/www/lockthisfolder should look like this?:

Code:

<Directory /var/www/lockthisfolder>
        AllowOverride All
        AuthType Digest
        AuthName "Private"
        AuthDigestFile /etc/apache2/lockbydigest/digest
        Require user myname
</Directory>

S

 

no.
...
as told before, i mean you have to check the apache configuration,
that is related to the "/var/www/lockthisfolder" folder.
is that folder configured inside a virtual host config file ?
if yes, check that configuration..
it's that configuration that must have inside the "Directory" directive
the "AllowOverride All" statement.
i hope to have explained better..(unfortunately i am not english)

 

How do I know which file that is? I'm guessing it must be tha main /etc/apache2/httpd.conf file...?

I'm guessing not... It's outside the ISPc3 structure, in the root of the /www directory.

My /etc/apache2/httpd.conf file is completely empty. Is that the relevant file? How should it look?

Code:

<Directory /var/www/lockthisfolder>
        AllowOverride All
</Directory>

?

No problem! I'm grateful for your help.

S

 

uhmm..if you tellin that above..i think your apache httpd.conf is not located
like mine (i use Centos) cause it cannot be empty..in Ubuntu maybe
located in /usr/local/apache2 ?
you can do the following find command inside terminal:

find / -iname 'httpd.conf'

mine is located at:
/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

and it's not empty..but it has the "AllowOverride" directive
set to "None" since are the virtual host apache config files that
tune the per-site configurations.(as said before)
..
if you are telling that your folder is "out of the ispc3 struct"
so when you have find the "non-empty" httpd.conf
edit it, and find lines with "AllowOverride" directive
and try to set them to "All"

and after editing do an "apachectl restart"
a try to see if it works as expected

 

I only seem to have one httpd.conf file, /etc/apache2/httpd.conf, and it's definitely empty.

Is this an Ubuntu quirk?

Is there another file which could do the same job?

Does it have another name in Ubuntu perhaps?

S

 

maybe /etc/apache2/apache2.conf ? (for debian ...)

 

Yoplait,

This is my apache2.conf file:

Code:

#
# Based upon the NCSA server configuration files originally by Rob McCool.
#
# This is the main Apache server configuration file.  It contains the
# configuration directives that give the server its instructions.
# See http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/ for detailed information about
# the directives.
#
# Do NOT simply read the instructions in here without understanding
# what they do.  They're here only as hints or reminders.  If you are unsure
# consult the online docs. You have been warned.  
#
# The configuration directives are grouped into three basic sections:
#  1. Directives that control the operation of the Apache server process as a
#     whole (the 'global environment').
#  2. Directives that define the parameters of the 'main' or 'default' server,
#     which responds to requests that aren't handled by a virtual host.
#     These directives also provide default values for the settings
#     of all virtual hosts.
#  3. Settings for virtual hosts, which allow Web requests to be sent to
#     different IP addresses or hostnames and have them handled by the
#     same Apache server process.
#
# Configuration and logfile names: If the filenames you specify for many
# of the server's control files begin with "/" (or "drive:/" for Win32), the
# server will use that explicit path.  If the filenames do *not* begin
# with "/", the value of ServerRoot is prepended -- so "/var/log/apache2/foo.log"
# with ServerRoot set to "" will be interpreted by the
# server as "//var/log/apache2/foo.log".
#

### Section 1: Global Environment
#
# The directives in this section affect the overall operation of Apache,
# such as the number of concurrent requests it can handle or where it
# can find its configuration files.
#

#
# ServerRoot: The top of the directory tree under which the server's
# configuration, error, and log files are kept.
#
# NOTE!  If you intend to place this on an NFS (or otherwise network)
# mounted filesystem then please read the LockFile documentation (available
# at <URL:http://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.1/mod/mpm_common.html#lockfile>);
# you will save yourself a lot of trouble.
#
# Do NOT add a slash at the end of the directory path.
#
ServerRoot "/etc/apache2"

