A password protected directory

This file is accessible only to user santa with password red-nosed or user rudolph with password NorthPole

Here is what the index file for this directory looks like

Authorization-realm=example@localhost
Authorization-module=/usr/lib/cgi-bin/wn/wnauth -P "wnpasswd"
Authorization-type=basic
Default-attributes=non-cacheable
File=index.html

The realm lets the client know that the same user/password pair is valid for any other directory with the same realm. The Authorization-module line specifies that we are using the module authwn which comes as part of the WN package. The -P option indicates that the next argument is the name of the password file we are using. (A DBM data base can also be used). You can also control access by "groups".

Finally all documents in this directory, being password protected, should not be cached so we give the directory the default attribute non-cacheable. This is done for security reasons on the client as not all clients adequately protect the documents they cache.

You can look at the User's Guide section on authentication for more information about password protecting documents under WN.

John Franks john@math.nwu.edu