springboot-kong

The goal of this project is to create a simple REST API and securing it with Kong using the LDAP Authentication and Basic Authentication plugins. Besides, we will explore more plugins that Kong offers like: Rate Limiting, StatsD and Prometheus plugins.

Build application docker image

In /springboot-kong root folder, run

./mvnw clean package docker:build -DskipTests

Start environment

Run the following script present in springboot-kong project root folder.

./start-docker-containers.sh

springboot-kong application is running in a docker container. The container does not expose any port to HOST machine. So, the application cannot be accessed directly, forcing the caller to use of Kong as gateway server to access it.

Import OpenLDAP Users

The LDIF file that we will use, /springboot-kong/ldap/ldap-mycompany-com.ldif, has already a pre-defined structure for mycompany.com. Basically, it has 2 groups (developers and admin) and 4 users (Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Cuban and Ivan Franchin). Besides, it is defined that Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Cuban belong to developers group and Ivan Franchin belongs to admin group.

Bill Gates > username: bgates, password: 123
Steve Jobs > username: sjobs, password: 123
Mark Cuban > username: mcuban, password: 123
Ivan Franchin > username: ifranchin, password: 123

There are two ways to import those users: just running a script or through phpldapadmin

Import users with script

• In a new terminal, inside /springboot-kong root folder run

./import-openldap-users.sh

Import users with phpldapadmin

1. Access the link: https://localhost:6443

2. Login with the credentials

Login DN: cn=admin,dc=mycompany,dc=com
Password: admin

3. Import the file /springboot-kong/ldap/ldap-mycompany-com.ldif

Check users Imported

In a terminal, you can test ldap configuration using ldapsearch

ldapsearch -x -D "cn=admin,dc=mycompany,dc=com" \
  -w admin -H ldap://localhost:389 \
  -b "ou=users,dc=mycompany,dc=com" \
  -s sub "(uid=*)"

KONG

Note. In order to run some commands/scripts, you must have jq installed on you machine

Before adding to Kong Services, Routes and Plugins, check if Kong it's running

curl -I http://localhost:8001

Add Service

• Using application/x-www-form-urlencoded content type

curl -i -X POST http://localhost:8001/services/ \
  -d "name=springboot-kong" \
  -d "protocol=http" \
  -d "host=springboot-kong" \
  -d "port=8080"

OR

• You can use application/json content type. Besides, in order to set protocol, host, port and path at once, the url shorthand attribute can be used.

curl -i -X POST http://localhost:8001/services/ \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{ "name": "springboot-kong", "url":"http://springboot-kong:8080" }'

Add routes

1. One default route for the service, no specific path included

PUBLIC_ROUTE_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/services/springboot-kong/routes/ \
  -d "protocols[]=http" \
  -d "hosts[]=springboot-kong" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "PUBLIC_ROUTE_ID=$PUBLIC_ROUTE_ID"

2. Another route specifically for /api/private endpoint (it will be secured and only accessible by LDAP users)

PRIVATE_ROUTE_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/services/springboot-kong/routes/ \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{ "protocols": ["http"], "hosts": ["springboot-kong"], "paths": ["/api/private"], "strip_path": false }' | jq -r '.id')

echo "PRIVATE_ROUTE_ID=$PRIVATE_ROUTE_ID"

3. Finally, one route for /actuator/httptrace endpoint (it will be secured and only accessible by pre-defined users)

HTTPTRACE_ROUTE_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/services/springboot-kong/routes/ \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{ "protocols": ["http"], "hosts": ["springboot-kong"], "paths": ["/actuator/httptrace"], "strip_path": false }' | jq -r '.id')

echo "HTTPTRACE_ROUTE_ID=$HTTPTRACE_ROUTE_ID"

In order to list all springboot-kong routes, run: curl -s http://localhost:8001/services/springboot-kong/routes | jq .

Call endpoints

1. /api/public endpoint

curl -i http://localhost:8000/api/public -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

It should return

HTTP/1.1 200
It is public.

2. /api/private endpoint

curl -i http://localhost:8000/api/private -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

It should return

HTTP/1.1 200
null, it is private.

PS. this endpoint is not secured by the application, that is why the response is returned. The idea is to use Kong to secure it. It will be done on the next steps.

3. /actuator/httptrace endpoint

curl -i http://localhost:8000/actuator/httptrace -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

It should return

HTTP/1.1 200
{"traces":[{"timestamp":"...

PS. again, as happened previously with /api/private, /actuator/httptrace endpoint is not secured by the application. We will use Kong to secure it on the next steps.

Plugins

In this project, we are going to add those plugins: LDAP Authentication, Rate Limiting, StatsD and Basic Authentication. Please refer to https://konghq.com/plugins for more plugins.

Add LDAP Authentication plugin

The LDAP Authentication plugin will be used to secure the /api/private endpoint.

1. Add plugin to route PRIVATE_ROUTE_ID

LDAP_AUTH_PLUGIN_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/routes/$PRIVATE_ROUTE_ID/plugins \
  -d "name=ldap-auth" \
  -d "config.hide_credentials=true" \
  -d "config.ldap_host=ldap-host" \
  -d "config.ldap_port=389" \
  -d "config.start_tls=false" \
  -d "config.base_dn=ou=users,dc=mycompany,dc=com" \
  -d "config.verify_ldap_host=false" \
  -d "config.attribute=cn" \
  -d "config.cache_ttl=60" \
  -d "config.header_type=ldap" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "LDAP_AUTH_PLUGIN_ID=$LDAP_AUTH_PLUGIN_ID"

If you need to update some LDAP Authentication plugin configuration, run the following PATCH call informing the field you want to update, for example:

curl -X PATCH http://localhost:8001/plugins/${LDAP_AUTH_PLUGIN_ID} \
  -d "config.base_dn=ou=users,dc=mycompany,dc=com"

2. Try to call /api/private endpoint without credentials.

curl -i http://localhost:8000/api/private -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

It should return

HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized
{"message":"Unauthorized"}

3. Call /api/private endpoint using Bill Gates base64 encode credentials

curl -i http://localhost:8000/api/private \
  -H "Authorization:ldap $(echo -n 'Bill Gates':123 | base64)" \
  -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

It should return

HTTP/1.1 200
Bill Gates, it is private.

