Message Digest Authentication

Purpose:

Recently proposed as a simple replacement for Basic Authentication

Passwords NOT sent in cleartext

Main Idea:

Uses Message Digest Functions

MD5 is in public domain and NOT export-controlled (U.S.)

Uses Access Control based on combination of

Username/password authorization
client Internet address

Management required:

NCSA Server (httpd):

".htaccess" files for per-directory access control

CERN server:

Access control on a per-file basis

What does it look like?