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<title>mod_auth_dbm - Apache HTTP Server</title>
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<div id="preamble"><h1>Apache Module mod_auth_dbm</h1>
<table class="module"><tr><th><a href="module-dict.html#Description">Description:</a></th><td>Provides for user authentication using DBM
    files</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="module-dict.html#Status">Status:</a></th><td>Extension</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="module-dict.html#ModuleIdentifier">Module Identifier:</a></th><td>auth_dbm_module</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="module-dict.html#SourceFile">Source File:</a></th><td>mod_auth_dbm.c</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="module-dict.html#Compatibility">Compatibility:</a></th><td>Available only in versions prior to 2.1</td></tr></table>
<h3>Summary</h3>

    <p>This module provides for HTTP Basic Authentication, where
    the usernames and passwords are stored in DBM type database
    files. It is an alternative to the plain text password files
    provided by <code class="module"><a href="../mod/mod_auth.html">mod_auth</a></code>.</p>
</div>
<div id="quickview"><h3 class="directives">Directives</h3>
<ul id="toc">
<li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#authdbmauthoritative">AuthDBMAuthoritative</a></li>
<li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#authdbmgroupfile">AuthDBMGroupFile</a></li>
<li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#authdbmtype">AuthDBMType</a></li>
<li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#authdbmuserfile">AuthDBMUserFile</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>See also</h3>
<ul class="seealso">
<li><code class="directive"><a href="../mod/core.html#authname">AuthName</a></code></li>
<li><code class="directive"><a href="../mod/core.html#authtype">AuthType</a></code></li>
<li><code class="directive"><a href="../mod/core.html#require">Require</a></code></li>
<li><code class="directive"><a href="../mod/core.html#satisfy">Satisfy</a></code></li>
</ul></div>

<div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="directive-section"><h2><a name="AuthDBMAuthoritative" id="AuthDBMAuthoritative">AuthDBMAuthoritative</a> <a name="authdbmauthoritative" id="authdbmauthoritative">Directive</a></h2>
<table class="directive">
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Description">Description:</a></th><td>Sets whether authentication and authorization will be
passwed on to lower level modules</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Syntax">Syntax:</a></th><td><code>AuthDBMAuthoritative On|Off</code></td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Default">Default:</a></th><td><code>AuthDBMAuthoritative On</code></td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Context">Context:</a></th><td>directory, .htaccess</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Override">Override:</a></th><td>AuthConfig</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Status">Status:</a></th><td>Extension</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Module">Module:</a></th><td>mod_auth_dbm</td></tr>
</table>
    <p>Setting the <code class="directive">AuthDBMAuthoritative</code>
    directive explicitly to <code>Off</code> allows for both
    authentication and authorization to be passed on to lower level
    modules (as defined in the <code>modules.c</code> files) if there
    is <strong>no userID</strong> or <strong>rule</strong> matching the
    supplied userID. If there is a userID and/or rule specified; the
    usual password and access checks will be applied and a failure will
    give an "Authentication Required" reply.</p>

    <p>So if a userID appears in the database of more than one module;
    or if a valid <code class="directive"><a href="../mod/core.html#require">Require</a></code>
    directive applies to more than one module; then the first module
    will verify the credentials; and no access is passed on;
    regardless of the <code class="directive">AuthDBMAuthoritative</code>
    setting.</p>

    <p>A common use for this is in conjunction with one of the
    basic auth modules; such as <code class="module"><a href="../mod/mod_auth.html">mod_auth</a></code>. Whereas this
    DBM module supplies the bulk of the user credential checking; a
    few (administrator) related accesses fall through to a lower
    level with a well protected <code>.htpasswd</code> file.</p>

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

    <div class="warning"><h3>Security:</h3>
      <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>
    </div>

