How to access Unix passwd file from Apache when using .htaccess?

Question

Is it possible to use the system passwd file for accessing a protected web page with Apache on Linux? Setting up multiple password files for shell access, Apache and Samba is a pain. If there is a mod for that, it would be handy to know.

Solution 1

mod_auth_external (http://code.google.com/p/mod-auth-external/) can be configured to auth against /etc/shadow

Solution 2

mod_auth_pam

mod_auth_pam is the standard method on most UNIX systems and apache.

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Example:

Configure PAM

Here’s what the /etc/pam.d/httpd looks like (could be different on your distro)

auth required pam_unix.so
auth required pam_unix.so
account required pam_unix.so

Configure Apache

AuthPAM_Enabled on
AllowOverride None
AuthName "secure area"
AuthType "basic"

Solution 3

Is it possible---yes. However, I'm not sure that this is a really good idea from a security standpoint. I thought that there is a lot of information out there saying not to directly link the system passwd information as an authentication source.

Another possibility (with a lot of effort and planning) is to implement LDAP.

Solution 4

Here's a link to a module that works with mod_perl to do exactly what you're asking: Apache-AuthenPasswd-0.12

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Comments

[David Pashley]

How does this work without putting www-data in the shadow group?

[David Pashley]

Oh, it doesn't. FAIL.

[David Pashley]

This is made of WIN. You're running another daemon as root, but it should be simple enough to be sure there's no security problems with it.

[casualcoder]

I would still like to know how to implement LDAP. It seems more difficult than it should be.