fix(backend): report ingest correctness: 500 on a refused report, 413 on oversize, global body cap (closes #23)

A report the buffer refuses now returns 500 instead of a false `ok`.
Reports reach disk later, so a failed disk write is still answered 200
and shows in the log, and at shutdown as a failed stop with a non-zero
exit. An over-limit body returns 413; malformed JSON stays 400. A
MaxBodyBytes middleware caps every route at 1 MiB; a route group can
only lower that limit. The raw geo blob is no longer logged; client_id,
timestamp and decode error text are cut to 128 bytes before logging.
Panic recovery logs the panic value and stack through slog.

Model: opus-5-5

TODO.md

@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@ latest run passes.
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-09-28: report ingest correctness (issue #23): a storage failure now
+  returns 500 instead of a false `ok`; oversize bodies return 413 (distinguished
+  from malformed JSON, which stays 400); a `MaxBodyBytes` middleware caps every
+  route, not just the report route; the raw attacker-controlled `geo` blob is no
+  longer logged (only its length), and `client_id`, `timestamp` and decode error
+  text are length-bounded before logging; a `decodeJSON` handler helper was
+  added; panic recovery now routes the stack through slog instead of chi's
+  plain-text stderr; and writing a report file now returns its error, so a
+  failed final flush on shutdown makes the process exit non-zero instead of
+  losing the buffered reports silently
 - 2026-09-21: shutdown lifecycle correctness. The process now shuts down through
   fx instead of `os.Exit`, so every component's `OnStop` runs and buffered
   reports are flushed to disk on `SIGTERM` — previously a full flush window of

backend/internal/handlers/export_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package handlers
+
+import "log/slog"
+
+// MaxLoggedFieldBytes exposes the log bound to the external tests.
+const MaxLoggedFieldBytes = maxLoggedFieldBytes
+
+// NewForTest builds a Handlers around a report sink and logger,
+// bypassing the fx graph so handler behaviour (including the
+// storage failure path) is exercisable in unit tests.
+func NewForTest(buf reportAppender, log *slog.Logger) *Handlers {
+	return &Handlers{buf: buf, log: log}
+}

backend/internal/handlers/handlers.go

@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ import (
 
 const jsonContentType = "application/json; charset=utf-8"
 
+// reportAppender is the subset of the report buffer the handlers
+// depend on. Defining it here keeps the storage failure path
+// exercisable with a stub in tests.
+type reportAppender interface {
+	Append(v any) error
+}
+
 // Params defines the dependencies for Handlers.
 type Params struct {
 	fx.In
@@ -30,7 +37,7 @@ type Params struct {
 
 // Handlers provides HTTP handler factories for all endpoints.
 type Handlers struct {
-	buf    *reportbuf.Buffer
+	buf    reportAppender
 	hc     *healthcheck.Healthcheck
 	log    *slog.Logger
 	params *Params
@@ -72,3 +79,15 @@ func (s *Handlers) respondJSON(
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// decodeJSON decodes the request body into v. The body is
+// expected to already be bounded by the body-size middleware, so
+// a caller can distinguish an over-limit body from malformed
+// JSON by testing the returned error for *http.MaxBytesError.
+func (s *Handlers) decodeJSON(
+	_ http.ResponseWriter,
+	r *http.Request,
+	v any,
+) error {
+	return json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(v)
+}

backend/internal/handlers/report.go

@@ -2,10 +2,14 @@ package handlers
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"net/http"
 )
 
-const maxReportBodyBytes = 1 << 20 // 1 MiB
+// maxLoggedFieldBytes bounds untrusted text (string fields,
+// decode error text) before it is logged, so a caller cannot
+// inflate log volume with an oversized value.
+const maxLoggedFieldBytes = 128
 
 type reportSample struct {
 	T       int64   `json:"t"`
@@ -35,48 +39,80 @@ func (s *Handlers) HandleReport() http.HandlerFunc {
 	}
 
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		r.Body = http.MaxBytesReader(
-			w, r.Body, maxReportBodyBytes,
-		)
-
 		var rpt report
 
-		err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&rpt)
+		err := s.decodeJSON(w, r, &rpt)
 		if err != nil {
-			s.log.Error("failed to decode report",
-				"error", err,
-			)
 			s.respondJSON(w, r,
 				&response{Status: "error"},
-				http.StatusBadRequest,
+				s.decodeErrorStatus(err),
 			)
 
 			return
 		}
 
-		totalSamples := 0
-		for _, h := range rpt.Hosts {
-			totalSamples += len(h.History)
-		}
+		s.logReportReceived(rpt)
 
