Bungate Security Guide

Comprehensive security hardening guide for production deployments

This guide provides detailed information about Bungate's security features, threat model, and best practices for securing your API gateway in production environments.

Threat Model

Bungate is designed to protect against the following attack vectors:

Network Layer Threats

Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks: Prevented through TLS/HTTPS encryption
Eavesdropping: All traffic encrypted with strong cipher suites
Protocol Downgrade Attacks: Minimum TLS version enforcement

Application Layer Threats

Injection Attacks: Path traversal, SQL injection, command injection
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Security headers and CSP
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): Token-based protection
Information Disclosure: Secure error handling and sanitization

Resource Exhaustion Threats

Denial of Service (DoS): Request size limits and rate limiting
Slowloris Attacks: Timeout management and connection limits
Resource Amplification: Payload size monitoring

Authentication & Authorization Threats

Session Hijacking: Cryptographically secure session IDs
Token Replay: JWT expiration and validation
Credential Stuffing: Rate limiting and account lockout

Infrastructure Threats

IP Spoofing: Trusted proxy validation
Header Injection: Header validation and sanitization
Configuration Tampering: Secure defaults and validation

Security Features Overview

Bungate provides defense-in-depth with multiple security layers. All security features are automatically applied when configured in the gateway's security configuration object. You don't need to manually add middleware to each route - the gateway handles this for you.

Automatic Security Application

When you configure security features at the gateway level, they are automatically applied to all routes:

constgateway=newBunGateway({security: {// These features are automatically applied to ALL routestls: {enabled: true/* ... */},sizeLimits: {maxBodySize: 10*1024*1024},inputValidation: {blockedPatterns: [/\.\./]},securityHeaders: {enabled: true},},})// This route automatically gets all security featuresgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',})

Security Middleware Order

Security features are applied in the following order:

Size Limits - Validates request sizes before processing
Input Validation - Validates paths, headers, and query parameters
Security Headers - Applied to all responses
Authentication - JWT/API key validation (if configured)
Rate Limiting - Request throttling (if configured)
Route-specific middleware - Your custom middleware

Defense-in-Depth Architecture

Bungate provides defense-in-depth with multiple security layers:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Client Requests │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Layer 1: TLS Termination │
│ ✓ Certificate validation │
│ ✓ Cipher suite enforcement │
│ ✓ Protocol version validation │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Layer 2: Request Validation │
│ ✓ Size limit enforcement │
│ ✓ Input validation & sanitization │
│ ✓ Header validation │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Layer 3: Security Middleware │
│ ✓ Trusted proxy validation │
│ ✓ Security headers injection │
│ ✓ Authentication & authorization │
│ ✓ Rate limiting │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Layer 4: Application Processing │
│ ✓ Routing & load balancing │
│ ✓ Circuit breaking │
│ ✓ Backend proxying │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Layer 5: Response Processing │
│ ✓ Error sanitization │
│ ✓ Security header injection │
│ ✓ Payload size monitoring │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Backend Services │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

TLS/HTTPS Configuration

Overview

TLS (Transport Layer Security) encrypts all traffic between clients and the gateway, preventing eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks.

Basic Configuration

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 443,hostname: 'example.com'},security: {tls: {enabled: true,cert: './cert.pem',key: './key.pem',minVersion: 'TLSv1.3',redirectHTTP: true,redirectPort: 80,// Prevent open redirects via Host headerredirectAllowedHosts: ['example.com','*.example.com'],},},})awaitgateway.listen()

Production Configuration

constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 443,hostname: 'example.com'},security: {tls: {enabled: true,cert: process.env.TLS_CERT_PATH,key: process.env.TLS_KEY_PATH,ca: process.env.TLS_CA_PATH,// For client certificate validationminVersion: 'TLSv1.3',cipherSuites: ['TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384','TLS_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256','TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256',],requestCert: false,// Enable for mTLSrejectUnauthorized: true,redirectHTTP: true,redirectPort: 80,redirectAllowedHosts: ['example.com','*.example.com'],},},})

Best Practices

Use TLS 1.3: Provides better security and performance
Strong Cipher Suites: Use AEAD ciphers with forward secrecy
Valid Certificates: Obtain from trusted CAs (Let's Encrypt, DigiCert)
Certificate Rotation: Automate renewal before expiration
Secure Key Storage: Protect private keys with proper permissions (chmod 600)
HTTP Redirect: Always redirect HTTP to HTTPS in production

For detailed TLS configuration, see TLS Configuration Guide.

Input Validation & Sanitization

Overview

Input validation prevents injection attacks by validating and sanitizing all user-provided data before processing.

