---
name: "squid3_ncsa_auth"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "squid3"
version: "3.1.20-2.2+deb7u4"
release: "Debian 7 (Wheezy)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/squid3_ncsa_auth"
---

# squid3\_ncsa\_auth(8)

NCSA httpd-style password file authentication helper for Squid

## NAME

ncsa\_auth - NCSA httpd-style password file authentication helper for Squid

## SYNOPSIS

```
ncsa_auth passwdfile
```

## DESCRIPTION

**ncsa\_auth allows Squid to read and authenticate user and password information from an NCSA/Apache httpd-style password file when using basic HTTP authentication.**

**The only parameter is the password file.  It must have permissions to be read by the user that Squid is running as (cache\_effective\_user in squid.conf).**

**This password file can be manipulated using htpasswd.**

**\* MD5 - with optional salt and magic strings** **\* DES - for passwords 8 characters or less in length**

## OPTIONS

**Only specify the password file name.**

## EXAMPLE

**ncsa\_auth /etc/squid/squid.pass**

## SECURITY

**ncsa\_auth must have access to the password file to be executed.**

## KNOWN ISSUES

**DES functionality (used by htpasswd by default) silently truncates passwords to 8 characters.** **Allowing login with password values shorter than the one desired.** **This authenticator will reject login with long passwords when using DES.**

## SEE ALSO

**[htpasswd(1)](/htpasswd/1.md), [squid(8)](/squid/8.md)**

## AUTHOR

**Manpage written by Rodrigo Rubira Branco \<rrbranco@br.ibm.com\>**