-		s.log.Info("report received",
-			"client_id", rpt.ClientID,
-			"timestamp", rpt.Timestamp,
-			"host_count", len(rpt.Hosts),
-			"total_samples", totalSamples,
-			"geo", string(rpt.Geo),
-		)
-
-		bufErr := s.buf.Append(rpt)
-		if bufErr != nil {
-			s.log.Error("failed to buffer report",
-				"error", bufErr,
+		err = s.buf.Append(rpt)
+		if err != nil {
+			s.log.Error("failed to buffer report", "error", err)
+			s.respondJSON(w, r,
+				&response{Status: "error"},
+				http.StatusInternalServerError,
 			)
+
+			return
 		}
 
-		s.respondJSON(w, r,
-			&response{Status: "ok"},
-			http.StatusOK,
-		)
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, &response{Status: "ok"}, http.StatusOK)
 	}
 }
+
+// decodeErrorStatus logs a report decode failure and returns the
+// status to send: 413 when the body exceeded the size limit,
+// otherwise 400 for malformed JSON.
+func (s *Handlers) decodeErrorStatus(err error) int {
+	var tooLarge *http.MaxBytesError
+	if errors.As(err, &tooLarge) {
+		s.log.Warn("report body too large", "limit_bytes", tooLarge.Limit)
+
+		return http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge
+	}
+
+	// The decoder's error text can quote request bytes (a whole
+	// oversized number, for example), so it is bounded too.
+	s.log.Error("failed to decode report",
+		"error", boundedForLog(err.Error()),
+	)
+
+	return http.StatusBadRequest
+}
+
+// logReportReceived logs an accepted report. Untrusted fields are
+// bounded (client_id, timestamp) or reduced to a length
+// (geo_bytes) so the raw attacker-controlled body never reaches
+// the log.
+func (s *Handlers) logReportReceived(rpt report) {
+	totalSamples := 0
+	for _, h := range rpt.Hosts {
+		totalSamples += len(h.History)
+	}
+
+	s.log.Info("report received",
+		"client_id", boundedForLog(rpt.ClientID),
+		"timestamp", boundedForLog(rpt.Timestamp),
+		"host_count", len(rpt.Hosts),
+		"total_samples", totalSamples,
+		"geo_bytes", len(rpt.Geo),
+	)
+}
+
+// boundedForLog truncates an untrusted string to a fixed byte
+// bound so an attacker-controlled field cannot dominate the log.
+func boundedForLog(s string) string {
+	if len(s) > maxLoggedFieldBytes {
+		return s[:maxLoggedFieldBytes]
+	}
+
+	return s
+}

