mod_authz_groupfile
Group authorization using plaintext files
Base
mod_authz_groupfile.c
authz_groupfile_module
Available in Apache 2.1 and later

This module provides authorization capabilities so that authenticated users can be allowed or denied access to portions of the web site by group membership. Similar functionality is provided by mod_authz_dbm.

Require

# The Require Directives

Apache's Require directives are used during the authorization phase to ensure that a user is allowed to access a resource. mod_authz_groupfile extends the authorization types with `group` and `group-file`.

Since v2.4.8, expressions are supported within the groupfile require directives.

## Require group

This directive specifies group membership that is required for the user to gain access.

Require group admin

## Require file-group

When this directive is specified, the filesystem permissions on the file being accessed are consulted. The user must be a member of a group with the same name as the group that owns the file. See mod_authz_owner for more details.

Require file-group
AuthGroupFile
Sets the name of a text file containing the list of user groups for authorization
AuthGroupFile file-path
directory
.htaccess
AuthConfig

The AuthGroupFile directive sets the name of a textual file containing the list of user groups for user authorization. File-path is the path to the group file. If it is not absolute, it is treated as relative to the ServerRoot.

Each line of the group file contains a groupname followed by a colon, followed by the member usernames separated by spaces.

# Example:

mygroup: bob joe anne

Note that searching large text files is very inefficient; AuthDBMGroupFile provides a much better performance.

# Security

Make sure that the AuthGroupFile is stored outside the document tree of the web-server; do not put it in the directory that it protects. Otherwise, clients may be able to download the AuthGroupFile.