Maintaining HTTP service security

Creating and editing httpd.passwd and httpd.group files

About httpd.passwd and httpd.group files

The /etc/httpd.passwd file contains encrypted passwords of users listed in the /etc/httpd.access file. The /etc/httpd.group file contains the group names and the users belonging to those groups.

These files are only required if you are using Basic authentication to authenticate users.

Ways to create the /etc/httpd.passwd file

If you have an HTTP server that uses a user name-password method to authenticate users, copy user IDs and encrypted passwords from it. You must edit the /etc/httpd.passwd file to remove users that you do not want to have access.

If an HTTP server is not available, copy an existing /etc/passwd file from a UNIX server and save it on the filer as the /etc/httpd.passwd file.

Editing the /etc/httpd.passwd file

To edit the /etc/httpd.passwd file, complete the following steps.

Step	Action
1	Open the /etc/httpd.passwd file.
2	Remove the user IDs and encrypted passwords of users that you do not want to have access to the directory you specified in the /etc/httpd.access file.
3	Save the edits.

Ways to create the /etc/httpd.group file

If you have an HTTP server that authenticates groups of users, copy the group names and user IDs from it. You must edit the /etc/httpd.group file to remove groups that you do not want to have access.

If an HTTP server is not available, copy an existing /etc/group file from a UNIX server and save it on the filer as the /etc/httpd.group file.

Editing the /etc/httpd.group file

To edit the /etc/httpd.group file, complete the following steps.

Step	Action
1	Open the /etc/httpd.group file to edit the following line: group_id:user_id [, user_id, ...] The lists are copied in from a server that has a similar list.
2	Add or remove groups and users. Group and user information is listed in the following format: group_id: user_id [user_id ...] group_id is the group name. user_id is the name of each user who belongs to the group.
3	Save the file.

Step

Action

Open the /etc/httpd.group file to edit the following line:

group_id:user_id [, user_id, ...]

The lists are copied in from a server that has a similar list.

Add or remove groups and users.

Group and user information is listed in the following format:

group_id: user_id [user_id ...]

group_id is the group name.

user_id is the name of each user who belongs to the group.

Save the file.