backend/internal/handlers/report_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+package handlers_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"log/slog"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/handlers"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/middleware"
+)
+
+var errStorageFailed = errors.New("storage failed")
+
+// stubAppender drives the storage success/failure path without a
+// real buffer or disk.
+type stubAppender struct {
+	err error
+}
+
+func (s stubAppender) Append(any) error { return s.err }
+
+func newTestHandlers(buf stubAppender, out io.Writer) *handlers.Handlers {
+	return handlers.NewForTest(buf, slog.New(slog.NewJSONHandler(out, nil)))
+}
+
+func decodeStatus(t *testing.T, body []byte) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var resp struct {
+		Status string `json:"status"`
+	}
+
+	err := json.Unmarshal(body, &resp)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("response body not JSON: %v (%q)", err, body)
+	}
+
+	return resp.Status
+}
+
+func TestHandleReportStorageFailureIsNon2xx(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h := newTestHandlers(stubAppender{err: errStorageFailed}, io.Discard)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/reports",
+		strings.NewReader(`{"clientId":"c1","hosts":[]}`),
+	)
+
+	h.HandleReport().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code < 500 {
+		t.Fatalf("storage failure status = %d, want a 5xx", rec.Code)
+	}
+
+	if got := decodeStatus(t, rec.Body.Bytes()); got != "error" {
+		t.Fatalf("status field = %q, want %q", got, "error")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHandleReportMalformedJSONIs400(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h := newTestHandlers(stubAppender{}, io.Discard)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/reports",
+		strings.NewReader(`{not json`),
+	)
+
+	h.HandleReport().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("malformed status = %d, want %d",
+			rec.Code, http.StatusBadRequest)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHandleReportOversizeIs413(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const limit = 32
+
+	h := newTestHandlers(stubAppender{}, io.Discard)
+	handler := (&middleware.Middleware{}).MaxBodyBytes(limit)(
+		h.HandleReport(),
+	)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/reports",
+		strings.NewReader(`{"clientId":"`+strings.Repeat("x", 200)+`"}`),
+	)
+	// No declared length, so only the middleware's read cap can
+	// stop this body.
+	req.ContentLength = -1
+
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge {
+		t.Fatalf("oversize status = %d, want %d",
+			rec.Code, http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHandleReportDoesNotLogRawGeo(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const sentinel = "SENSITIVE-GEO-BLOB"
+
+	var logbuf bytes.Buffer
+
+	h := newTestHandlers(stubAppender{}, &logbuf)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/reports",
+		strings.NewReader(
+			`{"clientId":"c1","geo":{"raw":"`+sentinel+`"},"hosts":[]}`,
+		),
+	)
+
+	h.HandleReport().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want %d", rec.Code, http.StatusOK)
+	}
+
+	if strings.Contains(logbuf.String(), sentinel) {
+		t.Fatal("raw geo bytes were written to the log")
+	}
+
+	if !strings.Contains(logbuf.String(), "geo_bytes") {
+		t.Fatal("expected a bounded geo_bytes field in the log")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHandleReportLogsClientIDCutToBound(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	long := strings.Repeat("c", 2*handlers.MaxLoggedFieldBytes)
+
+	var logbuf bytes.Buffer
+
+	h := newTestHandlers(stubAppender{}, &logbuf)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/reports",
+		strings.NewReader(
+			`{"clientId":"`+long+`","timestamp":"`+long+`","hosts":[]}`,
+		),
+	)
+
+	h.HandleReport().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	var logged map[string]any
+
+	err := json.Unmarshal(logbuf.Bytes(), &logged)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("log line not JSON: %v (%q)", err, logbuf.String())
+	}
+
+	want := long[:handlers.MaxLoggedFieldBytes]
+
+	if logged["client_id"] != want {
+		t.Fatalf("logged client_id not cut to %d bytes: %q",
+			handlers.MaxLoggedFieldBytes, logged["client_id"])
+	}
+
+	if logged["timestamp"] != want {
+		t.Fatalf("logged timestamp not cut to %d bytes: %q",
+			handlers.MaxLoggedFieldBytes, logged["timestamp"])
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHandleReportDecodeErrorLogIsBounded(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// A number too large for its int64 field makes the decoder's
+	// error text quote the whole number.
+	huge := strings.Repeat("9", 2*handlers.MaxLoggedFieldBytes)
+
+	var logbuf bytes.Buffer
+
+	h := newTestHandlers(stubAppender{}, &logbuf)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/reports",
+		strings.NewReader(`{"hosts":[{"history":[{"t":`+huge+`}]}]}`),
+	)
+
+	h.HandleReport().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want %d", rec.Code, http.StatusBadRequest)
+	}
+
+	if strings.Contains(logbuf.String(), huge) {
+		t.Fatal("the whole oversized number was written to the log")
+	}
+}

backend/internal/middleware/export_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package middleware
 
 import (
+	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/netip"
 )
@@ -8,6 +9,12 @@ import (
 // Test-only wrappers exposing unexported helpers to the
 // external middleware_test package.
 
+// NewWithLogger builds a Middleware around a logger for tests
+// that exercise the logging paths without the fx graph.
+func NewWithLogger(log *slog.Logger) *Middleware {
+	return &Middleware{log: log}
+}
+
 func ClientIP(
 	remoteAddr string,
 	header http.Header,

backend/internal/middleware/middleware.go

@@ -3,11 +3,14 @@
 package middleware
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/netip"
+	"runtime/debug"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -22,6 +25,14 @@ import (
 
 const corsMaxAgeSec = 300
 
+// jsonErrorBody is the body written for errors raised inside
+// middleware, matching the {"status":"error"} shape the handlers
+// return so clients see one error contract across the API.
+const (
+	jsonContentType = "application/json; charset=utf-8"
+	jsonErrorBody   = "{\"status\":\"error\"}\n"
+)
+
 // Security header values. The backend is a JSON API with no
 // HTML surface, so the CSP forbids every resource type and
 // framing outright.
@@ -236,6 +247,79 @@ func (s *Middleware) SecurityHeaders() func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	}
 }
 
