passwords in the source?

16 Oct 2007 8:02 PM

jp2code

I've got some files that are not very sensitive. Mostly history files from
email sessions using our contact forms.

I'd like to password protect these files so that if someone happened to get
a link to it, they couldn't start passing it all around for anyone to read,
and I certainly wouldn't want the link to find its way into a Google search!

I've thought about creating a password string that I could hold in the <%
[code] %> portion of my .asp pages. Then, if someone tries to open a history
file, they are first prompted for a password. If it matches what is in the
<% [code] %> section, they get in.

I just feel like my password is left out in the clear if I include it as
part of the asp code.

Is this way ok, or bad?

Is there a better way?

What is a good, simple way to implement this? If someone knows of an example
application somewhere, I'd be happy to see that link.

16 Oct 2007 9:13 PM

Anthony Jones

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"jp2code" <poojo.com/mail> wrote in message
news:upnv79CEIHA.4228@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> I've got some files that are not very sensitive. Mostly history files from
> email sessions using our contact forms.
>
> I'd like to password protect these files so that if someone happened to
get
> a link to it, they couldn't start passing it all around for anyone to
read,
> and I certainly wouldn't want the link to find its way into a Google
search!
>
> I've thought about creating a password string that I could hold in the <%
> [code] %> portion of my .asp pages. Then, if someone tries to open a
history
> file, they are first prompted for a password. If it matches what is in the
> <% [code] %> section, they get in.
>
> I just feel like my password is left out in the clear if I include it as
> part of the asp code.
>
> Is this way ok, or bad?
>
> Is there a better way?
>
> What is a good, simple way to implement this? If someone knows of an
example
> application somewhere, I'd be happy to see that link.
>

Is this your server or is the site hosted by a third party?

On your own server it would be a simple matter of just turning off anonymous
access and turning on Windows Integrated security.

--
Anthony Jones - MVP ASP/ASP.NET

16 Oct 2007 9:38 PM

jp2code

No, it is a hosted site. The server is not mine.

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"Anthony Jones" wrote:
> Is this your server or is the site hosted by a third party?

17 Oct 2007 7:20 AM

Evertjan.

jp2code wrote on 16 okt 2007 in microsoft.public.inetserver.asp.general:

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> I've got some files that are not very sensitive. Mostly history files
> from email sessions using our contact forms.
>
> I'd like to password protect these files so that if someone happened
> to get a link to it, they couldn't start passing it all around for
> anyone to read, and I certainly wouldn't want the link to find its way
> into a Google search!
>
> I've thought about creating a password string that I could hold in the
> <% [code] %> portion of my .asp pages. Then, if someone tries to open
> a history file, they are first prompted for a password. If it matches
> what is in the <% [code] %> section, they get in.
>
> I just feel like my password is left out in the clear if I include it
> as part of the asp code.
>
> Is this way ok, or bad?
>
> Is there a better way?
>
> What is a good, simple way to implement this? If someone knows of an
> example application somewhere, I'd be happy to see that link.

<META NAME="robots" CONTENT="noindex,nofollow">
<body>
<%
if request.form("pw") = "blahblah" then
session("ok")="ok"
end if
if session("ok")="" then
%>
<form method='post'>
You are out! Try to get in.<br>
<input type='password' name='pw'> password<br>
<input type='submit'>
</form>
</body>
<%
response.end
end if
%>

You are in!
</body>

--
Evertjan.
The Netherlands.
(Please change the x'es to dots in my emailaddress)

17 Oct 2007 2:36 PM

jp2code

I modified your code just a little, but that worked great!

Special thanks for the meta tag! I never would have thought to look there.

Thanks a lot!

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"Evertjan." wrote:
> <META NAME="robots" CONTENT="noindex,nofollow">
> <body>
> <%
> if request.form("pw") = "blahblah" then
> session("ok")="ok"
> end if
> if session("ok")="" then
> %>
> <form method='post'>
> You are out! Try to get in.<br>
> <input type='password' name='pw'> password<br>
> <input type='submit'>
> </form>
> </body>
> <%
> response.end
> end if
> %>
>
> You are in!
> </body>

18 Oct 2007 6:12 AM

Adrienne Boswell

Gazing into my crystal ball I observed "jp2code" <poojo.com/mail>
writing in news:OdiOnsMEIHA.5324@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

> I modified your code just a little, but that worked great!
>
> Special thanks for the meta tag! I never would have thought to look
> there.
>

You should also use robots.txt (Google for it). Understand that
misbehaving robots may not follow directives, so it IS a very good idea
to check server side. You can also do something like:

<a href="http://www.example.com" rel="noindex, nofollow">Some offsite
URL I want to give to my visitors, but don't want robots to follow</a>

Google and Slurp follow the above directive as well as robots.txt and
meta.

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>
> "Evertjan." wrote:
>> <META NAME="robots" CONTENT="noindex,nofollow">
>> <body>
>> <%
>> if request.form("pw") = "blahblah" then
>> session("ok")="ok"
>> end if
>> if session("ok")="" then
>> %>
>> <form method='post'>
>> You are out! Try to get in.<br>
>> <input type='password' name='pw'> password<br>
>> <input type='submit'>
>> </form>
>> </body>
>> <%
>> response.end
>> end if
>> %>
>>
>> You are in!
>> </body>
>
>

--
Adrienne Boswell at Home
Arbpen Web Site Design Services
http://www.cavalcade-of-coding.info
Please respond to the group so others can share

18 Oct 2007 1:44 PM

jp2code

Thanks! I have implemented that as well.

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"Adrienne Boswell" wrote:
> You should also use robots.txt (Google for it). Understand that
> misbehaving robots may not follow directives, so it IS a very good idea
> to check server side. You can also do something like:
>
> <a href="http://www.example.com" rel="noindex, nofollow">Some offsite
> URL I want to give to my visitors, but don't want robots to follow</a>
>
> Google and Slurp follow the above directive as well as robots.txt and
> meta.