Configuration

Input validation is automatically applied when configured in the gateway security settings:

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {inputValidation: {maxPathLength: 2048,maxHeaderSize: 16384,maxHeaderCount: 100,allowedPathChars: /^[a-zA-Z0-9\/_\-\.~%]+$/,blockedPatterns: [/\.\./,// Directory traversal/%00/,// Null byte injection/<script>/i,// XSS attempts/javascript:/i,// JavaScript protocol],sanitizeHeaders: true,},},})// All routes automatically have input validation appliedgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',})

What Gets Validated

Path Parameters: Checked against allowed character set
Path Rewriting: Sanitized to prevent directory traversal
Headers: Validated against RFC specifications
Query Parameters: Checked for malicious patterns
Request Size: Enforced before processing

Custom Validation

import{InputValidator}from'bungate'constvalidator=newInputValidator({maxPathLength: 1024,allowedPathChars: /^[a-zA-Z0-9\/\-_]+$/,})gateway.addRoute({pattern: '/strict/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',middlewares: [async(req,next)=>{constresult=validator.validatePath(newURL(req.url).pathname)if(!result.valid){returnnewResponse(JSON.stringify({error: 'Invalid path',details: result.errors}),{status: 400,headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'}},)}returnnext()},],})

Attack Prevention

Directory Traversal: ../ sequences blocked and sanitized
Double/Multiple Encoding: Paths are recursively decoded; still-encoded sequences after decoding are rejected
Null Byte Injection: %00 and null characters rejected
XSS Attempts: Script tags and JavaScript protocols blocked
SQL Injection: Special characters in query params validated
Command Injection: Shell metacharacters blocked

Secure Error Handling

Overview

Secure error handling prevents information disclosure by sanitizing error messages in production while maintaining detailed logging for debugging.

Configuration

Secure error handling is automatically applied when configured in the gateway security settings:

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {errorHandling: {production: process.env.NODE_ENV==='production',includeStackTrace: false,logErrors: true,sanitizeBackendErrors: true,customMessages: {500: 'An internal error occurred',502: 'Service temporarily unavailable',503: 'Service unavailable',504: 'Request timeout',},},},})// All routes automatically have secure error handling appliedgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',})

Production vs Development

Production Mode (sanitized):

{
"error": {
"code": "INTERNAL_ERROR",
"message": "An internal error occurred",
"requestId": "req_abc123",
"timestamp": 1699564800000
}
}

Development Mode (sanitized by default; set includeStackTrace: true for detailed responses):

{
"error": {
"code": "INTERNAL_ERROR",
"message": "An internal error occurred",
"requestId": "req_abc123",
"timestamp": 1699564800000
}
}

Custom Error Handling

import{SecureErrorHandler}from'bungate'consterrorHandler=newSecureErrorHandler({production: true,logErrors: true,})gateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',hooks: {onError: async(req,error)=>{// Log full error internallyerrorHandler.logError(error,{requestId: crypto.randomUUID(),clientIP: req.headers.get('x-forwarded-for')||'unknown',path: newURL(req.url).pathname,method: req.method,})// Return sanitized error to clientconstsafeError=errorHandler.sanitizeError(error)returnnewResponse(JSON.stringify(safeError),{status: safeError.statusCode,headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},})},},})

What Gets Sanitized

Stack traces (removed in production)
Internal service URLs and IPs
Database connection strings
Environment variables
File system paths
Configuration details
Backend error messages

Session Management

Overview

Cryptographically secure session management prevents session hijacking and fixation attacks through strong random ID generation and secure cookie handling.

Configuration

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {sessions: {entropyBits: 128,// Minimum 128 bitsttl: 3600000,// 1 hourcookieName: 'session_id',cookieOptions: {secure: true,// HTTPS onlyhttpOnly: true,// No JavaScript accesssameSite: 'strict',// CSRF protectiondomain: '.example.com',path: '/',},},},})

Sticky Sessions with Load Balancer

gateway.addRoute({pattern: '/app/*',loadBalancer: {strategy: 'round-robin',targets: [{url: 'http://app1:3000'},{url: 'http://app2:3000'},{url: 'http://app3:3000'},],stickySession: {enabled: true,cookieName: 'app_session',ttl: 3600000,// Cap in-memory sessions to prevent unbounded growthmaxSessions: 10000,// Ignore unknown cookie values instead of minting new sessionsunknownCookiePolicy: 'ignore',},},})

Session Manager API

import{SessionManager}from'bungate'constsessionManager=newSessionManager({entropyBits: 128,ttl: 3600000,})// Generate secure session IDconstsessionId=sessionManager.generateSessionId()console.log('Entropy:',sessionId.length*4,'bits')// 128+ bits// Create sessionconstsession=sessionManager.createSession('http://backend:3000/target')// Validate sessionconstisValid=sessionManager.validateSessionId(sessionId)// Get sessionconstsession=sessionManager.getSession(sessionId)// Delete sessionsessionManager.deleteSession(sessionId)// Cleanup expired sessionssessionManager.cleanupExpiredSessions()

Security Features

Cryptographic Randomness: Uses crypto.randomBytes() for all session IDs
Minimum Entropy: Enforces 128 bits of entropy (32 hex characters)
Automatic Expiration: Sessions expire after configured TTL
Secure Cookies: Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite attributes set by default
Session Validation: Rejects sessions below minimum entropy threshold

Best Practices

Use HTTPS (required for Secure cookie attribute)
Set appropriate TTL based on application sensitivity
Enable SameSite=strict for CSRF protection
Implement session cleanup to prevent memory leaks
Rotate session IDs after authentication
Invalidate sessions on logout

Trusted Proxy Configuration

Overview

Trusted proxy validation prevents IP spoofing by only accepting forwarded headers from verified proxy servers.

