Password Protect a Web Page

There are many reasons to password protect a web page you control: sensitive personal information, snooping co-workers, or content not intended for children. Learning about basic password protection can also be a nice way to expand your understanding of coding. Please note: web data security is an ever-evolving field and attackers are extremely sophisticated. In order to protect very important data (credit card numbers, financial passwords, etc...) you should always consult an expert.

Steps

Adding the HTML Code Yourself

  1. Create or copy the basic code. This method is best if you are hosting your own page or are simply trying to learn more about password protection coding. There are many different variations on code for basic password protection (we've reprinted one), and we will explain how to set your own password and customize the code in a later step.[1]
  2. Add it to your page's code. In order to implement this code you will need editing access to your web page's underlying code. Once in the editor, add the protection template code within the body section of the page (after <body> tag).
  3. Add your own password. This password protection code requires you to add in your own password (in the code template it is set as "letmein"). Replace the text between the quotation marks with your own case-sensitive password.
  4. Customize the code. Now write display messages for users entering either the correct password ("You Got it Right!") or incorrect answers ("Password Incorrect, Please Try Again."). You must also specify the web page URL (set currently as "www.wikihow.com") where the user will be directed if they get the password correct. This should be replaced your own password protected URL.
  • An incorrect password leads back to the password prompt in this code. In other code templates you can choose to redirect these users to a different page altogether.
  • Test it out. Now that you've protected your page with a password it's time to test it out. Open the page in your browser and try entering an incorrect password, then the correct one. Double check both the password accuracy and the display messages you've coded in.

    • Protection Through Your Hosting Company

    1. Research your current web hosting plan features. Login to your web hosting account and search for password protection as part of your hosting subscription package. Many hosts offer the ability to password protect a page you control with a simple-to-use widget from your account dashboard.
      • Different web hosts offer different feature sets, so consider this when choosing your next web host.
    2. Follow the instructions. If your host offers password protection as a built-in feature, implementation should be as simple as filling out a form.
    3. Test the password protection. After you've protected your page you should always test it out by opening the protected page URL in your browser and trying both incorrect and correct passwords to see what happens. This way you'll know if you implemented the password protection correctly.
    4. Contact your web host directly. If you're unsure of whether this feature is available to you or of how best to implement it, try emailing your web host for assistance. Most web hosts are run by experienced webmasters and will be more than willing to help. They will also know all the details about your hosting setup and can advise you on best practices for the specific data you'd like protected.
    5. Look into 3rd party protection. Although your web host will offer the best advice on how to proceed, know that there are many 3rd party password protection options for you to consider implementing for your webpage.[2]
      • 3rd party protection can be useful in a variety of ways - by generating difficult to crack passwords or by setting up a fully-automated web login.

    Tips

    • Test out your password protection. Try to break into it, or have a friend with hacking/programming experience try to break in.
    • Make sure you understand as much as possible about how your password protection works so that you can identify any holes.
    • For more advanced password protection consider using .htaccess and .htpasswd files, php pages, or perl scripts.

    Warnings

    • If you are an inexperienced webmaster, do not trust important data with your password protection scheme. Many simple/common password protection techniques on the internet are vulnerable to experienced hackers.

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    Sources and Citations

    1. ↑ http://www.javascriptkit.com/script/cut10.shtml
    2. ↑ http://mashable.com/2008/05/03/5-free-tools-to-password-protect-your-sites/#TyTopHBjOqq5
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