rack-attack/README.md

__Note__: You are viewing the development version README.
For the README consistent with the latest released version see https://github.com/kickstarter/rack-attack/blob/6-stable/README.md.

# Rack::Attack

*Rack middleware for blocking & throttling abusive requests*

Protect your Rails and Rack apps from bad clients. Rack::Attack lets you easily decide when to *allow*, *block* and *throttle* based on properties of the request.

See the [Backing & Hacking blog post](https://www.kickstarter.com/backing-and-hacking/rack-attack-protection-from-abusive-clients) introducing Rack::Attack.

[![Gem Version](https://badge.fury.io/rb/rack-attack.svg)](https://badge.fury.io/rb/rack-attack)
[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/kickstarter/rack-attack.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/kickstarter/rack-attack)
[![Code Climate](https://codeclimate.com/github/kickstarter/rack-attack.svg)](https://codeclimate.com/github/kickstarter/rack-attack)
[![Join the chat at https://gitter.im/rack-attack/rack-attack](https://badges.gitter.im/rack-attack/rack-attack.svg)](https://gitter.im/rack-attack/rack-attack)

## Table of contents

- [Getting started](#getting-started)
  - [Installing](#installing)
  - [Plugging into the application](#plugging-into-the-application)
- [Usage](#usage)
  - [Safelisting](#safelisting)
    - [`safelist_ip(ip_address_string)`](#safelist_ipip_address_string)
    - [`safelist_ip(ip_subnet_string)`](#safelist_ipip_subnet_string)
    - [`safelist(name, &block)`](#safelistname-block)
  - [Blocking](#blocking)
    - [`blocklist_ip(ip_address_string)`](#blocklist_ipip_address_string)
    - [`blocklist_ip(ip_subnet_string)`](#blocklist_ipip_subnet_string)
    - [`blocklist(name, &block)`](#blocklistname-block)
    - [Fail2Ban](#fail2ban)
    - [Allow2Ban](#allow2ban)
  - [Throttling](#throttling)
    - [`throttle(name, options, &block)`](#throttlename-options-block)
  - [Tracks](#tracks)
  - [Cache store configuration](#cache-store-configuration)
- [Customizing responses](#customizing-responses)
  - [RateLimit headers for well-behaved clients](#ratelimit-headers-for-well-behaved-clients)
- [Logging & Instrumentation](#logging--instrumentation)
- [Testing](#testing)
- [How it works](#how-it-works)
  - [About Tracks](#about-tracks)
- [Performance](#performance)
- [Motivation](#motivation)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
- [Code of Conduct](#code-of-conduct)
- [Development setup](#development-setup)
- [License](#license)

## Getting started

### Installing

Add this line to your application's Gemfile:

```ruby
# In your Gemfile

gem 'rack-attack'
```

And then execute:

    $ bundle

Or install it yourself as:

    $ gem install rack-attack

### Plugging into the application

Then tell your ruby web application to use rack-attack as a middleware.

a) For __rails__ applications it is used by default.

You can disable it permanently (like for specific environment) or temporarily (can be useful for specific test cases) by writing:

```ruby
Rack::Attack.enabled = false
```

b) For __rack__ applications:

```ruby
# In config.ru

require "rack/attack"
use Rack::Attack
```

__IMPORTANT__: By default, rack-attack won't perform any blocking or throttling, until you specifically tell it what to protect against by configuring some rules.

## Usage

*Tip:* If you just want to get going asap, then you can take our [example configuration](docs/example_configuration.md)
and tailor it to your needs, or check out the [advanced configuration](docs/advanced_configuration.md) examples.

Define rules by calling `Rack::Attack` public methods, in any file that runs when your application is being initialized. For rails applications this means creating a new file named `config/initializers/rack_attack.rb` and writing your rules there.

### Safelisting

Safelists have the most precedence, so any request matching a safelist would be allowed despite matching any number of blocklists or throttles.

#### `safelist_ip(ip_address_string)`

E.g.

```ruby
# config/initializers/rack_attack.rb (for rails app)

Rack::Attack.safelist_ip("5.6.7.8")
```

#### `safelist_ip(ip_subnet_string)`

E.g.

```ruby
# config/initializers/rack_attack.rb (for rails app)

Rack::Attack.safelist_ip("5.6.7.0/24")
```

#### `safelist(name, &block)`

Name your custom safelist and make your ruby-block argument return a truthy value if you want the request to be allowed, and falsy otherwise.

