How to access Unix passwd file from Apache when using .htaccess?

Is it possible to use the system passwd file for accessing a protected web page with Apache on Linux? Setting up multiple password files for shell access, Apache and Samba is a pain. If there is a mod for that, it would be handy to know.

From serverfault casualcoder

• Here's a link to a module that works with mod_perl to do exactly what you're asking: Apache-AuthenPasswd-0.12

  From Swish

• mod_auth_external (http://code.google.com/p/mod-auth-external/) can be configured to auth against /etc/shadow

  David Pashley : This is made of WIN. You're running another daemon as root, but it should be simple enough to be sure there's no security problems with it.
  From rodjek

• mod_auth_pam

  mod_auth_pam is the standard method on most UNIX systems and apache.

  • Full Docs and examples
  • FAQ

  Example:

  Configure PAM

  Here’s what the /etc/pam.d/httpd looks like (could be different on your distro)

  auth required pam_unix.so
  auth required pam_unix.so
  account required pam_unix.so
  

  Configure Apache

  AuthPAM_Enabled on
  AllowOverride None
  AuthName "secure area"
  AuthType "basic"
  

  David Pashley : How does this work without putting www-data in the shadow group?

  David Pashley : Oh, it doesn't. FAIL.
  From Jeremy Rossi

• Is it possible---yes. However, I'm not sure that this is a really good idea from a security standpoint. I thought that there is a lot of information out there saying not to directly link the system passwd information as an authentication source.

  Another possibility (with a lot of effort and planning) is to implement LDAP.

  From mdpc