The htpasswd command can be used to create, reset, and view a users password.

Let's say your admin.conf file contains the following directive. In this example, the admin password file will need to be located at /opt/IBMIHS/conf/admin.passwd.

AuthUserFile "/opt/IBMIHS/conf/admin.passwd"

The htpasswd command with the -c option is used to create a file that will contain users htpasswd. A single admin.passwd file can contain multiple users htpasswd.. You will be prompted to provide the users password.

~]$ <web server root>/bin/htpasswd -c /opt/IBMIHS/conf/admin.passwd john.doe
New password: 
Re-type new password: 
Adding password for user john.doe

The -B option can be used to create an encrypted, hashed password.

<web server root>/bin/htpasswd -B -c /opt/IBMIHS/conf/admin.passwd john.doe

The -b (batch mode) option can be used to include the password on the command line, but this is not ideal, as this exposes the password to the ps command and history

~]# <web_server_root>/bin/htpasswd -b /opt/IBMIHS/conf/admin.passwd john.doe itsasecret
Adding password for user john.doe

Now, the admin.passwd file should exist.

-rw-r--r--. 1 root root    54 Mar 20 21:54 admin.passwd

The -v (verify) option can be used to ensure the users password is correct.

~]# <web_server_root>/bin/htpasswd -v /opt/IBMIHS/conf/admin.passwd john.doe
Enter password:
Password for user john.doe correct.

The -b (batch mode) option can be used to include the password on the command line.

<web_server_root>/bin/htpasswd -b -v /opt/IBMIHS/conf/admin.passwd john.doe

Or the -b option can be included to use the password on the command line.

~]# <web_server_root>/bin/htpasswd -vb /opt/IBMIHS/conf/admin.passwd john.doe itsasecret
Password for user john.doe correct.