The request object is a [Rack::Request](http://www.rubydoc.info/gems/rack/Rack/Request).

E.g.

```ruby
# config/initializers/rack_attack.rb (for rails apps)

# Provided that trusted users use an HTTP request header named APIKey
Rack::Attack.safelist("mark any authenticated access safe") do |request|
  # Requests are allowed if the return value is truthy
  request.env["APIKey"] == "secret-string"
end

# Always allow requests from localhost
# (blocklist & throttles are skipped)
Rack::Attack.safelist('allow from localhost') do |req|
  # Requests are allowed if the return value is truthy
  '127.0.0.1' == req.ip || '::1' == req.ip
end
```

### Blocking

#### `blocklist_ip(ip_address_string)`

E.g.

```ruby
# config/initializers/rack_attack.rb (for rails apps)

Rack::Attack.blocklist_ip("1.2.3.4")
```

#### `blocklist_ip(ip_subnet_string)`

E.g.

```ruby
# config/initializers/rack_attack.rb (for rails apps)

Rack::Attack.blocklist_ip("1.2.0.0/16")
```

#### `blocklist(name, &block)`

Name your custom blocklist and make your ruby-block argument return a truthy value if you want the request to be blocked, and falsy otherwise.

The request object is a [Rack::Request](http://www.rubydoc.info/gems/rack/Rack/Request).

E.g.

```ruby
# config/initializers/rack_attack.rb (for rails apps)

Rack::Attack.blocklist("block all access to admin") do |request|
  # Requests are blocked if the return value is truthy
  request.path.start_with?("/admin")
end

Rack::Attack.blocklist('block bad UA logins') do |req|
  req.path == '/login' && req.post? && req.user_agent == 'BadUA'
end
```

#### Fail2Ban

`Fail2Ban.filter` can be used within a blocklist to block all requests from misbehaving clients.
This pattern is inspired by [fail2ban](https://www.fail2ban.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page).
See the [fail2ban documentation](https://www.fail2ban.org/wiki/index.php/MANUAL_0_8#Jail_Options) for more details on
how the parameters work.  For multiple filters, be sure to put each filter in a separate blocklist and use a unique discriminator for each fail2ban filter.

Fail2ban state is stored in a [configurable cache](#cache-store-configuration) (which defaults to `Rails.cache` if present).

```ruby
# Block suspicious requests for '/etc/password' or wordpress specific paths.
# After 3 blocked requests in 10 minutes, block all requests from that IP for 5 minutes.
Rack::Attack.blocklist('fail2ban pentesters') do |req|
  # `filter` returns truthy value if request fails, or if it's from a previously banned IP
  # so the request is blocked
  Rack::Attack::Fail2Ban.filter("pentesters-#{req.ip}", maxretry: 3, findtime: 10.minutes, bantime: 5.minutes) do
    # The count for the IP is incremented if the return value is truthy
    CGI.unescape(req.query_string) =~ %r{/etc/passwd} ||
    req.path.include?('/etc/passwd') ||
    req.path.include?('wp-admin') ||
    req.path.include?('wp-login')

  end
end
```

Note that `Fail2Ban` filters are not automatically scoped to the blocklist, so when using multiple filters in an application the scoping must be added to the discriminator e.g. `"pentest:#{req.ip}"`.

#### Allow2Ban

`Allow2Ban.filter` works the same way as the `Fail2Ban.filter` except that it *allows* requests from misbehaving
clients until such time as they reach maxretry at which they are cut off as per normal.

Allow2ban state is stored in a [configurable cache](#cache-store-configuration) (which defaults to `Rails.cache` if present).

```ruby
# Lockout IP addresses that are hammering your login page.
# After 20 requests in 1 minute, block all requests from that IP for 1 hour.
Rack::Attack.blocklist('allow2ban login scrapers') do |req|
  # `filter` returns false value if request is to your login page (but still
  # increments the count) so request below the limit are not blocked until
  # they hit the limit.  At that point, filter will return true and block.
  Rack::Attack::Allow2Ban.filter(req.ip, maxretry: 20, findtime: 1.minute, bantime: 1.hour) do
    # The count for the IP is incremented if the return value is truthy.
    req.path == '/login' and req.post?
  end
end
```

### Throttling

Throttle state is stored in a [configurable cache](#cache-store-configuration) (which defaults to `Rails.cache` if present).