#
# The accept serialization lock file MUST BE STORED ON A LOCAL DISK.
#
#<IfModule !mpm_winnt.c>
#<IfModule !mpm_netware.c>
LockFile /var/lock/apache2/accept.lock
#</IfModule>
#</IfModule>

#
# PidFile: The file in which the server should record its process
# identification number when it starts.
# This needs to be set in /etc/apache2/envvars
#
PidFile ${APACHE_PID_FILE}

#
# Timeout: The number of seconds before receives and sends time out.
#
Timeout 300

#
# KeepAlive: Whether or not to allow persistent connections (more than
# one request per connection). Set to "Off" to deactivate.
#
KeepAlive On

#
# MaxKeepAliveRequests: The maximum number of requests to allow
# during a persistent connection. Set to 0 to allow an unlimited amount.
# We recommend you leave this number high, for maximum performance.
#
MaxKeepAliveRequests 100

#
# KeepAliveTimeout: Number of seconds to wait for the next request from the
# same client on the same connection.
#
KeepAliveTimeout 15

##
## Server-Pool Size Regulation (MPM specific)
## 

# prefork MPM
# StartServers: number of server processes to start
# MinSpareServers: minimum number of server processes which are kept spare
# MaxSpareServers: maximum number of server processes which are kept spare
# MaxClients: maximum number of server processes allowed to start
# MaxRequestsPerChild: maximum number of requests a server process serves
<IfModule mpm_prefork_module>
    StartServers          5
    MinSpareServers       5
    MaxSpareServers      10
    MaxClients          150
    MaxRequestsPerChild   0
</IfModule>

# worker MPM
# StartServers: initial number of server processes to start
# MaxClients: maximum number of simultaneous client connections
# MinSpareThreads: minimum number of worker threads which are kept spare
# MaxSpareThreads: maximum number of worker threads which are kept spare
# ThreadsPerChild: constant number of worker threads in each server process
# MaxRequestsPerChild: maximum number of requests a server process serves
<IfModule mpm_worker_module>
    StartServers          2
    MaxClients          150
    MinSpareThreads      25
    MaxSpareThreads      75 
    ThreadsPerChild      25
    MaxRequestsPerChild   0
</IfModule>

# These need to be set in /etc/apache2/envvars
User ${APACHE_RUN_USER}
Group ${APACHE_RUN_GROUP}

#
# AccessFileName: The name of the file to look for in each directory
# for additional configuration directives.  See also the AllowOverride
# directive.
#

AccessFileName .htaccess

#
# The following lines prevent .htaccess and .htpasswd files from being 
# viewed by Web clients. 
#
<Files ~ "^\.ht">
    Order allow,deny
    Deny from all
</Files>

#
# DefaultType is the default MIME type the server will use for a document
# if it cannot otherwise determine one, such as from filename extensions.
# If your server contains mostly text or HTML documents, "text/plain" is
# a good value.  If most of your content is binary, such as applications
# or images, you may want to use "application/octet-stream" instead to
# keep browsers from trying to display binary files as though they are
# text.
#
DefaultType text/plain


#
# HostnameLookups: Log the names of clients or just their IP addresses
# e.g., www.apache.org (on) or 204.62.129.132 (off).
# The default is off because it'd be overall better for the net if people
# had to knowingly turn this feature on, since enabling it means that
# each client request will result in AT LEAST one lookup request to the
# nameserver.
#
HostnameLookups Off

# ErrorLog: The location of the error log file.
# If you do not specify an ErrorLog directive within a <VirtualHost>
# container, error messages relating to that virtual host will be
# logged here.  If you *do* define an error logfile for a <VirtualHost>
# container, that host's errors will be logged there and not here.
#
ErrorLog /var/log/apache2/error.log

#
# LogLevel: Control the number of messages logged to the error_log.
# Possible values include: debug, info, notice, warn, error, crit,
# alert, emerg.
#
LogLevel warn

# Include module configuration:
Include /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/*.load
Include /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/*.conf