Configuration

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {trustedProxies: {enabled: true,trustedIPs: ['10.0.0.0/8',// Private network'172.16.0.0/12',// Private network'192.168.0.0/16',// Private network],trustedNetworks: ['cloudflare',// Cloudflare IP ranges'aws',// AWS CloudFront'gcp',// Google Cloud CDN'azure',// Azure CDN],maxForwardedDepth: 3,trustAll: false,// Never use in production!// Only enable these when the immediate upstream is actually that proxy typetrustCloudflare: true,trustXRealIP: false,},},})

Cloudflare / X-Real-IP headers: These proxy-specific headers are ignored by default even when the peer is trusted. Only enable trustCloudflare when the immediate upstream is Cloudflare, and trustXRealIP when your trusted proxy is responsible for setting X-Real-IP.

Predefined Trusted Networks

Bungate includes IP ranges for major CDN and cloud providers:

cloudflare: Cloudflare CDN IP ranges (complete list, updated Nov 2024)
aws: AWS CloudFront IP ranges (representative sample of 194 ranges)
gcp: Google Cloud CDN IP ranges (representative sample of 814 ranges)
azure: Azure CDN IP ranges (representative sample)

Note: The built-in ranges are representative samples suitable for most deployments. For large-scale production environments or the most up-to-date ranges, consider fetching them dynamically:

// Example: Fetch AWS CloudFront ranges dynamicallyconstresponse=awaitfetch('https://ip-ranges.amazonaws.com/ip-ranges.json')constdata=awaitresponse.json()constcloudfrontRanges=data.prefixes.filter((p)=>p.service==='CLOUDFRONT').map((p)=>p.ip_prefix)// Use with custom validatorconstvalidator=newTrustedProxyValidator({trustedIPs: cloudfrontRanges,})

Update Sources:

Cloudflare: https://www.cloudflare.com/ips-v4
AWS CloudFront: https://ip-ranges.amazonaws.com/ip-ranges.json
GCP: https://www.gstatic.com/ipranges/cloud.json
Azure: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=56519

Custom Validation

import{TrustedProxyValidator}from'bungate'constvalidator=newTrustedProxyValidator({trustedIPs: ['203.0.113.0/24'],maxForwardedDepth: 2,})gateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',middlewares: [async(req,next)=>{constremoteIP=req.headers.get('x-real-ip')||'unknown'if(!validator.validateProxy(remoteIP)){console.warn('Untrusted proxy detected:',remoteIP)// Use direct connection IP instead}constclientIP=validator.extractClientIP(req);(reqasany).clientIP=clientIPreturnnext()},],})

How It Works

Proxy Validation: Checks if request comes from trusted proxy
Header Extraction: Only processes X-Forwarded-For from trusted sources
Chain Validation: Validates entire forwarded header chain
Depth Limiting: Prevents header chain manipulation
Fallback: Uses direct connection IP if proxy untrusted

CIDR Notation Support

trustedIPs: ['10.0.0.1',// Single IP'192.168.1.0/24',// Subnet (256 IPs)'172.16.0.0/12',// Large subnet'2001:db8::/32',// IPv6 subnet]

Security Warnings

The system logs warnings for suspicious activity:

// Logged when:// - Forwarded header from untrusted source// - Chain depth exceeds maximum// - Invalid IP format detected// - Conflicting forwarded headers

Best Practices

Never use trustAll: true in production
Regularly update trusted IP ranges
Monitor security logs for suspicious activity
Use specific IP ranges instead of broad subnets
Validate forwarded headers even from trusted proxies
Set appropriate maxForwardedDepth (typically 1-3)

Security Headers

Overview

Security headers instruct browsers to enforce additional security protections, preventing various client-side attacks.

Configuration

Security headers are automatically applied to all responses when configured in the gateway security settings:

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {securityHeaders: {enabled: true,hsts: {maxAge: 31536000,// 1 yearincludeSubDomains: true,preload: true,},contentSecurityPolicy: {directives: {'default-src': ["'self'"],'script-src': ["'self'","'unsafe-inline'",'cdn.example.com'],'style-src': ["'self'","'unsafe-inline'"],'img-src': ["'self'",'data:','https:'],'font-src': ["'self'",'fonts.gstatic.com'],'connect-src': ["'self'",'api.example.com'],'frame-ancestors': ["'none'"],'base-uri': ["'self'"],'form-action': ["'self'"],},reportOnly: false,},xFrameOptions: 'DENY',xContentTypeOptions: true,referrerPolicy: 'strict-origin-when-cross-origin',permissionsPolicy: {camera: [],microphone: [],geolocation: ["'self'"],payment: ["'self'"],},customHeaders: {'X-Gateway-Version': '1.0.0',},},},})// All routes automatically have security headers applied to responsesgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',})

Header Reference

Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS)

Forces browsers to use HTTPS for all future requests.

