htdbm - Manipulate DBM password databases

Available Languages: en

+ +

htdbm is used to manipulate the DBM format files used to + store usernames and password for basic authentication of HTTP users via + mod_auth_dbm. See the dbmmanage + documentation for more information about these DBM files.

Synopsis
Options
Bugs
Exit Status
Examples
Security Considerations
Restrictions

Synopsis

htdbm + [ -TDBTYPE ] + [ -c ] + [ -m | + -d | + -p | + -s ] + [ -t ] + [ -v ] + [ -x ] + filename username

+ +

htdbm -b + [ -TDBTYPE ] + [ -c ] + [ -m | + -d | + -p | + -s ] + [ -t ] + [ -v ] + filename username password

+ +

htdbm -n + [ -c ] + [ -m | + -d | + -p | + -s ] + [ -t ] + [ -v ] + username

+ +

htdbm -nb + [ -c ] + [ -m | + -d | + -p | + -s ] + [ -t ] + [ -v ] + username password

+ +

htdbm -v + [ -TDBTYPE ] + [ -c ] + [ -m | + -d | + -p | + -s ] + [ -t ] + [ -v ] + filename username

+ +

htdbm -vb + [ -TDBTYPE ] + [ -c ] + [ -m | + -d | + -p | + -s ] + [ -t ] + [ -v ] + filename username password

+ +

htdbm -x + [ -TDBTYPE ] + [ -m | + -d | + -p | + -s ] + filename username

+ +

htdbm -l + [ -TDBTYPE ] +

Options

-b: Use batch mode; i.e., get the password from the command line + rather than prompting for it. This option should be used with extreme care, + since the password is clearly visible on the command + line.
-c: Create the passwdfile. If passwdfile already + exists, it is rewritten and truncated. This option cannot be combined with + the -n option.
-n: Display the results on standard output rather than updating a + database. This option changes the syntax of the command line, since the + passwdfile argument (usually the first one) is omitted. It + cannot be combined with the -c option.
-m: Use MD5 encryption for passwords. On Windows, Netware and TPF, this is + the default.
-d: Use crypt() encryption for passwords. The default on all + platforms but Windows, Netware and TPF. Though possibly supported by + htdbm on all platforms, it is not supported by the + httpd server on Windows, Netware and TPF.
-s: Use SHA encryption for passwords. Facilitates migration from/to Netscape + servers using the LDAP Directory Interchange Format (ldif).
-p: Use plaintext passwords. Though htdbm will support + creation on all platforms, the httpd daemon will + only accept plain text passwords on Windows, Netware and TPF.
-l: Print each of the usernames and comments from the database on + stdout.
-t: Interpret the final parameter as a comment. When this option is + specified, an additional string can be appended to the command line; this + string will be stored in the "Comment" field of the database, associated + with the specified username.
-v: Verify the username and password. The program will print a message + indicating whether the supplied password is valid. If the password is + invalid, the program exits with error code 3.
-x: Delete user. If the username exists in the specified DBM file, it + will be deleted.
filename: The filename of the DBM format file. Usually without the extension + .db, .pag, or .dir. If + -c is given, the DBM file is created if it does not already + exist, or updated if it does exist.
username: The username to create or update in passwdfile. If + username does not exist in this file, an entry is added. If it + does exist, the password is changed.
password: The plaintext password to be encrypted and stored in the DBM file. + Used only with the -b flag.
-TDBTYPE: Type of DBM file (SDBM, GDBM, DB, or "default").

Bugs

One should be aware that there are a number of different DBM file + formats in existence, and with all likelihood, libraries for more than + one format may exist on your system. The three primary examples are + SDBM, NDBM, GNU GDBM, and Berkeley/Sleepycat DB 2/3/4. Unfortunately, + all these libraries use different file formats, and you must make sure + that the file format used by filename is the same format that + htdbm expects to see. htdbm currently has + no way of determining what type of DBM file it is looking at. If used + against the wrong format, will simply return nothing, or may create a + different DBM file with a different name, or at worst, it may corrupt + the DBM file if you were attempting to write to it.

+ +

One can usually use the file program supplied with most + Unix systems to see what format a DBM file is in.

Exit Status

htdbm returns a zero status ("true") if the username and + password have been successfully added or updated in the DBM File. + htdbm returns 1 if it encounters some problem + accessing files, 2 if there was a syntax problem with the + command line, 3 if the password was entered interactively and + the verification entry didn't match, 4 if its operation was + interrupted, 5 if a value is too long (username, filename, + password, or final computed record), 6 if the username + contains illegal characters (see the Restrictions + section), and 7 if the file is not a valid DBM password + file.

Examples

+ htdbm /usr/local/etc/apache/.htdbm-users jsmith +

+ +

Adds or modifies the password for user jsmith. The user + is prompted for the password. If executed on a Windows system, the password + will be encrypted using the modified Apache MD5 algorithm; otherwise, the + system's crypt() routine will be used. If the file does not + exist, htdbm will do nothing except return an error.

+ +

+ htdbm -c /home/doe/public_html/.htdbm jane +

+ +

Creates a new file and stores a record in it for user jane. + The user is prompted for the password. If the file exists and cannot be + read, or cannot be written, it is not altered and htdbm + will display a message and return an error status.

+ +

+ htdbm -mb /usr/web/.htdbm-all jones Pwd4Steve +

+ +

Encrypts the password from the command line (Pwd4Steve) + using the MD5 algorithm, and stores it in the specified file.

Security Considerations

Web password files such as those managed by htdbm should + not be within the Web server's URI space -- that is, they should + not be fetchable with a browser.

+ +

The use of the -b option is discouraged, since when it is + used the unencrypted password appears on the command line.

Restrictions

On the Windows and MPE platforms, passwords encrypted with + htdbm are limited to no more than 255 + characters in length. Longer passwords will be truncated to 255 + characters.

+ +

The MD5 algorithm used by htdbm is specific to the Apache + software; passwords encrypted using it will not be usable with other Web + servers.

+ +

Usernames are limited to 255 bytes and may not include the + character :.