Redmine SSL auth plugin for Redmine 2.x¶ ↑

This redmine plugin enables authentication using SSL client certificates. This fork adds support of the REMOTE_USER environment variable set by apache for all users authenticated. In combination with the FakeBasicAuth this contains the DN of a client certificate.

The original module can be found on github.com/koke/redmine_ssl_auth.git. This fork is based on the excellent port to Redmine 2.x by github.com/tranthamp/redmine_ssl_auth.git.

Usage¶ ↑

It’s very simple

• Install the plugin:

  cd YOURREDMINESRC/plugins
  git clone git://github.com/seeraven/redmine_ssl_auth.git

• Follow the note of tranthamp:

  In order for this plugin to work correctly, you must comment out the
  default root and login routes in the redmine app's config/routes.rb. This
  is due to the fact that those routes are matched before the plugin's routes.

  So edit your config/routes.rb file now!

• Just to be on the safe side, perform the plugin migration stuff:

  rake redmine:plugins:migrate RAILS_ENV=production

• Restart your webserver:

  /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

• Configure apache for SSL authentication (see Configuration)

• Visit YOURSITE/login and it will login automatically

Notes ¶ ↑

• This plugin expects the CN of the certificate to be an email address

• A user with that email address should exist in the database

• This doesn’t check any password, so implement certificate verification in Apache

• You can visit /login?skip_ssl=1 to skip SSL authentication and do regular login

Configuration¶ ↑

Nice tutorial: www.vanemery.com/Linux/Apache/apache-SSL.html

In my case, I find this to be the configuration I wanted

SSLEngine on
SSLProtocol all 
SSLCipherSuite HIGH:MEDIUM

SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl/server.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl/server.key
SSLCACertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl/ca.crt

SetEnvIf User-Agent ".*MSIE.*" \
        nokeepalive ssl-unclean-shutdown \
        downgrade-1.0 force-response-1.0

SSLVerifyClient optional
SSLVerifyDepth 1
SSLOptions +StdEnvVars     # <= This takes much time and is not necessary with this version!
SSLOptions +FakeBasicAuth

<Location /login/ssl>
  SSLVerifyClient require
</Location>

<Location />
   AuthName "eBox HQ"
   AuthType Basic
   AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/passwd/team
   #Require valid-user
</Location>

By making SSLVerifyClient optional and commenting Require valid-user, it’s possible to login without a certificate, using the regular login/password. A link is shown in the login form to require SSL authentication, see the Location /login/ssl section in the apache configuration.

If you want to force your users to use certificates, change SSLVerifyClient to require and uncomment Require valid-user

Questions¶ ↑

To jbernal@ebox-platform.com

Please, don’t ask about apache configuration. I don’t know much more than it’s already here. Email about the plugin (bugs, patches, suggestions, …) is welcome :)