# Enable HTTP Password Authentication

## How to Enable HTTP Password Authentication on The Whole Site

The **PHP Authentication Shield** module was packaged with **Varbase Core**, but not enabled on the installation of **Varbase**.

A simple shield for the site with **Apache** authentication. It hides the sites, if the user does not know a simple username/password.

Enable the **PHP Authentication Shield** module to be able to have general shield for the site.

```
drush pm:enable shield
```

Navigate to **Configurations \ System \ *****Shield*** from the administration toolbar menu.

<figure><img src="/files/Ogg8mG2XgD5QAhyjqHKE" alt=""><figcaption><p>Navigate to Shield Settings Page</p></figcaption></figure>

Check or un-check the `"Enable Shield"` checkbox to enable/disable shield functionality. All other settings are ignored if this is not checked.

Add an authentication message to show it in the authentication request popup. Use the `[user]` and `[pass]` tokens to print the user and the password respectively. leave it empty, when not wanting to print out any special message to users.

Provide the desired **User** and **Password** in the credential part of the settings.

<figure><img src="/files/9IPSgHP6x3EB4usPPY4A" alt=""><figcaption><p>Authentication Message, User and Password Example</p></figcaption></figure>

Press the Save Configuration button to save the changed configurations.

The site will start asking to fill in a user and password on every opened new session.

## How to Enable HTTP Password Authentication on Specific URLs/Pages

Adding HTTP authentication for a specific route/pattern instead of the whole site.

<figure><img src="/files/umr4Y9SxczoZXAkbQ79E" alt=""><figcaption><p>Paths and Path Methods</p></figcaption></figure>

The list of paths will be either excluded from, or included in Shield protection.

Select `"Include"` to protect only the listed paths.

Include a leading slash to listed internal links.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.varbase.vardot.com/10.1.x/developers/configuring-a-varbase-site/security-features/enable-http-password-authentication.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.