The authentication section of Mailman's private.py

private.py

    # Authorization confirmed... output the desired file
    try:
        ctype = content_type(path)
        if mboxfile:
            f = open(os.path.join(mlist.archive_dir() + '.mbox',
                                  mlist.internal_name() + '.mbox'))
            ctype = 'text/plain'
        elif true_filename[-3:] == '.gz':
            import gzip
            f = gzip.open(true_filename, 'r')
        else:
            f = open(true_filename, 'r')
    except IOError:
        msg = _('Private archive file not found')
        doc.SetTitle(msg)
        doc.AddItem(Header(2, msg))
        print doc.Format()
        syslog('error', 'Private archive file not found: %s', true_filename)
    else:
        print 'Content-type: %s\n' % ctype
        sys.stdout.write(f.read())
        f.close()