Cookieless Access Code
The PHP and HTML code you find here can be implemented quickly when you need to provide passworded access to one web page. No cookie is used. It can keep out unauthorized people and it can keep out search engine spiders and other bots.
I use this system often when I need to provide a confidential download link or other confidential information (like login credentials to somewhere else).
The format for web page to be enabled is set up like this:
PHP code to process access code. <!doctype html> <html> <head> <title>Example Page</title> </head> <body> The form for typing in the access code. The rest of the page. </body> </html>
Further below, you'll find the code for the 2 lines in red.
When the page is accessed without an access code, or with the wrong access code, the form is published. When the right access code is provided, the rest of the page is published and not the form.
Here is the code for the first red line in the above web page format code, PHP code to process access code. Place it at the top of the web page source code.
<?php
$accessCode = 'something';
$needAccess = true;
if(isset($_POST['access_code']))
{
$post = strtolower(trim($_POST['access_code']));
$code = strtolower(trim($accessCode));
if($post==$code) { $needAccess = false; }
}
?>
In the second line of the above source code, replace something with whatever you will use as the access code. Any keyboard characters may be used. Note that the access code is case‐insensitive.
Here is the code for the other red line in the above web page format code, Form to type in the access code, the source code for the access‐code form. Place it below the <body…> tag of your web page source code. No customizations required.
<?php if($needAccess): ?> <form method="post" action="<?php echo($_SERVER['PHP_SELF']) ?>"> Access code: <input type="text" name="access_code"> <input type="submit" value="Enter"> </form> <?php exit; ?> <?php endif; ?>
Nothing below the access‐code form is available without the correct access code having been provided. Not even the "view web page source code" feature of browsers will reveal the rest of the page.
That is the entire system. Put your confidential information anywhere below the access code form and you are good to go.
(This content first appeared in Possibilities newsletter.)
Will Bontrager
