Apache HTTP Server Version 2.0
Apache HTTP Server Version 2.0
This document refers to the 2.0 version of Apache httpd, which is no longer maintained. Upgrade, and refer to the current version of httpd instead, documented at:
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| Description: | Allows "anonymous" user access to authenticated areas |
|---|---|
| Status: | Extension |
| Module Identifier: | auth_anon_module |
| Source File: | mod_auth_anon.c |
| Compatibility: | Available only in versions prior to 2.1 |
This module does access control in a manner similar to anonymous-ftp sites; i.e. have a 'magic' user id 'anonymous' and the email address as a password. These email addresses can be logged.
Combined with other (database) access control methods, this allows for effective user tracking and customization according to a user profile while still keeping the site open for 'unregistered' users. One advantage of using Auth-based user tracking is that, unlike magic-cookies and funny URL pre/postfixes, it is completely browser independent and it allows users to share URLs.
Anonymous Anonymous_Authoritative Anonymous_LogEmail Anonymous_MustGiveEmail Anonymous_NoUserID Anonymous_VerifyEmail
The example below (when combined with the Auth directives of a htpasswd-file based (or GDM, mSQL etc.) base access control system allows users in as 'guests' with the following properties:
Anonymous_NoUserID)Anonymous_MustGiveEmail)Anonymous_VerifyEmail)anonymous guest www test
welcome and comparison is not case
sensitive. (Anonymous)Anonymous_LogEmail)
Anonymous_NoUserID off
Anonymous_MustGiveEmail on
Anonymous_VerifyEmail on
Anonymous_LogEmail on
Anonymous anonymous guest www test welcome
AuthName "Use 'anonymous' & Email address for guest entry"
AuthType basic
# An
AuthUserFile/AuthDBUserFile/AuthDBMUserFile
# directive must be specified, or use
# Anonymous_Authoritative for public access.
# In the .htaccess for the public directory, add:
<Files *>
Order Deny,Allow
Allow from all
Require valid-user
</Files>
| Description: | Specifies userIDs that are allowed access without password verification |
|---|---|
| Syntax: | Anonymous user [user] ... |
| Context: | directory, .htaccess |
| Override: | AuthConfig |
| Status: | Extension |
| Module: | mod_auth_anon |
A list of one or more 'magic' userIDs which are allowed access without password verification. The userIDs are space separated. It is possible to use the ' and " quotes to allow a space in a userID as well as the \ escape character.
Please note that the comparison is
case-IN-sensitive.
I strongly suggest that the magic username
'anonymous' is always one of the allowed
userIDs.
Anonymous anonymous "Not Registered" "I don't know"
This would allow the user to enter without password verification by using the userIDs "anonymous", "AnonyMous", "Not Registered" and "I Don't Know".
| Description: | Configures if authorization will fall-through to other methods |
|---|---|
| Syntax: | Anonymous_Authoritative On|Off |
| Default: | Anonymous_Authoritative Off |
| Context: | directory, .htaccess |
| Override: | AuthConfig |
| Status: | Extension |
| Module: | mod_auth_anon |
When set On, there is no fall-through to other
authentication methods. So if a userID does not match the values
specified in the Anonymous
directive, access is denied.
Be sure you know what you are doing when you decide to switch it on. And remember that the order in which the Authentication modules are queried is defined in the modules.c files at compile time.
| Description: | Sets whether the password entered will be logged in the error log |
|---|---|
| Syntax: | Anonymous_LogEmail On|Off |
| Default: | Anonymous_LogEmail On |
| Context: | directory, .htaccess |
| Override: | AuthConfig |
| Status: | Extension |
| Module: | mod_auth_anon |
When set On, the default, the 'password' entered
(which hopefully contains a sensible email address) is logged in
the error log.
| Description: | Specifies whether blank passwords are allowed |
|---|---|
| Syntax: | Anonymous_MustGiveEmail On|Off |
| Default: | Anonymous_MustGiveEmail On |
| Context: | directory, .htaccess |
| Override: | AuthConfig |
| Status: | Extension |
| Module: | mod_auth_anon |
Specifies whether the user must specify an email address as the password. This prohibits blank passwords.
| Description: | Sets whether the userID field may be empty |
|---|---|
| Syntax: | Anonymous_NoUserID On|Off |
| Default: | Anonymous_NoUserID Off |
| Context: | directory, .htaccess |
| Override: | AuthConfig |
| Status: | Extension |
| Module: | mod_auth_anon |
When set On, users can leave the userID (and
perhaps the password field) empty. This can be very convenient for
MS-Explorer users who can just hit return or click directly on the
OK button; which seems a natural reaction.
| Description: | Sets whether to check the password field for a correctly formatted email address |
|---|---|
| Syntax: | Anonymous_VerifyEmail On|Off |
| Default: | Anonymous_VerifyEmail Off |
| Context: | directory, .htaccess |
| Override: | AuthConfig |
| Status: | Extension |
| Module: | mod_auth_anon |
When set On the 'password' entered is checked for
at least one '@' and a '.' to encourage users to enter valid email
addresses (see the above Anonymous_LogEmail).