daybook_project/settings.py

@@ -9,12 +9,6 @@ SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get("DJANGO_SECRET_KEY", "dev-only-change-me")
 DEBUG = os.environ.get("DJANGO_DEBUG", "1").lower() in {"1", "true", "yes", "on"}
 ALLOWED_HOSTS = [host.strip() for host in os.environ.get("DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS", "*").split(",") if host.strip()]
 
-# Needed when running behind a TLS-terminating reverse proxy (Apache/Nginx/etc.):
-# Django otherwise thinks every request is plain HTTP, which breaks CSRF checks
-# on login/POST. The proxy must forward X-Forwarded-Proto: https.
-CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS = [origin.strip() for origin in os.environ.get("DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS", "").split(",") if origin.strip()]
-SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER = ("HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO", "https")
-
 INSTALLED_APPS = [
     "django.contrib.admin",
     "django.contrib.auth",

deploy/cloud_agent_deploy.md

@@ -223,11 +223,6 @@ network/VPN), do this before calling the deployment done:
 - Put a reverse proxy in front with TLS. Bearer tokens go over plaintext HTTP
   otherwise.
 - Add the proxy's public hostname to `DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS`.
-- Set `DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS=https://<public-hostname>` in `deploy/.env`,
-  **and** make sure the proxy forwards `X-Forwarded-Proto: https` (examples
-  below). Without both, login fails with "CSRF verification failed" — Django
-  can't tell the original request was HTTPS once a proxy terminates TLS and
-  forwards plain HTTP to the container.
 - Keep `DJANGO_DEBUG=0` (already set above).
 - Restrict SSH to key-based auth only; disable password login if you have
   access to do so.
@@ -246,7 +241,6 @@ instead. Apache example:
 <VirtualHost *:443>
     ServerName daybook.example.com
     ProxyPreserveHost On
-    RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https"
     ProxyPass / http://127.0.0.1:8000/
     ProxyPassReverse / http://127.0.0.1:8000/
     SSLEngine on
@@ -255,18 +249,14 @@ instead. Apache example:
 </VirtualHost>
 ```
 
-`RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https"` requires `a2enmod headers`; it's
+(`certbot --apache` will provision and wire up the certificate for you.)
-not optional (see the CSRF note above). (`certbot --apache` will provision and
-wire up the certificate for you.)
 
 Only reach for a standalone proxy like Caddy if the target genuinely has
-nothing on 80/443 yet — it still needs the same header:
+nothing on 80/443 yet:
 
 ```text
 daybook.example.com {
-    reverse_proxy 127.0.0.1:8000 {
+    reverse_proxy 127.0.0.1:8000
-        header_up X-Forwarded-Proto https
-    }
 }
 ```
 
@@ -294,10 +284,6 @@ Before reporting the deployment complete, confirm all of these:
 - [ ] Cloned via git (not copied), with a working `git pull`.
 - [ ] `deploy/.env` has a real, non-placeholder `DJANGO_SECRET_KEY`.
 - [ ] `DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS` includes the actual hostname/IP being used.
-- [ ] If behind a reverse proxy: `DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS` is set to the
-      public HTTPS origin, and the proxy forwards `X-Forwarded-Proto: https`.
-      Verify by actually logging in through the proxy, not just curling
-      `/api/capabilities` — CSRF only bites on POST (login, artifact writes).
 - [ ] `docker compose -f deploy/docker-compose.yml ps` shows `daybook` healthy.
 - [ ] `/api/capabilities` returns `403` unauthenticated, `200` with a token.
 - [ ] At least one superuser exists with a working personal API token.

deploy/env.example

@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
 DJANGO_DEBUG=0
 DJANGO_SECRET_KEY=replace-with-a-long-random-secret
 DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS=localhost,127.0.0.1,your-vm-ip,your-domain.example
-# Required if Daybook sits behind a TLS-terminating reverse proxy (Apache,
-# Nginx, Traefik, a cloud load balancer). Without it, login/POST fails with
-# "CSRF verification failed" because Django can't tell the original request
-# was HTTPS. Set to the public HTTPS origin(s) users actually visit:
-DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS=https://your-domain.example
 DAYBOOK_DATA_DIR=/data
 DATABASE_PATH=/data/db.sqlite3
 ARTIFACTS_ROOT=/data/artifacts_store

docs/deployment.md

@@ -159,23 +159,9 @@ If putting Daybook behind Nginx, Caddy, Traefik, or a cloud load balancer:
 - Proxy to `http://<vm-ip>:8000`.
 - Add the public hostname to `DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS`.
 - Terminate TLS at the proxy; keep `DJANGO_DEBUG=0`.
-- Set `DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS` to the public HTTPS origin, **and**
-  configure the proxy to forward `X-Forwarded-Proto: https`. Without both,
-  login and any other POST fails with "CSRF verification failed" — Django
-  has no way to know the original request was HTTPS once the proxy
-  terminates TLS and forwards plain HTTP to the container.
 
