How to Setup Password Authentication with Apache on Ubuntu 20.04?

Clara - VPS Hosting Team

Apache is a free, open-source web server that allows users to access your application over the internet when hosted on it. However, there may be situations where you need to restrict access to your application so that only authenticated users can view it. This can be done by setting up password authentication using Apache htpasswd.

In this tutorial, we will guide you through setting up password authentication with Apache on Ubuntu 20.04.

Step 1: Connect to your server

apt-get update -y

Step 2: Install Apache

Install Apache and Apache utilities:

apt-get install apache2 apache2-utils -y

Step 3: Start Apache

Once Apache is installed, start the Apache service and ensure it starts on boot:

systemctl start apache2
systemctl enable apache2

Step 4: Verify Apache Installation

Open your browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip/. You should see the default Apache web page.

Step 5: Create a Password File

Now, create a hidden .htpasswd file in the /etc/apache2 directory to store the credentials for user authentication. To add a user, such as test_user, use the htpasswd utility:

htpasswd -c /etc/apache2/.htpasswd test_user

Enter the password for test_user when prompted. This will create the .htpasswd file containing the user credentials.

Step 6: Create Your Website Directory

Create a directory for your website:

mkdir /var/www/html/domain_name

Step 7: Create an Index File

Create an index.html file inside your web directory:

nano /var/www/html/domain_name/index.html

Add your website content here.

Step 8: Set Correct Permissions

Change the ownership of the web directory to www-data:

chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/domain_name

Step 9: Create Apache Virtual Host Configuration

Create an Apache virtual host configuration file for your website and define basic authentication:

nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/domain.conf

Add the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin webmaster@domain_name
    ServerName domain_name
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/domain_name
    DirectoryIndex index.html
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
    
    <Directory "/var/www/html/domain_name">
        AuthType Basic
        AuthName "Restricted Content"
        AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/.htpasswd
        Require valid-user
    </Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Step 10: Check for Syntax Errors

Run the following command to check for syntax errors:

apachectl -t

You should see the output Syntax OK.

Step 11: Enable the Site and Restart Apache

Enable the Apache virtual host for your website:

a2ensite domain.conf

Then restart Apache to apply the changes:

systemctl restart apache2

Step 12: Test the Authentication

Open your browser and go to http://domain_name. You should be prompted to enter the username and password. Use the credentials you created (test_user), and after successfully signing in, you will see your website's default page.

Your site is now secured with Apache basic authentication.