apache authentication via nis

[John Abreau]

Stephen Adler wrote:
> I think the deal is to restrict http access to https or ssl. Then the 
> username password are encrypted.
> I'm wondering about the fact that the httpd needs read access to the 
> /etc/shadow file, thus opening
> a security hole. Is this a real problem?
> 

No, httpd does not need access to /etc/shadow. It just calls libpam.so, 
which already handles the system-level authentication.

At the server end, mod_auth_pam is as secure as the rest your system
authentication. The risks of using mod_auth_am are at the browser end.


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John Abreau
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