Last modified: September 28, 2020
Overview
This interface allows you to protect specific directories in your cPanel account’s files. After you enable this feature for a directory, when users attempt to view that directory via a website, the system prompts them to log in.
- This feature modifies
htaccess
andhtpasswd
configurations in order to restrict access to files on your websites. - This feature does not protect directories that users access via FTP, SFTP, Web Disk, or other services, or when they access files locally.
Select a directory
To use this interface, select a directory to manage.
To select a directory, click the desired directory’s name.
To view and select subdirectories, click the parent directory’s folder icon (
). Then, click the desired subdirectory name.
Note:A protected directory’s subdirectories inherit their parent directory’s password protection.
The lock icon (
) indicates that Directory Privacy configurations already exist for that directory.
Security Settings
To password protect the selected directory, perform the following steps:
Select the Password protect this directory checkbox.
Note:To remove password protection from a directory, deselect the Password protect this directory checkbox. Then, click Save.Enter a display label for the directory in the Enter a name for the protected directory text box.
Note:This name only functions as a label for the directory. Do not confuse it with the directory’s actual name.Click Save. A confirmation message will appear. Click Go Back to return to the directory’s configuration.
Create User
To create an authorized user for the selected directory, perform the following steps:
Enter the desired username in the Username text box.
Enter and confirm the new password in the appropriate text boxes.
Note:The system evaluates the password that you enter on a scale of 100 points.
0
indicates a weak password, while100
indicates a very secure password.Some web hosts require a minimum password strength. A green password
Strength
meter indicates that the password is equal to or greater than the required password strength.Click Password Generator to generate a strong password. For more information, read our Password & Security documentation.
Click Save. A confirmation message will appear. Click Go Back to return to the directory’s configuration.
Authorized Users
The Authorized Users menu lists the directory’s existing authorized users. To delete a user, select that user and click Delete User. A confirmation message will appear. Click Go Back to return to the directory’s configuration.