hsts: {maxAge: 31536000,// Required: seconds to rememberincludeSubDomains: true,// Apply to all subdomainspreload: true,// Submit to HSTS preload list}

Response Header:

Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload

Content-Security-Policy (CSP)

Controls which resources browsers can load, preventing XSS attacks.

contentSecurityPolicy: {directives: {'default-src': ["'self'"],// Default policy'script-src': ["'self'",'trusted-cdn.com'],// JavaScript sources'style-src': ["'self'","'unsafe-inline'"],// CSS sources'img-src': ["'self'",'data:','https:'],// Image sources'connect-src': ["'self'",'api.example.com'],// AJAX/WebSocket'font-src': ["'self'",'fonts.gstatic.com'],// Font sources'object-src': ["'none'"],// Plugins (Flash, etc.)'frame-ancestors': ["'none'"],// Embedding restrictions'base-uri': ["'self'"],// <base> tag restrictions'form-action': ["'self'"],// Form submission targets},reportOnly: false,// Set true for testing}

Response Header:

Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' trusted-cdn.com; ...

X-Frame-Options

Prevents clickjacking by controlling iframe embedding.

xFrameOptions: 'DENY'|'SAMEORIGIN'|'ALLOW-FROM https://example.com'

Response Header:

X-Frame-Options: DENY

X-Content-Type-Options

Prevents MIME type sniffing.

xContentTypeOptions: true

Response Header:

X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff

Referrer-Policy

Controls referrer information sent with requests.

referrerPolicy: 'no-referrer'|'no-referrer-when-downgrade'|'origin'|'origin-when-cross-origin'|'same-origin'|'strict-origin'|'strict-origin-when-cross-origin'|'unsafe-url'

Response Header:

Referrer-Policy: strict-origin-when-cross-origin

Permissions-Policy

Controls browser features and APIs.

permissionsPolicy: {camera: [],// Disable cameramicrophone: [],// Disable microphonegeolocation: ["'self'"],// Allow on same originpayment: ["'self'"],// Allow payment APIusb: [],// Disable USB access'display-capture': [],// Disable screen capture}

Response Header:

Permissions-Policy: camera=(), microphone=(), geolocation=(self), payment=(self)

CSP Report-Only Mode

Test CSP without blocking resources:

contentSecurityPolicy: {directives: {/* ... */},reportOnly: true,reportUri: '/csp-report',}

Violations are reported but not blocked, allowing you to test policies safely.

Custom Headers

Add application-specific security headers:

customHeaders: {'X-Gateway-Version': '1.0.0','X-Request-ID': ()=>crypto.randomUUID(),'X-Content-Type-Options': 'nosniff',}

Best Practices

Start with Report-Only: Test CSP before enforcing
Minimize 'unsafe-inline': Avoid inline scripts/styles
Use Nonces: For inline scripts that can't be avoided
Enable HSTS: After confirming HTTPS works correctly
Submit to Preload: After testing HSTS for several weeks
Regular Updates: Review and update CSP as application evolves
Monitor Reports: Set up CSP reporting endpoint

Request Size Limits

Overview

Request size limits prevent denial-of-service attacks by rejecting oversized requests before they consume resources.

Configuration

Request size limits are automatically enforced when configured in the gateway security settings:

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {sizeLimits: {maxBodySize: 10*1024*1024,// 10 MBmaxHeaderSize: 16*1024,// 16 KBmaxHeaderCount: 100,// 100 headersmaxUrlLength: 2048,// 2048 charactersmaxQueryParams: 100,// 100 parameters},},})// All routes automatically have size limits enforcedgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',})

Global Configuration

Size limits are configured globally at the gateway level and apply to all routes:

constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {sizeLimits: {maxBodySize: 10*1024*1024,// 10 MB defaultmaxHeaderSize: 16*1024,// 16 KBmaxHeaderCount: 100,maxUrlLength: 2048,maxQueryParams: 100,},},})// For different limits per route, you can use custom middlewareimport{createSizeLimiterMiddleware}from'bungate'gateway.addRoute({pattern: '/upload/*',target: 'http://upload-service:3000',middlewares: [createSizeLimiterMiddleware({limits: {maxBodySize: 100*1024*1024,// 100 MB for uploads},}),],})

Custom Size Validation

import{SizeLimiter}from'bungate'constlimiter=newSizeLimiter({maxBodySize: 5*1024*1024,maxHeaderSize: 16*1024,})gateway.addRoute({pattern: '/custom/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',middlewares: [async(req,next)=>{// Validate request sizeconstresult=limiter.validateRequestSize(req)if(!result.valid){returnnewResponse(JSON.stringify({error: 'Request too large',details: result.errors,}),{status: 413,headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},},)}returnnext()},],})

HTTP Status Codes

Different limits return appropriate status codes:

413 Payload Too Large: Body size exceeds limit
414 URI Too Long: URL length exceeds limit
431 Request Header Fields Too Large: Headers exceed limits

Default Limits

Bungate uses secure defaults based on RFC recommendations:

