Apache Webserver Basic Authentication using htpasswd

Overview

To Secure the Apache  Virtualhost (or) a particular document root /directory.  We can use this Basic Auth mechanism.

When the user is trying to access the resource from the directory. User will be prompted  for Authentication.

Step1

Create a Password file with username and password entry using htpasswd  tool. Available at apache bin directory.

This is how the users file looks like by default the password entered will be  encrypted using MD5 algorithm

Step2

Make configuration changes in httpd.conf  file.

Under the Directory module that you want to apply BasicAuth secuirty

Add the below lines

AuthType Basic

AuthName sarasoftaccess

AuthUserFile bin/users

Require valid-user

DirectoryIndex index.html

Allow from all

This is how our configuration looks like

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<VirtualHost *:80>     ServerAdmin sarasoft@live.com     DocumentRoot J:/www/sarasoft/staticfiles/     ServerName sarasoft.com     ErrorLog logs/sarasoft-error.log     CustomLog logs/sarasoft-access.log common       </VirtualHost> <Directory  /> AuthType Basic AuthName sarasoftaccess AuthUserFile bin/users Require valid-user DirectoryIndex index.html Allow from all </Directory> <Directory  J:/www/sarasoft/staticfiles/> AuthType Basic AuthName sarasoftaccess AuthUserFile bin/users Require valid-user DirectoryIndex index.html Allow from all </Directory>

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin sarasoft@live.com
    DocumentRoot J:/www/sarasoft/staticfiles/
    ServerName sarasoft.com
    ErrorLog logs/sarasoft-error.log
    CustomLog logs/sarasoft-access.log common
    
</VirtualHost>

<Directory  />
AuthType Basic
AuthName sarasoftaccess
AuthUserFile bin/users
Require valid-user
DirectoryIndex index.html
Allow from all
</Directory>

<Directory  J:/www/sarasoft/staticfiles/>
AuthType Basic
AuthName sarasoftaccess
AuthUserFile bin/users
Require valid-user
DirectoryIndex index.html
Allow from all
</Directory>

Here we are enabling security for both  ROOT directory and Our Site's Document Root.

Step3

Restart the Web server and  Test it using the URL

http://localhost

Now you will be prompted for the password. 

When you enter the correct password that you have saved at step1. You will be  able to see the page.