 ```text
 DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS=daybook.example.com,localhost,127.0.0.1
-DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS=https://daybook.example.com
-```
-
-Forwarding the proto header, by proxy:
-
-```text
-Nginx:   proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
-Apache:  RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https"   (requires a2enmod headers)
-Caddy:   header_up X-Forwarded-Proto https
 ```
 
 ## Deployment Checklist
@@ -183,8 +169,6 @@ Caddy:   header_up X-Forwarded-Proto https
 - `deploy/.env` exists with a real (non-placeholder) `DJANGO_SECRET_KEY`.
 - `DJANGO_DEBUG=0`.
 - `DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS` includes the hostname/IP being used.
-- If behind a reverse proxy: `DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS` is set and the
-  proxy forwards `X-Forwarded-Proto: https` (login will 403 otherwise).
 - `deploy/data/` exists and persists across `git pull` + rebuild.
 - `docker compose -f deploy/docker-compose.yml ps` shows `daybook` healthy.
 - `curl -fsS http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/capabilities` returns 403 without auth,

issues/001-csrf-behind-reverse-proxy.md

@@ -1,71 +0,0 @@
-# 001 — CSRF verification fails behind a TLS-terminating reverse proxy
-
-**Status:** Fixed
-
-## Description
-
-Deploying Daybook behind Apache (TLS-terminating reverse proxy → plain HTTP
-to the container) on `cloud-vm-1`, login failed with:
-
-```
-Forbidden (403)
-CSRF verification failed. Request aborted.
-```
-
-**Root cause:** `daybook_project/settings.py` set `ALLOWED_HOSTS` from an env
-var but never set `CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS` or `SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER`. Without
-the latter, Django has no way to know the original request was HTTPS — the
-proxy terminates TLS and forwards plain HTTP — so it treats every request as
-insecure, which breaks CSRF checks on any POST (including login) once a
-browser connects over `https://`.
-
-This isn't specific to `cloud-vm-1` — it'll happen on any reverse-proxied
-deployment (Apache, Nginx, Traefik, a cloud load balancer), which is the
-explicitly recommended setup in `deploy/cloud_agent_deploy.md` §8. The
-runbook doesn't mention CSRF or proxy-awareness anywhere.
-
-## Fix
-
-**App (`daybook_project/settings.py`):**
-
-```python
-CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS = [origin.strip() for origin in os.environ.get("DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS", "").split(",") if origin.strip()]
-SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER = ("HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO", "https")
-```
-
-Committed locally as `d458cd3` ("Fix CSRF failure behind a TLS-terminating
-reverse proxy") — **needs to be pushed to `main`**, the deploy agent that
-made this fix didn't have push access to the Forgejo repo.
-
-**Deploy env (`deploy/env.example` / runbook):** needs a new var,
-`DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS`, set to the public HTTPS origin, e.g.:
-
-```
-DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS=https://daybook.example.com
-```
-
-**Proxy config:** `SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER` only works if the proxy actually
-sends that header. The Apache example in `cloud_agent_deploy.md` §8 is
-missing it — needs:
-
-```apache
-RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https"
-```
-
-inside the `<VirtualHost *:443>` block (requires `a2enmod headers`). The
-equivalent for Nginx is `proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;`, worth
-adding to `docs/deployment.md`'s reverse-proxy notes too since that doc
-mentions Nginx/Traefik as options without this caveat.
-
-## Resolution
-
-- [x] Pushed commit `d458cd3` to `main`.
-- [x] Added `DJANGO_CSRF_TRUSTED_ORIGINS` to `deploy/env.example` with an
-      explanatory comment.
-- [x] Updated `cloud_agent_deploy.md` §8's Apache example to include
-      `RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https"`, plus a Caddy equivalent
-      and a checklist item that verifies by actually logging in through the
-      proxy (not just curling `/api/capabilities`, which is unauthenticated
-      GET and wouldn't have caught this).
-- [x] Updated `docs/deployment.md`'s "Reverse Proxy Notes" and checklist with
-      the same requirement, plus an Nginx/Apache/Caddy header cheat sheet.

issues/README.md

@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-# Issues
-
-One file per issue: `NNN-short-slug.md`, numbered sequentially. Each file
-has a title, status (Open / Fixed / By design), description, and resolution
-once closed.