{maxBodySize: 10*1024*1024,// 10 MBmaxHeaderSize: 16*1024,// 16 KB (per header)maxHeaderCount: 100,// 100 headersmaxUrlLength: 2048,// 2048 charactersmaxQueryParams: 100,// 100 parameters}

Streaming Validation

Body size is validated during streaming to prevent buffering large payloads:

// Size is checked incrementally as data arrives// Request is aborted immediately when limit exceeded// No memory exhaustion from buffering

Best Practices

Set Appropriate Limits: Based on application requirements
Different Limits per Route: Upload endpoints need larger limits
Monitor Rejections: Track 413/414/431 responses
Document Limits: Inform API consumers of size restrictions
Graceful Errors: Return helpful error messages
Consider Compression: Compressed payloads count toward limits

Security Benefits

DoS Prevention: Rejects oversized requests early
Memory Protection: Prevents memory exhaustion
Resource Conservation: Saves CPU and bandwidth
Attack Surface Reduction: Limits potential attack vectors

JWT Key Rotation

Overview

JWT key rotation allows updating signing keys without service disruption, enabling recovery from key compromise and regular key rotation best practices.

Configuration

JWT key rotation is configured at the gateway level and can be used with route-level authentication:

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {jwtKeyRotation: {secrets: [{key: process.env.JWT_SECRET_PRIMARY,algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'key-2024-01',primary: true,},{key: process.env.JWT_SECRET_OLD,algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'key-2023-12',deprecated: true,},],gracePeriod: 7*24*60*60*1000,// 7 days},},})// Use with route authenticationgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://backend:3000',auth: {secret: process.env.JWT_SECRET_PRIMARY,jwtOptions: {algorithms: ['HS256'],},},})

JWKS (JSON Web Key Set) Support

Automatically fetch and refresh keys from JWKS endpoint:

security: {jwtKeyRotation: {jwksUri: 'https://auth.example.com/.well-known/jwks.json',jwksRefreshInterval: 3600000,// 1 hoursecrets: [{key: process.env.JWT_FALLBACK_SECRET,algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'fallback',},],},}

Key Rotation Process

Add New Key: Add new key as primary
Grace Period: Keep old key for verification
Monitor Usage: Track deprecated key usage
Remove Old Key: After grace period expires

// Step 1: Add new key (both keys active)
secrets: [{key: 'new-secret',algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'key-2024-02',primary: true},{key: 'old-secret',algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'key-2024-01',deprecated: true,},]// Step 2: Monitor for 7 days// Logs warnings when old key is used// Step 3: Remove old key (after grace period)
secrets: [{key: 'new-secret',algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'key-2024-02',primary: true},]

Multiple Algorithm Support

Support different algorithms simultaneously:

secrets: [{key: rsaPublicKey,algorithm: 'RS256',kid: 'rsa-key-1',primary: true,},{key: 'hmac-secret',algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'hmac-key-1',},{key: ecPublicKey,algorithm: 'ES256',kid: 'ec-key-1',},]

Programmatic Key Management

import{JWTKeyRotationManager}from'bungate'constkeyManager=newJWTKeyRotationManager({secrets: [{key: 'primary-secret',algorithm: 'HS256',primary: true},{key: 'old-secret',algorithm: 'HS256',deprecated: true},],gracePeriod: 7*24*60*60*1000,})// Verify token (tries all keys)try{constpayload=awaitkeyManager.verifyToken(token)console.log('Token valid:',payload)}catch(error){console.error('Token invalid:',error)}// Sign new token (uses primary key)constnewToken=awaitkeyManager.signToken({sub: 'user123',exp: Math.floor(Date.now()/1000)+3600,})// Rotate keysawaitkeyManager.rotateKeys()// Refresh JWKSawaitkeyManager.refreshJWKS()

Monitoring & Alerts

The system logs warnings for security monitoring:

// Logged when:// - Deprecated key used for verification// - JWKS refresh fails// - All keys fail verification// - Key rotation performed

Best Practices

Regular Rotation: Rotate keys every 90 days
Grace Period: Keep old keys for 7-14 days
Monitor Usage: Track deprecated key usage
Secure Storage: Store keys in secrets management system
Key IDs: Use descriptive key IDs with dates
JWKS Caching: Cache JWKS responses appropriately
Fallback Keys: Keep fallback key for emergencies
Audit Logs: Log all key rotation events

Emergency Key Rotation

In case of key compromise:

// 1. Immediately add new key as primary
secrets: [{key: 'emergency-new-key',algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'emergency-2024',primary: true,},// Remove compromised key immediately (no grace period)]// 2. Invalidate all existing tokens// 3. Force re-authentication// 4. Investigate compromise// 5. Update monitoring and alerts

Security Benefits

Key Compromise Recovery: Replace compromised keys without downtime
Regular Rotation: Follow security best practices
Zero Downtime: Seamless key updates
Backward Compatibility: Support old tokens during transition
Monitoring: Track key usage and deprecation

