The interaction between url_preview_ip_range_blacklist and outbound HTTP proxies is confusing

[anoadragon453]

Context: #9417 (comment)

The Synapse config option url_preview_ip_range_blacklist is intended to restrict access to previewing certain URLs based on their resolved IP address. However, when using a proxy with Synapse (via the HTTP_PROXY and HTTPS_PROXY environment variables), url preview requests are forwarded to the proxy, which then resolves the IP address of the URL. This completely bypasses any IP ranges set in the url_preview_ip_range_blacklist option.

Ideally we'd do a couple things that would help reduce confusion for sysadmins:

• We should document in the sample config file that the value of url_preview_ip_range_blacklist is ignored when using an HTTP proxy, as resolving URLs to preview is done by the proxy.
• Currently it is required to set url_preview_ip_range_blacklist if URL previews are enabled. We shouldn't require url_preview_ip_range_blacklist to be set when using a proxy, and we should log a warning when url_preview_ip_range_blacklist is set and a proxy is in use so that the sysadmin isn't under the wrong impression regarding security of the system.

To be clear, if you're using a proxy for URL previews, you should do your ip blacklisting in the proxy config. Also note that url_preview_url_blacklist is still enforced whether a proxy is in use or not.

[clokep]

We should also ensure that ip_blacklist says that it is ignored when a proxy is in use too. 👍 I'm not sure if it already has docs around that or not.

[anoadragon453]

It does not!

synapse/docs/sample_config.yaml

Lines 174 to 186 in 0481923

	# Prevent outgoing requests from being sent to the following blacklisted IP address
	# CIDR ranges. If this option is not specified then it defaults to private IP
	# address ranges (see the example below).
	#
	# The blacklist applies to the outbound requests for federation, identity servers,
	# push servers, and for checking key validity for third-party invite events.
	#
	# (0.0.0.0 and :: are always blacklisted, whether or not they are explicitly
	# listed here, since they correspond to unroutable addresses.)
	#
	# This option replaces federation_ip_range_blacklist in Synapse v1.25.0.
	#
	#ip_range_blacklist:

[richvdh]

We should document in the sample config file that the value of url_preview_ip_range_blacklist is ignored when using an HTTP proxy, as resolving URLs to preview is done by the proxy.

We should also ensure that ip_blacklist says that it is ignored when a proxy is in use too.

I don't think these are quite accurate, are they? IIRC they are applied to the connection to the proxy. If we say that they are ignored, that is also confusing.

[clokep]

IIRC they are applied to the connection to the proxy. If we say that they are ignored, that is also confusing.

They are not. See #9084.

[richvdh]

oh! sorry!

[clokep]

Can this be closed now that #10129 was merged?

[anoadragon453]

I think so - thanks!