Apache Module mod_authn_dbm

This module provides authentication front-ends such as

to authenticate users by looking up users in dbm password files. Similar functionality is provided by modauthbasic

, this module is invoked via the modauthdigest

AuthDBMType default|SDBM|GDBM|NDBM|DB

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 compile-time settings.

It is crucial that whatever program you use to create your password files is configured to use the same type of database.

directive sets the name of a DBM file containing the list of users and passwords for user authentication. File-path is the absolute path to the user file.

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.

Make sure that the AuthDBMUserFile

is stored outside the document tree of the web-server; do not put it in the directory that it protects. Otherwise, clients will be able to download the AuthDBMUserFile

The encrypted password format depends on which authentication frontend (e.g.

) is being used. See modauthdigestPassword Formats for more information.

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.

A perl script called

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 dbmmanage

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Apache HTTP Server Version 2.4