</div>
<div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="directive-section"><h2><a name="AuthDBMGroupFile" id="AuthDBMGroupFile">AuthDBMGroupFile</a> <a name="authdbmgroupfile" id="authdbmgroupfile">Directive</a></h2>
<table class="directive">
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Description">Description:</a></th><td>Sets the name of the database file containing the list
of user groups for authentication</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Syntax">Syntax:</a></th><td><code>AuthDBMGroupFile <var>file-path</var></code></td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Context">Context:</a></th><td>directory, .htaccess</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Override">Override:</a></th><td>AuthConfig</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Status">Status:</a></th><td>Extension</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Module">Module:</a></th><td>mod_auth_dbm</td></tr>
</table>
    <p>The <code class="directive">AuthDBMGroupFile</code> directive sets the
    name of a DBM file containing the list of user groups for user
    authentication. <var>File-path</var> is the absolute path to the
    group file.</p>

    <p>The group file is keyed on the username. The value for a
    user is a comma-separated list of the groups to which the users
    belongs. There must be no whitespace within the value, and it
    must never contain any colons.</p>

    <p>Security: make sure that the
    <code class="directive">AuthDBMGroupFile</code> 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 <code class="directive">AuthDBMGroupFile</code> unless
    otherwise protected.</p>

    <p>Combining Group and Password DBM files: In some cases it is
    easier to manage a single database which contains both the
    password and group details for each user. This simplifies any
    support programs that need to be written: they now only have to
    deal with writing to and locking a single DBM file. This can be
    accomplished by first setting the group and password files to
    point to the same DBM:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      AuthDBMGroupFile /www/userbase<br />
      AuthDBMUserFile /www/userbase
    </code></p></div>

    <p>The key for the single DBM is the username. The value consists
    of</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      <var>Unix Crypt-ed Password</var>:<var>List of Groups</var>[:(ignored)]
    </code></p></div>

    <p>The password section contains the encrypted password as before.
    This is followed by a colon and the comma separated list of groups.
    Other data may optionally be left in the DBM file after another colon;
    it is ignored by the authentication module. This is what
    www.telescope.org uses for its combined password and group database.</p>

</div>
<div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="directive-section"><h2><a name="AuthDBMType" id="AuthDBMType">AuthDBMType</a> <a name="authdbmtype" id="authdbmtype">Directive</a></h2>
<table class="directive">
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Description">Description:</a></th><td>Sets the type of database file that is used to
store passwords</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Syntax">Syntax:</a></th><td><code>AuthDBMType default|SDBM|GDBM|NDBM|DB</code></td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Default">Default:</a></th><td><code>AuthDBMType default</code></td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Context">Context:</a></th><td>directory, .htaccess</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Override">Override:</a></th><td>AuthConfig</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Status">Status:</a></th><td>Extension</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Module">Module:</a></th><td>mod_auth_dbm</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Compatibility">Compatibility:</a></th><td>Available in version 2.0.30 and later.</td></tr>
</table>
    <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>

</div>
<div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="directive-section"><h2><a name="AuthDBMUserFile" id="AuthDBMUserFile">AuthDBMUserFile</a> <a name="authdbmuserfile" id="authdbmuserfile">Directive</a></h2>
<table class="directive">
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Description">Description:</a></th><td>Sets thename of a database file containing the list of users and
passwords for authentication</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Syntax">Syntax:</a></th><td><code>AuthDBMUserFile <var>file-path</var></code></td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Context">Context:</a></th><td>directory, .htaccess</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Override">Override:</a></th><td>AuthConfig</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Status">Status:</a></th><td>Extension</td></tr>
<tr><th><a href="directive-dict.html#Module">Module:</a></th><td>mod_auth_dbm</td></tr>
</table>
    <p>The <code class="directive">AuthDBMUserFile</code> 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>

    <div class="warning"><h3>Security:</h3>
      <p>Make sure that the <code class="directive">AuthDBMUserFile</code> 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 <code class="directive">AuthDBMUserFile</code>.</p>
    </div>

    <p>Important compatibility note: The implementation of
    "dbmopen" 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
    <a href="../programs/dbmmanage.html">dbmmanage</a> is included with
    Apache. This program can be used to create and update DBM
    format password files for use with this module.</p>

</div>
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