Common Security Scenarios

Scenario 1: Production API Gateway

Complete security configuration for production API gateway:

import{BunGateway}from'bungate'constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 443},// TLS/HTTPSsecurity: {tls: {enabled: true,cert: process.env.TLS_CERT_PATH,key: process.env.TLS_KEY_PATH,minVersion: 'TLSv1.3',redirectHTTP: true,redirectPort: 80,},// Input validationinputValidation: {maxPathLength: 2048,maxHeaderSize: 16384,maxHeaderCount: 100,sanitizeHeaders: true,},// Error handlingerrorHandling: {production: true,includeStackTrace: false,logErrors: true,sanitizeBackendErrors: true,},// Session managementsessions: {entropyBits: 128,ttl: 3600000,cookieOptions: {secure: true,httpOnly: true,sameSite: 'strict',},},// Trusted proxiestrustedProxies: {enabled: true,trustedNetworks: ['cloudflare'],maxForwardedDepth: 2,},// Security headerssecurityHeaders: {enabled: true,hsts: {maxAge: 31536000,includeSubDomains: true,preload: true,},contentSecurityPolicy: {directives: {'default-src': ["'self'"],'script-src': ["'self'"],'style-src': ["'self'"],'img-src': ["'self'",'https:'],'frame-ancestors': ["'none'"],},},xFrameOptions: 'DENY',xContentTypeOptions: true,},// Size limitssizeLimits: {maxBodySize: 10*1024*1024,maxHeaderSize: 16*1024,maxHeaderCount: 100,maxUrlLength: 2048,},// JWT key rotationjwtKeyRotation: {secrets: [{key: process.env.JWT_SECRET_PRIMARY,algorithm: 'HS256',kid: 'primary',primary: true,},],jwksUri: process.env.JWKS_URI,jwksRefreshInterval: 3600000,},},})// Protected API routesgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://api-backend:3000',auth: {secret: process.env.JWT_SECRET_PRIMARY,jwtOptions: {algorithms: ['HS256'],issuer: 'https://auth.example.com',audience: 'https://api.example.com',},},rateLimit: {max: 1000,windowMs: 60000,},circuitBreaker: {enabled: true,failureThreshold: 5,timeout: 5000,},})awaitgateway.listen()

Scenario 2: Microservices Gateway

Gateway for microservices with different security requirements:

constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 443},security: {/* ... base security config ... */},})// Public API with API key authgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/public/api/*',target: 'http://public-service:3000',auth: {apiKeys: async(key)=>awaitvalidateApiKey(key),apiKeyHeader: 'x-api-key',},rateLimit: {max: 100,windowMs: 60000,},})// Internal API with JWT authgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/internal/api/*',target: 'http://internal-service:3000',auth: {secret: process.env.INTERNAL_JWT_SECRET,jwtOptions: {algorithms: ['HS256'],issuer: 'https://internal.example.com',},},rateLimit: {max: 10000,windowMs: 60000,},})// Admin API with strict securitygateway.addRoute({pattern: '/admin/api/*',target: 'http://admin-service:3000',auth: {secret: process.env.ADMIN_JWT_SECRET,jwtOptions: {algorithms: ['RS256'],issuer: 'https://admin.example.com',},},rateLimit: {max: 50,windowMs: 60000,},middlewares: [// Additional admin validationasync(req,next)=>{constuser=(reqasany).userif(!user?.roles?.includes('admin')){returnnewResponse('Forbidden',{status: 403})}returnnext()},],})

Scenario 3: High-Security Financial Application

Maximum security for sensitive financial data:

constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 443},security: {// Strict TLStls: {enabled: true,cert: process.env.TLS_CERT_PATH,key: process.env.TLS_KEY_PATH,minVersion: 'TLSv1.3',cipherSuites: ['TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384','TLS_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256'],requestCert: true,// mTLS requiredrejectUnauthorized: true,},// Strict input validationinputValidation: {maxPathLength: 1024,maxHeaderSize: 8192,maxHeaderCount: 50,allowedPathChars: /^[a-zA-Z0-9\/_-]+$/,sanitizeHeaders: true,},// Strict size limitssizeLimits: {maxBodySize: 1*1024*1024,// 1 MBmaxHeaderSize: 8*1024,maxHeaderCount: 50,maxUrlLength: 1024,},// Short session TTLsessions: {entropyBits: 256,// Extra entropyttl: 900000,// 15 minutescookieOptions: {secure: true,httpOnly: true,sameSite: 'strict',},},// Comprehensive security headerssecurityHeaders: {enabled: true,hsts: {maxAge: 63072000,// 2 yearsincludeSubDomains: true,preload: true,},contentSecurityPolicy: {directives: {'default-src': ["'none'"],'script-src': ["'self'"],'style-src': ["'self'"],'img-src': ["'self'"],'connect-src': ["'self'"],'frame-ancestors': ["'none'"],'base-uri': ["'none'"],'form-action': ["'self'"],},},xFrameOptions: 'DENY',xContentTypeOptions: true,referrerPolicy: 'no-referrer',},},})// Payment endpoints with maximum securitygateway.addRoute({pattern: '/payments/*',target: 'http://payment-service:3000',auth: {secret: process.env.PAYMENT_JWT_SECRET,jwtOptions: {algorithms: ['RS256'],issuer: 'https://auth.financial.example.com',audience: 'https://api.financial.example.com',},},rateLimit: {max: 10,// Very strict rate limitwindowMs: 60000,},circuitBreaker: {enabled: true,failureThreshold: 3,timeout: 3000,},middlewares: [// Additional payment validationasync(req,next)=>{// Validate payment-specific requirements// Check transaction limits// Verify account statusreturnnext()},],})

