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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>

<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="/install.html#dbm">compile-time settings</a>.</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>