# Auth\_basic 500 Internal Server Error

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/auth-basic-500-internal-server-error/235478>\
**Category:** NGINX\
**Created:** [June 24, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/auth-basic-500-internal-server-error/235478 "2013-06-24T21:18:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![addis\_a](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@addis\_a](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/addis_a)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/auth-basic-500-internal-server-error/235478/1 "2013-06-24T21:18:53Z")

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Hi, guys!

I am attempting to secure one subdirectory on the server with  
ngx\_http\_auth\_basic\_module. Unfortunately, without success.

In log file error:

2013/06/24 22:03:05 [crit] 34189#0: \*1 open()  
“/usr/local/etc/nginx/authpw” failed (13: Permission denied), client:  
111.222.251.165, server: server.com.ua, request: “GET /private/  
HTTP/1.1”, host: “server.com.ua”

Part of nginx.conf:  
location ^~ /private {  
auth\_basic “Closed area, sorry…”;  
auth\_basic\_user\_file /usr/local/etc/nginx/authpw;

# ls -lo ./authpw

-r–r----- 1 root www - 50 24 чер 21:58 ./authpw

# cat ./authpw

#coments  
vv:$apr1$NhsePrJ/$MHMNGRoELdDfzcE/kGJpz1

What I have missed?

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**Author:** ![wishmaster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@wishmaster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wishmaster)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/auth-basic-500-internal-server-error/235478/2 "2013-06-24T22:00:57Z")

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> 2013/06/24 22:03:05 [crit] 34189#0: \*1 open()  
> “/usr/local/etc/nginx/authpw” failed (13: Permission denied)
> 
> # ls -lo ./authpw
> 
> -r–r----- 1 root www - 50 24 чер 21:58 ./authpw
> 
> What I have missed?

The error log kind of explains - the auth file is not readable by nginx  
user.

Do you have specified the ‘www’ group in the nginx config (  
[Core functionality](http://nginx.org/en/docs/ngx_core_module.html#user) ) ?

rr

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**Author:** ![wishmaster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@wishmaster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wishmaster)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/auth-basic-500-internal-server-error/235478/3 "2013-06-24T23:20:59Z")

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— Original message —  
From: “Reinis R.” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
Date: 24 June 2013, 23:00:48

> Do you have specified the ‘www’ group in the nginx config (  
> [Core functionality](http://nginx.org/en/docs/ngx_core_module.html#user) ) ?

Off course,  
user www www;  
worker\_processes 1;  
…

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**Author:** ![wishmaster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@wishmaster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wishmaster)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/auth-basic-500-internal-server-error/235478/4 "2013-06-24T23:26:15Z")

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On Tue, 2013-06-25 at 00:20 +0300, wishmaster wrote:

> > > -r–r----- 1 root www - 50 24 чер 21:58 ./authpw  
> > > user www www;  
> > > worker\_processes 1;  
> > > …

The error is extremely specific. Look at permissions of file ( looks ok  
), and all parent directories. www ( user and group ) doesn’t have  
access to one of them.

You only showed permissions of ./authpw. Can you confirm you were  
in /usr/local/etc/nginx at the time?

## Steve

Steve H. BSc(Hons) MNZCS

> **[Linux & Admin Support Services | "Services provided by people who are proud...](https://www.greengecko.co.nz)**
>
> Offers linux support services, systems and database administration, consultancy and the full development lifecycle for open source - based solutions

Linkedin: [http://www.linkedin.com/in/steveholdoway](http://www.linkedin.com/in/steveholdoway)  
Skype: sholdowa

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wishmaster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@wishmaster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wishmaster)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/auth-basic-500-internal-server-error/235478/5 "2013-06-24T23:35:36Z")

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Yeah, Steve! You’re right. Thanks. nginx config dir had rwx for  
root:wheel only. Need to sleep :-).

— Original message —  
From: “Steve H.” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
Date: 25 June 2013, 00:25:26