Password Protect a Website

How can I password protect my entire website?

In this article we show you how you can protect your entire website behind a username and password login. Protecting your website is useful if you are developing your website and you wish for it to remain private or if you have a security or website issue you are fixing. When your website is protected visitors are shown a login prompt and will need to enter a username and password to access your website. After logging in your website will be shown as normal.

Sections

  1. Step 1: Password protect your website
  2. Step 2: Create a User who can Login
  3. Advanced Tips

Step 1: Password protect your website

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Click Directory Privacy.
    Directory Privacy button in cPanel
  3. Click Settings
    cPanel Directory Privacy Settings
  4. Select the website you wish to protect and click Save changes.
    cPanel Directory Privacy Website selector
  5. You’ll now see a listing of just your website and it’s directories. Find public_html as shown by the Home icon and click the Edit button next to it. If you have selected a website which is an addon domain then please click Edit next to the top directory marked with the Home icon.
    cPanel Directory Privacy Edit public_html directory
  6. Select Password protect this directory. Enter a name, for example, website in the Enter a name for the protected directory field and click Save.
    Set Password Protect this directory and enter a name
  7. A message will appear showing if setting the protection was a success. Click Go back.
    cPanel Directory Privacy Set successful

Step 2: Create a User who can Login

  1. Enter a username in the Username field under Create User
  2. Enter a password in the New Password field
  3. Click Save
    username and password for protected directory

You can now access your website and use the username and password to log in to your website.

Advanced Tips

Set a 401 Error Document

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Click File Manager
  3. Open public_html, select .htaccess and click edit
  4. Find the AuthType Basic code: 
         AuthType Basic
     AuthName "Dev Site"
     AuthUserFile "/home/user/.htpasswds/public_html/passwd"
     require valid-user

  5. Add ErrorDocument 401 “Unauthorized” as below:

        AuthType Basic
    AuthName "Dev Site"
    AuthUserFile "/home/user/.htpasswds/public_html/passwd"
    require valid-user
    ErrorDocument 401 "Unauthorized"

Allow server access to your protected website

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Click File Manager
  3. Open public_html, select .htaccess and click edit

  4. Find the AuthType Basic code:

        AuthType Basic
    AuthName "Dev Site"
    AuthUserFile "/home/user/.htpasswds/public_html/passwd"
    require valid-user
    ErrorDocument 401 "Unauthorized"

  5. Add RequireAny Require ip options as below:

        AuthType Basic
    AuthName "Dev Site"
    AuthUserFile "/home/user/.htpasswds/public_html/passwd"
    <RequireAny>
        Require ip 127.0.0.1
        Require valid-user
    </RequireAny>
    ErrorDocument 401 "Unauthorized"