Apache's HTTP Authentication is a fast and easy way to lock down a directory so that it prompts users with a password dialog box to view the files.

This guide assumes that you have Apache2 already up and running.

1. <Directory "/path/to/web/dir">
2.     AllowOverride AuthConfig
3.     Order deny,allow
4.     Deny from all
5.     #Allow from 192.168
6.     Allow from all
7.  
8.     AuthName "teh login"
9.     AuthType Basic
10.     AuthUserFile /usr/local/apache22/.htpasswd-name
11.     Require valid-user
12. </Directory>

1. # htpasswd -c /usr/local/etc/apache22/.htpasswd-name username-to-use
2. New password:
3. Re-type new password:
4. Adding password for username-that-you-used

Now restart Apache so the changes will take effect and visit the URL you added the authentication for and you should be prompted with a password prompt. Enter the login information setup with the htpasswd command from earlier.

1. apachectl graceful