Skip to content

Instantly share code, notes, and snippets.

@nikmartin
Last active October 30, 2024 20:13
Show Gist options
  • Save nikmartin/5902176 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Save nikmartin/5902176 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Secure sessions with Node.js, Express.js, and NginX as an SSL Proxy
Secure sessions are easy, but not very well documented.
Here's a recipe for secure sessions in Node.js when NginX is used as an SSL proxy:
The desired configuration for using NginX as an SSL proxy is to offload SSL processing
and to put a hardened web server in front of your Node.js application, like:
[NODE.JS APP] <- HTTP -> [NginX] <- HTTPS -> [PUBLIC INTERNET] <-> [CLIENT]
Edit for express 4.X and >: Express no longer uses Connect as its middleware framework, it implements its own now.
To do this, here's what you need to do:
// 1. In your main App, setup up sessions:
app.enable('trust proxy');
app.use(express.bodyParser());
app.use(express.cookieParser());
app.use(express.session({
secret: 'Super Secret Password',
proxy: true,
key: 'session.sid',
cookie: {secure: true},
//NEVER use in-memory store for production - I'm using mongoose/mongodb here
store: new sessionStore()
}));
# 2. Configure nginx to do SSL and forward all the required headers that COnnect needs to do secure sessions:
server {
listen 443;
server_name localhost;
ssl on;
ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/nodeapp.crt;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/nodeapp.key;
ssl_session_timeout 5m;
ssl_protocols SSLv2 SSLv3 TLSv1;
ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;
location / {
# THESE ARE IMPORTANT
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
# This is what tells Connect that your session can be considered secure,
# even though the protocol node.js sees is only HTTP:
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
proxy_set_header X-NginX-Proxy true;
proxy_read_timeout 5m;
proxy_connect_timeout 5m;
proxy_pass http://nodeserver;
proxy_redirect off;
}
}
@sim-17
Copy link

sim-17 commented Oct 12, 2020

you are simply the best!

@tichel
Copy link

tichel commented Feb 5, 2021

It 's indeed not well documentated. In my first Nginx-set up I had no idea. For me the 'app.enable('trust proxy');' was the life-changer. Thank you for sharing!

@ThiagoWenemy
Copy link

Hello, I came from 2022 to thank you and say that if you happen to spend a weekend in Brazil, in the region of São Paulo, send me an email and I will take you to the best steakhouse in the region as a thank you

@AnttiVirtanen
Copy link

Many thanks

@El-khamisi
Copy link

Awesome, you're my hero I'll fight for you.

@simonlopezs
Copy link

thank you very much! you save my project deadline!

@MadhavShroff
Copy link

Thank you, my good sir! Another deadline saved. May I too have as much good karma as you do.

@rohitrikhi
Copy link

Thank you boss !!! 🙌✨

@atharvakale343
Copy link

Thank you!

@Freeternity
Copy link

this is great. it worked for me. i had to ensure that the nginx order of proxy headers was in line with your post. the headers needed to be above the proxy_pass pointer.

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment