Add configuration security best practices to the README.

Closes #13870.
This commit is contained in:
Denis Kasak 2021-02-04 13:20:07 +01:00
parent c6e94c61db
commit b22484d203

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@ -58,8 +58,11 @@ and thus allowed.
To install Element as a desktop application, see [Running as a desktop To install Element as a desktop application, see [Running as a desktop
app](#running-as-a-desktop-app) below. app](#running-as-a-desktop-app) below.
Important Security Note Important Security Notes
======================= ========================
Separate domains
----------------
We do not recommend running Element from the same domain name as your Matrix We do not recommend running Element from the same domain name as your Matrix
homeserver. The reason is the risk of XSS (cross-site-scripting) homeserver. The reason is the risk of XSS (cross-site-scripting)
@ -71,6 +74,45 @@ We have put some coarse mitigations into place to try to protect against this
situation, but it's still not good practice to do it in the first place. See situation, but it's still not good practice to do it in the first place. See
https://github.com/vector-im/element-web/issues/1977 for more details. https://github.com/vector-im/element-web/issues/1977 for more details.
Configuration best practices
----------------------------
Unless you have special requirements, you will want to add the following to
your web server configuration when hosting Element Web:
- The `X-Frame-Options: SAMEORIGIN` header, to prevent Element Web from being
framed and protect from [clickjacking][owasp-clickjacking].
- The `frame-ancestors 'none'` directive to your `Content-Security-Policy`
header, as the modern replacement for `X-Frame-Options` (though both should be
included since not all browsers support it yet, see
[this][owasp-clickjacking-csp]).
- The `X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff` header, to [disable MIME
sniffing][mime-sniffing].
- The `X-XSS-Protection: 1; mode=block;` header, for basic XSS protection in
legacy browsers.
[mime-sniffing]:
<https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Basics_of_HTTP/MIME_types#mime_sniffing>
[owasp-clickjacking-csp]:
<https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Clickjacking_Defense_Cheat_Sheet.html#content-security-policy-frame-ancestors-examples>
[owasp-clickjacking]:
<https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Clickjacking_Defense_Cheat_Sheet.html>
If you are using nginx, this would look something like the following:
```
add_header X-Frame-Options SAMEORIGIN;
add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block";
add_header Content-Security-Policy "frame-ancestors 'none'";
```
Note: In case you are already setting a `Content-Security-Policy` header
elsewhere, you should modify it to include the `frame-ancestors` directive
instead of adding that last line.
Building From Source Building From Source
==================== ====================
@ -99,7 +141,8 @@ guide](https://classic.yarnpkg.com/en/docs/install) if you do not have it alread
Note that `yarn dist` is not supported on Windows, so Windows users can run `yarn build`, Note that `yarn dist` is not supported on Windows, so Windows users can run `yarn build`,
which will build all the necessary files into the `webapp` directory. The version of Element which will build all the necessary files into the `webapp` directory. The version of Element
will not appear in Settings without using the dist script. You can then mount the will not appear in Settings without using the dist script. You can then mount the
`webapp` directory on your webserver to actually serve up the app, which is entirely static content. `webapp` directory on your web server to actually serve up the app, which is
entirely static content.
Running as a Desktop app Running as a Desktop app
======================== ========================