Scenario 4: Development Environment

Relaxed security for development with detailed errors:

constgateway=newBunGateway({server: {port: 3000},security: {// No TLS in developmenttls: {enabled: false,},// Detailed errorserrorHandling: {production: false,includeStackTrace: true,logErrors: true,},// Relaxed limitssizeLimits: {maxBodySize: 50*1024*1024,// 50 MBmaxHeaderSize: 32*1024,maxHeaderCount: 200,},// Trust all proxies (local development)trustedProxies: {enabled: true,trustAll: true,// OK for development only},},})// Development routes with optional authgateway.addRoute({pattern: '/api/*',target: 'http://localhost:3001',auth: {secret: 'dev-secret',optional: true,// Allow unauthenticated requests},})

Security Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure your Bungate deployment is properly secured:

TLS/HTTPS

TLS enabled with valid certificates from trusted CA
Minimum TLS version set to 1.3 (or 1.2 minimum)
Strong cipher suites configured
HTTP to HTTPS redirect enabled
HSTS header enabled with appropriate max-age
Certificates monitored for expiration
Private keys secured with proper permissions (chmod 600)
Certificate rotation process documented

Input Validation

Input validation enabled for all routes
Path validation with allowed character set
Header validation against RFC specifications
Query parameter validation enabled
Malicious pattern detection configured
Path sanitization for rewrites
Custom validation for sensitive endpoints

Error Handling

Production mode enabled in production
Stack traces disabled in production
Error logging enabled
Backend errors sanitized
Custom error messages configured
Request IDs included in errors
Error monitoring and alerting set up

Session Management

Minimum 128 bits of entropy for session IDs
Appropriate session TTL configured
Secure cookie attribute enabled (HTTPS only)
HttpOnly cookie attribute enabled
SameSite cookie attribute set to 'strict' or 'lax'
Session cleanup scheduled
Session rotation after authentication

Trusted Proxies

Trusted proxy validation enabled
Specific trusted IP ranges configured (not trustAll)
Trusted networks configured for CDN/cloud providers
Maximum forwarded depth set appropriately
Security warnings monitored
IP spoofing prevention verified

Security Headers

Security headers enabled
HSTS configured with appropriate max-age
Content Security Policy configured
X-Frame-Options set to DENY or SAMEORIGIN
X-Content-Type-Options enabled
Referrer-Policy configured
Permissions-Policy configured
CSP tested in report-only mode first

Request Size Limits

Body size limits configured
Header size limits configured
URL length limits configured
Query parameter count limits configured
Per-route limits configured where needed
Appropriate HTTP status codes returned
Size limit rejections monitored

Authentication & Authorization

JWT authentication configured
Strong JWT secrets used
JWT expiration configured
JWT key rotation implemented
JWKS refresh configured (if applicable)
API key authentication for public APIs
Rate limiting per user/API key
Authentication excluded for public endpoints only

Rate Limiting

Rate limiting enabled for all routes
Appropriate limits per route type
Custom key generation for user-based limiting
Distributed rate limiting for clusters
Rate limit exceeded responses monitored
Whitelist for trusted clients (if needed)

Monitoring & Logging

Infrastructure

Gateway running in cluster mode for production
Health checks configured
Circuit breakers enabled for backend services
Graceful shutdown configured
Connection draining implemented
Environment variables secured
Secrets management system used
Regular security updates applied

Compliance

Security requirements documented
Threat model reviewed
Security testing performed
Penetration testing completed
Compliance requirements met (PCI DSS, HIPAA, etc.)
Security audit trail maintained
Incident response plan documented
Regular security reviews scheduled

Compliance & Standards

OWASP Top 10 Coverage

Bungate addresses the OWASP Top 10 security risks:

A01:2021 – Broken Access Control

Mitigation: JWT authentication, API key validation, role-based access control
Features: Auth middleware, token validation, custom authorization logic

A02:2021 – Cryptographic Failures

Mitigation: TLS 1.3, strong cipher suites, secure session IDs
Features: TLS configuration, cryptographic random generation, HSTS

A03:2021 – Injection

Mitigation: Input validation, path sanitization, header validation
Features: Input validator, malicious pattern detection, query param validation

A04:2021 – Insecure Design

Mitigation: Secure defaults, defense-in-depth, threat modeling
Features: Security configuration, multiple security layers, secure error handling

A05:2021 – Security Misconfiguration

Mitigation: Secure defaults, configuration validation, security headers
Features: Default security settings, config validation, comprehensive headers

A06:2021 – Vulnerable and Outdated Components

Mitigation: Regular updates, dependency scanning, minimal dependencies
Features: Automated security scanning, update notifications