# Include all the user configurations:
Include /etc/apache2/httpd.conf

# Include ports listing
Include /etc/apache2/ports.conf

#
# The following directives define some format nicknames for use with
# a CustomLog directive (see below).
# If you are behind a reverse proxy, you might want to change %h into %{X-Forwarded-For}i
#
LogFormat "%h %l %u %t \"%r\" %>s %b \"%{Referer}i\" \"%{User-Agent}i\"" combined
LogFormat "%h %l %u %t \"%r\" %>s %b" common
LogFormat "%{Referer}i -> %U" referer
LogFormat "%{User-agent}i" agent

#
# ServerTokens
# This directive configures what you return as the Server HTTP response
# Header. The default is 'Full' which sends information about the OS-Type
# and compiled in modules.
# Set to one of:  Full | OS | Minor | Minimal | Major | Prod
# where Full conveys the most information, and Prod the least.
#
ServerTokens Full

#
# Optionally add a line containing the server version and virtual host
# name to server-generated pages (internal error documents, FTP directory 
# listings, mod_status and mod_info output etc., but not CGI generated 
# documents or custom error documents).
# Set to "EMail" to also include a mailto: link to the ServerAdmin.
# Set to one of:  On | Off | EMail
#
ServerSignature On



#
# Customizable error responses come in three flavors:
# 1) plain text 2) local redirects 3) external redirects
#
# Some examples:
#ErrorDocument 500 "The server made a boo boo."
#ErrorDocument 404 /missing.html
#ErrorDocument 404 "/cgi-bin/missing_handler.pl"
#ErrorDocument 402 http://www.example.com/subscription_info.html
#

#
# Putting this all together, we can internationalize error responses.
#
# We use Alias to redirect any /error/HTTP_<error>.html.var response to
# our collection of by-error message multi-language collections.  We use 
# includes to substitute the appropriate text.
#
# You can modify the messages' appearance without changing any of the
# default HTTP_<error>.html.var files by adding the line:
#
#   Alias /error/include/ "/your/include/path/"
#
# which allows you to create your own set of files by starting with the
# /usr/share/apache2/error/include/ files and copying them to /your/include/path/, 
# even on a per-VirtualHost basis.  The default include files will display
# your Apache version number and your ServerAdmin email address regardless
# of the setting of ServerSignature.
#
# The internationalized error documents require mod_alias, mod_include
# and mod_negotiation.  To activate them, uncomment the following 30 lines.

#    Alias /error/ "/usr/share/apache2/error/"
#
#    <Directory "/usr/share/apache2/error">
#        AllowOverride None
#        Options IncludesNoExec
#        AddOutputFilter Includes html
#        AddHandler type-map var
#        Order allow,deny
#        Allow from all
#        LanguagePriority en cs de es fr it nl sv pt-br ro
#        ForceLanguagePriority Prefer Fallback
#    </Directory>
#
#    ErrorDocument 400 /error/HTTP_BAD_REQUEST.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 401 /error/HTTP_UNAUTHORIZED.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 403 /error/HTTP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 404 /error/HTTP_NOT_FOUND.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 405 /error/HTTP_METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 408 /error/HTTP_REQUEST_TIME_OUT.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 410 /error/HTTP_GONE.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 411 /error/HTTP_LENGTH_REQUIRED.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 412 /error/HTTP_PRECONDITION_FAILED.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 413 /error/HTTP_REQUEST_ENTITY_TOO_LARGE.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 414 /error/HTTP_REQUEST_URI_TOO_LARGE.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 415 /error/HTTP_UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 500 /error/HTTP_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 501 /error/HTTP_NOT_IMPLEMENTED.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 502 /error/HTTP_BAD_GATEWAY.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 503 /error/HTTP_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE.html.var
#    ErrorDocument 506 /error/HTTP_VARIANT_ALSO_VARIES.html.var



# Include of directories ignores editors' and dpkg's backup files,
# see README.Debian for details.

# Include generic snippets of statements
Include /etc/apache2/conf.d/

# Include the virtual host configurations:
Include /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/

Do I just add

Code:

<Directory /var/www/lockthisfolder>
        AllowOverride All
</Directory>

to the end of that file?

Edit: No, I get a 500 internal server error...

