Revision as of 21:01, 1 February 2010

This describes how to distribute protected data.

Important Note

This method is inherently insecure since the user and password are not encrypted, and the "tunnel" of data is not encrypted. It provides a basic level of security.

!!! MAKE SURE THE FILES THEMSELVES ARE ENCRYPTED !!!!

Assumptions:

1. You can create password protected zip files
2. You can connect to homer and use the linux shell
3. You can connect to homer for file transfers
4. You can log in to homer as the lab user

Steps:

1. Put your data in a password-protected zip file.
2. Open an ssh session to homer with both the shell (ssh) and the file transfer application (sftp).
3. Using the shell, the following text shows an interactive session to create the folder and to password-protect the folder.

   Note this shows the shell prompt. Comments start with a # sign, and actual commands are bold

   
   

   # change directory into the web root

   ufl@ovid21 ~

   528 % cd public_html/

   
   

   # make a new folder

   ufl@ovid21 ~/public_html

   529 % mkdir parcel_point

   
   

   # move to the new folder

   ufl@ovid21 ~/public_html

   530 % cd parcel_point/

   
   

   # create the password file. the file name is `.htpasswd' with a user `foo' and the password `bar'

   ufl@ovid21 ~/public_html/parcel_point

   531 % htpasswd -bc .htpasswd foo bar

   Adding password for user foo

   
   

   # create the htaccess (control file)

   ufl@ovid21 ~/public_html/parcel_point

   532 % htaccess

   created .htaccess

   
   

4. Copy the encrypted zip file to the folder you created (in this example, public_html/parcel_point/parcels.zip, which translates to the URL http://depts.washington.edu/ufl/parcel_point/)
5. Telephone the person you want to have access to your data.
   1. Give them the URL, the username and password for access control, and the password for the zip file.

      They will see this type of interface, in which to type the user name and password:

      
      

      
      

      After they enter the correct authentication information they will have access to the web page.

      
      

   2. Instruct them to let you know when they have downloaded and successfully unzipped the zip file.
6. After they have obtained the data, delete the zip file and/or folder.