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<modulesynopsis>

<name>mod_authn_file</name>

<description>User authentication using text files</description>

<status>Base</status>

<sourcefile>mod_authn_file.c</sourcefile>

<identifier>authn_file_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 plain text password files.

Similar functionality is provided by <module>mod_authn_dbm</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>file</code> value.</p>

</summary>

<seealso>

<directive module="mod_auth_basic">AuthBasicProvider</directive>

</seealso>

<seealso>

<directive module="mod_auth_digest">AuthDigestProvider</directive>

</seealso>

<seealso><a href="/programs/htpasswd.html">htpasswd</a></seealso>

<seealso><a href="/programs/htdigest.html">htdigest</a></seealso>

<directivesynopsis>

<name>AuthUserFile</name>

<description>Sets the name of a text file containing the list of users and

passwords for authentication</description>

<syntax>AuthUserFile <var>file-path</var></syntax>

<contextlist><context>directory</context><context>.htaccess</context>

</contextlist>

<override>AuthConfig</override>

<usage>

<p>The <directive>AuthUserFile</directive> directive sets the name

of a textual file containing the list of users and passwords for

user authentication. <var>File-path</var> is the path to the user

file. If it is not absolute, it is treated as relative to the

<directive module="core">ServerRoot</directive>.</p>

<p>Each line of the user file contains a username followed by

a colon, followed by the encrypted password. If the same user

ID is defined multiple times, <module>mod_authn_file</module> will

use the first occurrence to verify the password.</p>

<p>The utility <a href="/programs/htpasswd.html">htpasswd</a>

which is installed as part of the binary distribution, or which

can be found in <code>src/support</code>, is used to maintain

the password file for <em>HTTP Basic Authentication</em>. See the

<a href="/programs/htpasswd.html">man page</a> for more details.

In short:</p>

<p>Create a password file <code>Filename</code> with

<code>username</code> as the initial ID. It will prompt for

the password:</p>

<example>

htpasswd -c Filename username

</example>

<p>Add or modify <code>username2</code> in the password file

<code>Filename</code>:</p>

<example>

htpasswd Filename username2

</example>

<p>Note that searching large text files is <em>very</em>

inefficient; <directive

module="mod_authn_dbm">AuthDBMUserFile</directive> should be used

instead.</p>

<p>If you are using <em>HTTP Digest Authentication</em>, the <a

href="/programs/htpasswd.html">htpasswd</a> tool is not sufficient.

You have to use <a href="/programs/htdigest.html">htdigest</a>

instead. Note that you cannot mix user data for Digest Authentication

and Basic Authentication within the same file.</p>

<note type="warning"><title>Security</title>

<p>Make sure that the <directive>AuthUserFile</directive> is

stored outside the document tree of the web-server. Do

<strong>not</strong> put it in the directory that it protects.

Otherwise, clients may be able to download the

<directive>AuthUserFile</directive>.</p>

</note>

</usage>

</directivesynopsis>

</modulesynopsis>