S

 

hi S..

strange it lacks the "DocumentRoot" and std "AllowOverride" settings..but i think are here (in those folders are extra config. settings as told above):

..
however, related to your try:

try with quotes:

<Directory "/var/www/lockthisfolder">
AllowOverride All
</Directory>

(always restart apache after)

 

prisfeo

The DocumentRoot entry is near the beginning, under Global Environment...

I still get the same 500 Internal Server error.

Does the

AllowOverride All

directive need to go in a particular place in the document perhaps?

S

 

To protect a directory the only thing you have to do is:

Within the directory /web, you can create a .htaccess file with the following content:

Code:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Members Only"
AuthUserFile /var/www/www.example.com/directoryname/.htpasswd
<limit GET PUT POST>
require valid-user
</limit>

After that you must create a password file (in this example for the user admin):

Code:

htpasswd -c /var/www/www.example.com/directoryname/.htpasswd admin

That's it, but make sure that .htaccess files are allowed on your system.

 

Hans,

Thanks for your time...

Isn't that basically what I did though? Except that I want to use Digest authentication for some extra security...?

S

 

sorry S, but in the apache2.conf code you posted i cannot see any
"DocumentRoot" entry..
however it's strange that 500 error..apache have to manage that directive..
here a portion of my http.conf with those directives:

Code:

#
# DocumentRoot: The directory out of which you will serve your
# documents. By default, all requests are taken from this directory, but
# symbolic links and aliases may be used to point to other locations.
#
DocumentRoot "/var/www/html"

#
# Each directory to which Apache has access can be configured with respect
# to which services and features are allowed and/or disabled in that
# directory (and its subdirectories).
#
# First, we configure the "default" to be a very restrictive set of
# features.
#
<Directory />
    Options FollowSymLinks
    AllowOverride None
</Directory>

#
# Note that from this point forward you must specifically allow
# particular features to be enabled - so if something's not working as
# you might expect, make sure that you have specifically enabled it
# below.
#

#
# This should be changed to whatever you set DocumentRoot to.
#
<Directory "/var/www/html">

#
# Possible values for the Options directive are "None", "All",
# or any combination of:
#   Indexes Includes FollowSymLinks SymLinksifOwnerMatch ExecCGI MultiViews
#
# Note that "MultiViews" must be named *explicitly* --- "Options All"
# doesn't give it to you.
#
# The Options directive is both complicated and important.  Please see
# http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/core.html#options
# for more information.
#
    Options Indexes FollowSymLinks

#
# AllowOverride controls what directives may be placed in .htaccess files.
# It can be "All", "None", or any combination of the keywords:
#   Options FileInfo AuthConfig Limit
#
    AllowOverride None

#
# Controls who can get stuff from this server.
#
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from all

</Directory>

------------------------
hu i think i know why "500" error!!
put again the

<Directory "/var/www/lockthisfolder">
AllowOverride All
</Directory>

in your apache conf file..
but the error is not generated from it,
but from the .htaccess syntax or commands..that now are read !
..
try temporarily to put only this code inside .htaccess file:

<Limit GET>
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
</Limit>

and after try to browse with your browser to that folder,
you should get a "forbidden access"
and it means .htaccess is correctly read by apache
so you have to find correct syntax/commands to protect the folder

 

Sorry... I was looking at 'ServerRoot", not "DocumentRoot". I can't see DocumentRoot either.

I'm thinking the fact that I have installed ISPc3 is confusing the situation...?

Ok, I *do* get a 'forbidden' error now!

Any guesses as to what I should put in there?

S

 

OK ! so now it's normal behaviour since apache manage your .htaccess files;

about that..try to follow Hans tips..
or read here:

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/howto/auth.html
you should make it work..

 

I had the same problem, and I had resolved it with your tips.

Thanks for your help, it works great for me .

 

prisfeo,

I can't relate Hans' suggestion as it's using Basic authentication. I want to use Digest Authentication.

I have tried to follow the page behind the link you made but nothing seems to work.

It's *definitely* just the content of the .htaccess file which is the problem, yes?

S