Add Basic Authentication plugin

The Basic Authentication plugin will be used to secure the /actuator/httptrace endpoint

1. Add plugin to route HTTPTRACE_ROUTE_ID

BASIC_AUTH_PLUGIN_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/routes/$HTTPTRACE_ROUTE_ID/plugins \
  -d "name=basic-auth" \
  -d "config.hide_credentials=true" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "BASIC_AUTH_PLUGIN_ID=$BASIC_AUTH_PLUGIN_ID"

2. Try to call /actuator/httptrace endpoint without credentials.

curl -i http://localhost:8000/actuator/httptrace -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

It should return

HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized
{"message":"Unauthorized"}

3. Create a consumer

IFRANCHIN_CONSUMER_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/consumers -d "username=ivanfranchin" | jq -r '.id')

echo "IFRANCHIN_CONSUMER_ID=$IFRANCHIN_CONSUMER_ID"

4. Create a credential for consumer

IFRANCHIN_CREDENTIAL_ID2=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/consumers/ivanfranchin/basic-auth \
  -d "username=ivan.franchin" \
  -d "password=123" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "IFRANCHIN_CREDENTIAL_ID2=$IFRANCHIN_CREDENTIAL_ID2"

5. Call /api/private endpoint using ivan.franchin credential

curl -i -u ivan.franchin:123 http://localhost:8000/actuator/httptrace -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

It should return

HTTP/1.1 200
{"traces":[{"timestamp":"...

6. Let's create another consumer just for testing purpose

ADMINISTRATOR_CONSUMER_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/consumers -d "username=administrator" | jq -r '.id')

echo "ADMINISTRATOR_CONSUMER_ID=$ADMINISTRATOR_CONSUMER_ID"

ADMINISTRATOR_CREDENTIAL_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/consumers/administrator/basic-auth \
  -d "username=administrator" \
  -d "password=123" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "ADMINISTRATOR_CREDENTIAL_ID=$ADMINISTRATOR_CREDENTIAL_ID"

Add Rate Limiting plugin

We are going to add the following rate limitings:

• /api/public: 1 request a second;
• /api/private: 5 requests a minute;
• /actuator/httptrace: 2 requests a minute or 100 requests an hour.

Let's set them.

1. Add plugin to route PUBLIC_ROUTE_ID

PUBLIC_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/routes/$PUBLIC_ROUTE_ID/plugins \
  -d "name=rate-limiting"  \
  -d "config.second=1" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "PUBLIC_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID=$PUBLIC_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID"

2. Add plugin to route PRIVATE_ROUTE_ID

PRIVATE_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/routes/$PRIVATE_ROUTE_ID/plugins \
  -d "name=rate-limiting"  \
  -d "config.minute=5" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "PRIVATE_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID=$PRIVATE_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID"

3. Add plugin to route HTTPTRACE_ROUTE_ID

HTTPTRACE_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/routes/$HTTPTRACE_ROUTE_ID/plugins \
  -d "name=rate-limiting"  \
  -d "config.minute=2" \
  -d "config.hour=100" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "HTTPTRACE_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID=$HTTPTRACE_RATE_LIMIT_PLUGIN_ID"

4. Make some calls those endpoints

• Test /api/public

curl -i http://localhost:8000/api/public -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

curl -i http://localhost:8000/actuator/health -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

• Test /actuator/httptrace

curl -I -u ivan.franchin:123 http://localhost:8000/actuator/httptrace -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

curl -I -u administrator:123 http://localhost:8000/actuator/httptrace -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

• Test /api/private

curl -i http://localhost:8000/api/private \
  -H "Authorization:ldap $(echo -n 'Bill Gates':123 | base64)" \
  -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

curl -i http://localhost:8000/api/private \
  -H "Authorization:ldap $(echo -n 'Mark Cuban':123 | base64)" \
  -H 'Host: springboot-kong'

P.S. The rate limiting is the same for Bill Gates and Mark Cuban! That's wrong!

5. After exceeding some calls in a minute, you should see

HTTP/1.1 429 Too Many Requests
{"message":"API rate limit exceeded"}

Add StatsD plugin

1. Add plugin to springboot-kong service

GRAPHITE_STATSD_PLUGIN_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/services/springboot-kong/plugins \
  -d "name=statsd"  \
  -d "config.host=graphite-statsd" \
  -d "config.port=8125" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "GRAPHITE_STATSD_PLUGIN_ID=$GRAPHITE_STATSD_PLUGIN_ID"

2. Make some requests to springbook-kong endpoints

3. Access Graphite-Statsd at http://localhost:8081 and check the kong statistics.

Add Prometheus plugin

1. Add plugin to springboot-kong service

GRAPHITE_STATSD_PLUGIN_ID=$(curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8001/services/springboot-kong/plugins \
  -d "name=prometheus" | jq -r '.id')
  
echo "GRAPHITE_STATSD_PLUGIN_ID=$GRAPHITE_STATSD_PLUGIN_ID"

2. You can see some metrics

curl -i http://localhost:8001/metrics

Issues

• Same Rate Limit counting is used by two different LDAP users #4129