#### `throttle(name, options, &block)`

Name your custom throttle, provide `limit` and `period` as options, and make your ruby-block argument return the __discriminator__. This discriminator is how you tell rack-attack whether you're limiting per IP address, per user email or any other.

The request object is a [Rack::Request](http://www.rubydoc.info/gems/rack/Rack/Request).

E.g.

```ruby
# config/initializers/rack_attack.rb (for rails apps)

Rack::Attack.throttle("requests by ip", limit: 5, period: 2) do |request|
  request.ip
end

# Throttle login attempts for a given email parameter to 6 reqs/minute
# Return the email as a discriminator on POST /login requests
Rack::Attack.throttle('limit logins per email', limit: 6, period: 60) do |req|
  if req.path == '/login' && req.post?
    req.params['email']
  end
end

# You can also set a limit and period using a proc. For instance, after
# Rack::Auth::Basic has authenticated the user:
limit_proc = proc { |req| req.env["REMOTE_USER"] == "admin" ? 100 : 1 }
period_proc = proc { |req| req.env["REMOTE_USER"] == "admin" ? 1 : 60 }

Rack::Attack.throttle('request per ip', limit: limit_proc, period: period_proc) do |request|
  request.ip
end
```

### Tracks

```ruby
# Track requests from a special user agent.
Rack::Attack.track("special_agent") do |req|
  req.user_agent == "SpecialAgent"
end

# Supports optional limit and period, triggers the notification only when the limit is reached.
Rack::Attack.track("special_agent", limit: 6, period: 60) do |req|
  req.user_agent == "SpecialAgent"
end

# Track it using ActiveSupport::Notification
ActiveSupport::Notifications.subscribe("track.rack_attack") do |name, start, finish, request_id, payload|
  req = payload[:request]
  if req.env['rack.attack.matched'] == "special_agent"
    Rails.logger.info "special_agent: #{req.path}"
    STATSD.increment("special_agent")
  end
end
```

### Cache store configuration

Throttle, allow2ban and fail2ban state is stored in a configurable cache (which defaults to `Rails.cache` if present), presumably backed by memcached or redis ([at least gem v3.0.0](https://rubygems.org/gems/redis)).

```ruby
Rack::Attack.cache.store = ActiveSupport::Cache::MemoryStore.new # defaults to Rails.cache
```

Note that `Rack::Attack.cache` is only used for throttling, allow2ban and fail2ban filtering; not blocklisting and safelisting. Your cache store must implement `increment` and `write` like [ActiveSupport::Cache::Store](http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActiveSupport/Cache/Store.html).

## Customizing responses

Customize the response of blocklisted and throttled requests using an object that adheres to the [Rack app interface](http://www.rubydoc.info/github/rack/rack/file/SPEC).

```ruby
Rack::Attack.blocklisted_callback = lambda do |request|
  # Using 503 because it may make attacker think that they have successfully
  # DOSed the site. Rack::Attack returns 403 for blocklists by default
  [ 503, {}, ['Blocked']]
end

Rack::Attack.throttled_callback = lambda do |request|
  # NB: you have access to the name and other data about the matched throttle
  #  request.env['rack.attack.matched'],
  #  request.env['rack.attack.match_type'],
  #  request.env['rack.attack.match_data'],
  #  request.env['rack.attack.match_discriminator']

  # Using 503 because it may make attacker think that they have successfully
  # DOSed the site. Rack::Attack returns 429 for throttling by default
  [ 503, {}, ["Server Error\n"]]
end
```

### RateLimit headers for well-behaved clients

While Rack::Attack's primary focus is minimizing harm from abusive clients, it
can also be used to return rate limit data that's helpful for well-behaved clients.

