Apache : setup basic auth with apache in windows

Authentication is any process by which you verify that someone is who they claim they are. Authorization is any process by which someone is allowed to be where they want to go or to have information that they want to have.

I will show here how to set up basic auth on the apache with windows.

Pre-requests 

Windows VPS

Apache server ( That's it )
( In windows it might be difficult to setup the Apache alone. So instead use something ling xampp, wamp or laragon.)

RestClient
(  I personally use the postman, but you can use your preferable client) 

Windows VPS provider

Steps 

• Enable the necessary modules in the Apache
• Create the password file
• Set the auth directives in the virtual host file.
• Verify basic auth.

Enable the necessary modules in the Apache

Open the httpd.conf file in the apache's conf folder.

httpd.conf file

Enable the necessary modules to make the basic auth working.
Necessary modules 

• mod_auth_basic
• mod_authn_file

Enable the necessary modules

Restart the apache to make the modules active.

Create Password File

You need to create a password file before you can use it for the basic auth. To create a password file you have to use the htpasswd.exe( it comes with the apache itself. You can find it inside the bin folder of the Apache server )

htpasswd.exe to create password file

Create a password using the htpasswd.exe

create basic auth password file

verify that file has actually created.

the password file

Set the auth directives in the virtual host file

<VirtualHost *:80>
 ServerName xx.xx.xxx.xxx 
        ServerAlias alias 
        <location / >
  AuthType Basic
  AuthName "Restricted Routes"
  # (Following line optional)
  AuthBasicProvider file
  AuthUserFile "C:\auth\passwords"
  Require user mansih
 </location>
</VirtualHost>

Using hilite.me

Set the location to the URL you want to enable the basic auth on.

For example, if you want to secure the /login with basic auth then replace <location /> to <location /login>

To read more about location click here. Apache location

After updating the virtual host file reload the apache to make the basic auth working.

Verify basic auth.

I am using the postman to verify the basic auth.

In case of valid username and password, you will get the 200 HTTP response.

postman 200 HTTP response

In case of invalid username and/or password, you will get the 200 HTTP response.

postman 401 HTTP response

Hope you find it useful. 
Have a nice Day !