ComputerSecurityStudent (CSS) [Login] [Join Now]




|UNIX >> Fedora >> Current Page |Views: 15394

(Fedora: Lesson 10)

{ Securing a directory with Apache's htpasswd }


Section 0. Background Information
  • What is the Apache's htpasswd?
    • htpasswd is used to create and update the flat-files used to store usernames and password for basic authentication of HTTP users.
    • htpasswd encrypts passwords using either a version of MD5 modified for Apache, or the system's crypt() routine. Files managed by htpasswd may contain both types of passwords; some user records may have MD5-encrypted passwords while others in the same file may have passwords encrypted with crypt().
    • For more information on htpaswd, please click here.

 

Section 1. Play Virtual Machine
  1. Play virtual machine. (See Below)

     

Section 2. Login to your Fedora14 server.
  1. Login As student

     

  2. Start Up A Terminal.
    • Applications --> System Tools --> Terminal

     

  3. Switch User to root
    • Command: su - root

 

Section 3. Make a backup of the Apache Configuration File httpd.conf
  1. Backup /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
    • Command: cp /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf.BKP
    • Command: ls -l /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf*
    • Note: Before working on any configuration file, it is always a good idea to make a backup, just encase you screw things up. 

 

Section 4. Creating a secure directory
  1. Let's create a secure directory
    • Command: cd /var/www/html
      • Change directory to /var/www/html, which is typically your base or root html path for Fedora.
    • Command: mkdir area51
      • Make a directory called area51
    • Command: chown apache:apache area51
      • Change the user and group ownerships to apache
    • Command: chmod 770 area51
      • Change permission to where the user and group have full rights.
    • Command: ls -l | grep area51

     

  2. Create a practice file
    • Command: cd /var/www/html/area51
    • Command: echo "hello world" > hello.html
    • Command: chown apache:apache hello.html
    • Command: chmod 770 hello.html
    • Command: ls -l hello.html

     

Section 5. Create htpasswd username and password
  1. Setting up the .htpasswd file.
    • Command: cd /var/www/html/area51
      • Change directory to the area51
    • Command: htpasswd -c .htpasswd alien
      • Create a password for alien
      • Note: You will get prompted twice for a password.
    • Command: ls -l .htpasswd
    • Command: cat .htpasswd
    • Proof of Lab:  Do a screen print, cut in paste into a word document, and upload to Moodle.

     

Section 6. Configure the httpd.conf file
  1. Let's configure the httpd.conf file.
    • Command: vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

     

  2. Search for "</Directory" in vi
    • Command: Press the "/" key
    • Command: Type "<Directory"
    • Command: Press Enter

     

  3. The above vi search command will place the cursor on the first instance of "<Directory".
    • Command: Arrow Down to where your cursor is below the line that contains "</Directory>".

     

  4. Do the following
    • Command: Press the "i" key to get into vi's INSERT Mode
    • Command: Press the Enter key once to add a space
    • Command: Type in the below lines
      • <Directory /var/www/html/area51>
          AuthType Basic
          AuthName "restricted area"
          AuthUserFile /var/www/html/area51/.htpasswd
          require valid-user
        </Directory>
    • Command: Press the Enter key once to add a space
    • Command: Press the Esc key
    • Command: Type ":wq!" to save and quit vi.

     

  5. Restart Apache
    • Command: service httpd restart
      • This is how you restart the httpd daemon.
      • We did this because we made change to the httpd.conf file.
    • Command: ps -eaf | grep httpd | grep -v grep
      • This is the verify the httpd processes are running.

 

Section 7. Test Your Secure Directory from you local host
  1. Click on your Firefox web browser

     

  2. Navigate to area51
    • Command: http://localhost/area51

     

  3. You will be prompt for username and password
    • Command: The username is "alien" and the password is whatever you made it.

     

  4. Verify your the contents of your /area51 directory
    • Note: You should see a file called hello.html
    • Command: Click on hello.html

 

Section 8. Test Your Secure Directory from you remote host
  1. Determine your IP Address
    • Command: ifconfig -a
    • Note: 192.168.1.108 is my IP address, and yours will probably be different.

     

  2. Let's Prep your WindowsVulnerable01 VMware Machine
    • Note:
      • For those of you not in my class, this is a Window XP machine.
      • But for purposes of this lab, it would be any Windows Machine connected to the same network your fedora14 machine is also connected.

       

    • Command: Edit Virtual Machine Settings
    •  

       

    • Command:
      1. Click on CD/DVD (IDE)
      2. Make sure the "Use physical drive:" radio button is selected.
      3. Make sure Auto detect is selected.

     

    • Command:
      1. Select the Options tab.
      2. Select the Microsoft Windows Radio button.
      3. Select Windows XP Professional Version
      4. Select OK.
    •  

  3. Start up WindowsVulnerable01

     

  4. Start up your Internet Explorer Web Browser

     

  5. Navigate to area51

     

  6. Enter the alien username and password.
    • Note: The password is whatever you set it to earlier.

     

  7. Verify your the contents of your /area51 directory
    • Note: You should see a file called hello.html
    • Command: Click on hello.html

     

Section: Proof of Lab
  1. Cut and Paste a screen shot of Section 5, Step 1 into a word document and upload to Moodle. 

 



Help ComputerSecurityStudent
pay for continued research,
resources & bandwidth