If you want to return to user how many seconds to wait until they can start sending requests again, this can be done through enabling `Retry-After` header:
```ruby
Rack::Attack.throttled_response_retry_after_header = true
```

Here's an example response that includes conventional `RateLimit-*` headers:

```ruby
Rack::Attack.throttled_response = lambda do |env|
  match_data = env['rack.attack.match_data']
  now = match_data[:epoch_time]

  headers = {
    'RateLimit-Limit' => match_data[:limit].to_s,
    'RateLimit-Remaining' => '0',
    'RateLimit-Reset' => (now + (match_data[:period] - now % match_data[:period])).to_s
  }

  [ 429, headers, ["Throttled\n"]]
end
```


For responses that did not exceed a throttle limit, Rack::Attack annotates the env with match data:

```ruby
request.env['rack.attack.throttle_data'][name] # => { discriminator: d, count: n, period: p, limit: l, epoch_time: t }
```

## Logging & Instrumentation

Rack::Attack uses the [ActiveSupport::Notifications](http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActiveSupport/Notifications.html) API if available.

You can subscribe to `rack_attack` events and log it, graph it, etc.

To get notified about specific type of events, subscribe to the event name followed by the `rack_attack` namesapce.
E.g. for throttles use:

```ruby
ActiveSupport::Notifications.subscribe("throttle.rack_attack") do |name, start, finish, request_id, payload|
  # request object available in payload[:request]

  # Your code here
end
```

If you want to subscribe to every `rack_attack` event, use:

```ruby
ActiveSupport::Notifications.subscribe(/rack_attack/) do |name, start, finish, request_id, payload|
  # request object available in payload[:request]

  # Your code here
end
```

## Testing

A note on developing and testing apps using Rack::Attack - if you are using throttling in particular, you will
need to enable the cache in your development environment. See [Caching with Rails](http://guides.rubyonrails.org/caching_with_rails.html)
for more on how to do this.

### Disabling

`Rack::Attack.enabled = false` can be used to either completely disable Rack::Attack in your tests, or to disable/enable for specific test cases only.

### Test case isolation

`Rack::Attack.reset!` can be used in your test suite to clear any Rack::Attack state between different test cases.

## How it works

The Rack::Attack middleware compares each request against *safelists*, *blocklists*, *throttles*, and *tracks* that you define. There are none by default.

 * If the request matches any **safelist**, it is allowed.
 * Otherwise, if the request matches any **blocklist**, it is blocked.
 * Otherwise, if the request matches any **throttle**, a counter is incremented in the Rack::Attack.cache. If any throttle's limit is exceeded, the request is blocked.
 * Otherwise, all **tracks** are checked, and the request is allowed.

The algorithm is actually more concise in code: See [Rack::Attack.call](lib/rack/attack.rb):

```ruby
def call(env)
  req = Rack::Attack::Request.new(env)

  if safelisted?(req)
    @app.call(env)
  elsif blocklisted?(req)
    self.class.blocklisted_callback.call(req)
  elsif throttled?(req)
    self.class.throttled_response.call(env)
    self.class.throttled_callback.call(req)
  else
    tracked?(req)
    @app.call(env)
  end
end
```

Note: `Rack::Attack::Request` is just a subclass of `Rack::Request` so that you
can cleanly monkey patch helper methods onto the
[request object](lib/rack/attack/request.rb).

### About Tracks

`Rack::Attack.track` doesn't affect request processing. Tracks are an easy way to log and measure requests matching arbitrary attributes.

## Performance

The overhead of running Rack::Attack is typically negligible (a few milliseconds per request),
but it depends on how many checks you've configured, and how long they take.
Throttles usually require a network roundtrip to your cache server(s),
so try to keep the number of throttle checks per request low.

If a request is blocklisted or throttled, the response is a very simple Rack response.
A single typical ruby web server thread can block several hundred requests per second.

Rack::Attack complements tools like `iptables` and nginx's [limit_conn_zone module](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_limit_conn_module.html#limit_conn_zone).

## Motivation

Abusive clients range from malicious login crackers to naively-written scrapers.
They hinder the security, performance, & availability of web applications.

It is impractical if not impossible to block abusive clients completely.

Rack::Attack aims to let developers quickly mitigate abusive requests and rely
less on short-term, one-off hacks to block a particular attack.

## Contributing

Check out the [Contributing guide](CONTRIBUTING.md).

## Code of Conduct

This project is intended to be a safe, welcoming space for collaboration, and contributors are expected to adhere to the [Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).

## Development setup

Check out the [Development guide](docs/development.md).

## License

Copyright Kickstarter, PBC.

Released under an [MIT License](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT).