wn8

Overview

wn is a server for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Its primary design goals are security and functionality usually available only with complex CGI scripts without the necessity of writing or using these scripts. This includes extensive security checks, full text searching and conditionally served text.

Despite this extensive functionality the wn executable is substantially smaller than the CERN or NCSA servers. Both a stand-alone daemon wnsd(8) and a version wnd(8) intended for use under inetd(8) are provided. The inetd(8) version is designed to minimize the use of system resources and it is appropriate for moderate or lightly loaded servers which cannot be totally dedicated to Web serving.

The wn security model is based on the use of a small flat database in each directory with information about the files in that directory. Fields associated with a file include its title, and may include keywords, expiration date and any user defined fields like author or document id. Unlike other servers, the default action for wn is to deny access to a file. A file can only be served if explicit permission to do so has been granted by entering it in this database.

There is extensive documentation on wn mainly in HTML format in http:/doc/wn/index.html page. There are also man(1) pages on most components.

The wn package is organized into the following components:

Daemons

Server utilites

wn_md5passwd(8)

Create and manage MD5 password files for wn HTTP server.

wn_mkpasswd(8)

Create and manage DES password files for wn HTTP server.

wn_uncache(1)

Decompile access control file for wn HTTP server.

wnconfig(8)

Simple Debian specific run-time configuration of wn HTTP server.

wndex(1)

Create access control file for wn HTTP server.

wnupdatewww(8)

Debian specific utility to enable access to standard directories through wn HTTP server.

wnv2c(8)

Convert logfile for wn HTTP server.

HTML utilites

Cgi programs

wnauth(3)

CGI program for Basic authorization for wn HTTP server.

wncat(3)

Debian specific File-Module and CGI program for listing (un)compressed files for wn HTTP server.

wnhtmlify(3)

Produce simple HTML document from text for wn HTTP server.

wnredir(3)

CGI program for redirecting to a new URL for wn HTTP server.

wnsectsearch(3)

CGI program for searching files for sections for wn HTTP server.

wnseven_m(3)

CGI program for searching files for sections for wn HTTP server.

Files

/etc/wn/wn.conf

Main Debian specific configuration file for wn(1) package.

/etc/wn/wn.rc

Debian specific sh(1) wrapper program to start wn(1) daemon with proper options.

/etc/init.d/wn

Debian specific sh(1) program to start wnsd stand-alone daemon from init(8) process.

/etc/cron.daily/wn

Debian specific sh(1) program to re-index standard documentation directories. It is run daily by the cron(8) daemon.