Issues with passwords, using JS to do it

I have my first "real" client for a Web site, but fortunately I'm doing their site for free (can anyone say "guinea pig"?). Anyway, they want a threaded discussion board area and chat room support but these things MUST be password protected.

My client(s) have a real need to protect their posts and identities...this is one of the requirements for the site. Mainly, the password protection is designed to keep out everyone but a short, select membership (no kidding, right?). All of this is obvious enough.

I have available to me a number of common JavaScripts for this purpose, but I have heard disturbing things about how easily they can be hacked and circumvented. I'm just starting to learn JS, so I don't really know what things I should be aware of, or even how/where to plug in certain information into the scripts I have.

Someone please enlighten me

Hi,

JavaScript is certainly not that secure for doing password protection, as you can always save the page to your drive, edit out the JavaScript and then use this hacked page to post messages, etc.

I reckon the only reliable way to password-protect your discussion board is server-side, either using the web server's own authentication system or using server-based code such as CGI.

Matt

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Matt Doyle, Elated
3rd Edition of my jQuery Mobile book out now! Learn to build mobile web apps. Free sample chapter: http://store.elated.com/