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Configuring Fundamental Nginx Authentication on Ubuntu 24.04

In this write-up, discover the process for configuring fundamental authentication in Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04 to bolster your web content's security. Delve into this comprehensive security tutorial accompanied by simple steps.

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Configuring Basic Authentication for Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04
Configuring Basic Authentication for Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04

Configuring Fundamental Nginx Authentication on Ubuntu 24.04

In this article, we'll guide you through the process of setting up Basic Authentication on an Nginx server in Ubuntu 24.04. This access control mechanism prompts users for a username and password before allowing access to specific web content.

Steps to Follow

  1. Install Apache2 Utilities

To use the command for managing user credentials, you'll first need to install the Apache2 Utilities package:

  1. Create a Password File and Add a User

Create a password file, for example, , and add a user named :

You will be prompted to enter and confirm a password. To add more users later, omit the option:

  1. Configure Nginx to Use Basic Authentication

Edit your site config (e.g., or your custom site file):

```nginx server { listen 80; server_name example.com;

} ```

This setup causes Nginx to prompt visitors for a username and password when accessing the location.

  1. Test Your Nginx Configuration and Reload

Test your configuration and reload Nginx:

With these steps, you've added basic HTTP authentication to your Nginx server on Ubuntu 24.04, protecting content with a username and password.

Additional Context

  • Nginx does not provide password file creation tools by itself, so from Apache utilities is the standard tool for creating files.
  • This method works independently of SSL; for security, combine it with HTTPS (using Certbot for free SSL) to encrypt traffic.
  • The instructions and tools (, , Nginx config syntax) are standard and apply to Ubuntu 24.04 based on current common Linux practices.
  • Nginx Basic Authentication uses the standard HTTP Authorization header and works with virtually all modern web browsers and HTTP clients.
  • If valid credentials are entered, access is granted; otherwise, the user sees a "401 Unauthorized" error.

For more information on Nginx Basic Authentication and its uses, refer to the additional context section.

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