(Fedora: Lesson 10)

{ Securing a directory with Apache's htpasswd }

• 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.

1. Play virtual machine. (See Below)
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1. Login As student
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2. Start Up A Terminal.
   • Applications --> System Tools --> Terminal
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3. Switch User to root
   • Command: su - root
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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. 
   • 

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
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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
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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.
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1. Let's configure the httpd.conf file.
   • Command: vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
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2. Search for "</Directory" in vi
   • Command: Press the "/" key
   • Command: Type "<Directory"
   • Command: Press Enter
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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>".
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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.
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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.
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1. Click on your Firefox web browser
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2. Navigate to area51
   • Command: http://localhost/area51
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3. You will be prompt for username and password
   • Command: The username is "alien" and the password is whatever you made it.
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4. Verify your the contents of your /area51 directory
   • Note: You should see a file called hello.html
   • Command: Click on hello.html
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1. Determine your IP Address
   • Command: ifconfig -a
   • Note: 192.168.1.108 is my IP address, and yours will probably be different.
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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
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   • 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.
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   • Command:
     1. Select the Options tab.
     2. Select the Microsoft Windows Radio button.
     3. Select Windows XP Professional Version
     4. Select OK.
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3. Start up WindowsVulnerable01
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4. Start up your Internet Explorer Web Browser
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5. Navigate to area51
   • Command: http://192.168.1.108/area51
   • Command: The IP Address you will be using was discovered in Section 8, Step 1.
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6. Enter the alien username and password.
   • Note: The password is whatever you set it to earlier.
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7. Verify your the contents of your /area51 directory
   • Note: You should see a file called hello.html
   • Command: Click on hello.html
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1. Cut and Paste a screen shot of Section 5, Step 1 into a word document and upload to Moodle.