How can I use a list of names in CPanel to create password protected folders?

[Avery Sloan]

Hello! I am new to WebhostingBuzz and logged onto CPanel today to test the Password Protect feature. I works fine and I downloaded the "passwd" file to take a loot at it and most of the entry is scrambled.

Is there a way to upload a list of users and passwords? I have over 400 user names and it will be very time consuming to go online and type each on individually to create unique user names and passwords.

Thanks for any suggestions or alternate methods of accomplishing this task!

[Maxim M.]

Hello,

You can use the htpasswd utility via SSH in order to add a user/password combination to a passwd file using commands like this:

htpasswd -b -c .htpasswd user1 password1 {creates the file}
htpasswd -b .htpasswd user2 password2 {modifies the existing file}

It will create unique passwords for user1 and user2 with MD5 encryption:

user1:3ZRwflCiReE.2
user2:.Mkl9Av4.FjsY

You can then put a .htaccess file to the protected folder and point it to the newly created .htpasswd:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "name"
AuthUserFile /home/username/.htpasswd
require valid-user

Note that .htaccess applies to all sub-directories of the folder it is in.