A07:2021 – Identification and Authentication Failures

Mitigation: Strong session management, JWT validation, key rotation
Features: Cryptographic session IDs, JWT key rotation, multi-factor support

A08:2021 – Software and Data Integrity Failures

Mitigation: JWT signature validation, secure key management
Features: JWT verification, key rotation, JWKS support

A09:2021 – Security Logging and Monitoring Failures

Mitigation: Comprehensive logging, security event tracking, metrics
Features: Structured logging, security alerts, monitoring integration

A10:2021 – Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

Mitigation: Input validation, URL sanitization, trusted proxy validation
Features: Path validation, header validation, proxy IP verification

Industry Standards

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)

Bungate supports PCI DSS requirements:

Requirement 2: Strong cryptography (TLS 1.3, strong ciphers)
Requirement 4: Encrypted transmission (TLS/HTTPS)
Requirement 6: Secure development (input validation, secure defaults)
Requirement 8: Strong authentication (JWT, API keys, session management)
Requirement 10: Logging and monitoring (comprehensive audit logs)

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

Security features for HIPAA compliance:

Access Control: JWT authentication, role-based access
Audit Controls: Comprehensive logging and monitoring
Integrity: JWT signature validation, secure error handling
Transmission Security: TLS 1.3 encryption, strong cipher suites

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

Privacy and security features:

Data Protection: TLS encryption, secure session management
Access Control: Authentication and authorization
Audit Trail: Comprehensive logging
Data Minimization: Secure error handling (no PII in errors)

SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2)

Security controls for SOC 2 compliance:

Security: TLS, authentication, input validation, rate limiting
Availability: Circuit breakers, health checks, load balancing
Confidentiality: Encryption, access control, secure sessions
Processing Integrity: Input validation, error handling
Privacy: Secure error handling, data protection

Security Testing

Recommended Testing Approaches

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
- Code analysis for security vulnerabilities
- Configuration validation
- Dependency scanning
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
- Runtime security testing
- Penetration testing
- Vulnerability scanning
Security Unit Tests
- Input validation tests
- Authentication tests
- Authorization tests
- Error handling tests
Integration Security Tests
- End-to-end security flows
- TLS configuration tests
- Rate limiting tests
- Circuit breaker tests
Penetration Testing
- Professional security assessment
- Attack simulation
- Vulnerability exploitation
- Security posture validation

Security Resources

Documentation

External Resources

Security Tools

OWASP ZAP - Security testing
Burp Suite - Penetration testing
SSL Labs - TLS configuration testing
Security Headers - Header validation

Reporting Security Issues

If you discover a security vulnerability in Bungate:

Do Not open a public GitHub issue
Email security concerns to: security@21no.de
Include detailed information:
- Description of the vulnerability
- Steps to reproduce
- Potential impact
- Suggested fix (if any)
Allow reasonable time for response and fix
Coordinate disclosure timing

Security Updates

Security updates are released as soon as possible
Critical vulnerabilities are patched within 24-48 hours
Security advisories published on GitHub
Subscribe to releases for notifications

Summary

Bungate provides comprehensive security features for production API gateways:

Transport Security: TLS 1.3 with strong cipher suites
Input Protection: Validation and sanitization
Error Security: Sanitized error responses
Session Security: Cryptographic session management
Network Security: Trusted proxy validation
Client Security: Security headers and CSP
Resource Protection: Size limits and rate limiting
Authentication: JWT with key rotation support

Follow the security checklist and best practices to ensure your deployment is properly secured. Regular security reviews and updates are essential for maintaining a strong security posture.

For questions or security concerns, contact security@21no.de.

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Security: BackendStack21/bungate

Security

docs/SECURITY.md

Bungate Security Guide

Related Documentation

Table of Contents

Threat Model

Network Layer Threats

Application Layer Threats

Resource Exhaustion Threats

Authentication & Authorization Threats

Infrastructure Threats

Security Features Overview

Automatic Security Application

Security Middleware Order

Defense-in-Depth Architecture

TLS/HTTPS Configuration

Overview

Basic Configuration

Production Configuration

Best Practices

Input Validation & Sanitization

Overview

Configuration

What Gets Validated

Custom Validation

Attack Prevention

Secure Error Handling

Overview

Configuration

Production vs Development

Custom Error Handling

What Gets Sanitized

Session Management

Overview

Configuration

Sticky Sessions with Load Balancer

Session Manager API

Security Features

Best Practices

Trusted Proxy Configuration

Overview

Configuration

Predefined Trusted Networks

Custom Validation

How It Works

CIDR Notation Support

Security Warnings

Best Practices

Security Headers

Overview

Configuration

Header Reference

Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS)

Content-Security-Policy (CSP)

X-Frame-Options

X-Content-Type-Options

Referrer-Policy

Permissions-Policy

CSP Report-Only Mode

Custom Headers

Best Practices

Request Size Limits

Overview

Configuration

Global Configuration

Custom Size Validation

HTTP Status Codes

Default Limits

Streaming Validation

Best Practices

Security Benefits

JWT Key Rotation

Overview

Configuration

JWKS (JSON Web Key Set) Support

Key Rotation Process

Multiple Algorithm Support