+// writeJSONError writes the shared JSON error body with the
+// given status. Used where middleware must reject a request
+// before it reaches a handler.
+func writeJSONError(w http.ResponseWriter, status int) {
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", jsonContentType)
+	w.WriteHeader(status)
+	_, _ = io.WriteString(w, jsonErrorBody)
+}
+
+// MaxBodyBytes returns middleware that caps the request body at
+// limit bytes. A declared Content-Length over the limit is
+// rejected immediately with 413. Bodies without a declared
+// length (or that understate it) are capped as they are read, so
+// a handler that reads the body sees a *http.MaxBytesError it can
+// map to 413. Mounted again on a route group, it can only lower
+// the limit: a cap applied earlier in the chain still holds.
+func (s *Middleware) MaxBodyBytes(
+	limit int64,
+) func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
+	return func(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
+		return http.HandlerFunc(
+			func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+				if r.ContentLength > limit {
+					writeJSONError(
+						w,
+						http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge,
+					)
+
+					return
+				}
+
+				r.Body = http.MaxBytesReader(w, r.Body, limit)
+
+				next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
+			},
+		)
+	}
+}
+
+// Recoverer returns middleware that recovers from a panic in a
+// downstream handler, logs the panic and stack trace through
+// slog, and responds 500 with no body. http.ErrAbortHandler is
+// re-panicked so the server can abort the response as intended.
+func (s *Middleware) Recoverer() func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
+	return func(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
+		return http.HandlerFunc(
+			func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+				defer func() {
+					rec := recover()
+					if rec == nil {
+						return
+					}
+
+					err, ok := rec.(error)
+					if ok && errors.Is(err, http.ErrAbortHandler) {
+						panic(rec)
+					}
+
+					s.log.ErrorContext(r.Context(),
+						"panic recovered",
+						"panic", fmt.Sprintf("%v", rec),
+						"stack", string(debug.Stack()),
+					)
+
+					w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+				}()
+
+				next.ServeHTTP(w, r)
+			},
+		)
+	}
+}
+
 // CORS returns middleware that adds permissive CORS headers.
 func (s *Middleware) CORS() func(http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	return cors.Handler(cors.Options{

backend/internal/middleware/middleware_test.go

@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 package middleware_test
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"net/netip"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/middleware"
@@ -146,3 +151,152 @@ func TestSecurityHeaders(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// TestMaxBodyBytesRejectsOversizeOnNonReadingRoute confirms the
+// limit is enforced even for a handler that never reads the body
+// (for example the health check), via the Content-Length check.
+func TestMaxBodyBytesRejectsOversizeOnNonReadingRoute(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const limit = 16
+
+	called := false
+	handler := (&middleware.Middleware{}).MaxBodyBytes(limit)(
+		http.HandlerFunc(func(_ http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+			called = true
+		}),
+	)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodPost, "/.well-known/healthcheck",
+		strings.NewReader(strings.Repeat("x", limit+1)),
+	)
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want %d",
+			rec.Code, http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge)
+	}
+
+	if called {
+		t.Fatal("handler ran despite oversize body")
+	}
+
+	if got := rec.Body.String(); got != "{\"status\":\"error\"}\n" {
+		t.Errorf("body = %q, want %q", got, "{\"status\":\"error\"}\n")
+	}
+
+	got := rec.Header().Get("Content-Type")
+	if got != "application/json; charset=utf-8" {
+		t.Errorf("Content-Type = %q, want a JSON content type", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMaxBodyBytesAllowsWithinLimit(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const limit = 64
+
+	handler := (&middleware.Middleware{}).MaxBodyBytes(limit)(
+		http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		}),
+	)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/reports",
+		strings.NewReader(`{"clientId":"c1"}`),
+	)
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want %d", rec.Code, http.StatusOK)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRecovererReturns500AndLogsThroughSlog(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	var logbuf bytes.Buffer
+
+	mw := middleware.NewWithLogger(
+		slog.New(slog.NewJSONHandler(&logbuf, nil)),
+	)
+
+	handler := mw.Recoverer()(
+		http.HandlerFunc(func(_ http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+			panic("boom")
+		}),
+	)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(), http.MethodGet, "/", http.NoBody)
+	handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusInternalServerError {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want %d",
+			rec.Code, http.StatusInternalServerError)
+	}
+
+	var record map[string]any
+
+	err := json.Unmarshal(logbuf.Bytes(), &record)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("panic log is not one JSON record: %v (%q)", err, logbuf.String())
+	}
+
+	if record["msg"] != "panic recovered" || record["level"] != "ERROR" {
+		t.Errorf("log record = %v, want msg %q at level ERROR",
+			record, "panic recovered")
+	}
+
+	if record["panic"] != "boom" {
+		t.Errorf("panic field = %v, want %q", record["panic"], "boom")
+	}
+
+	stack, _ := record["stack"].(string)
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(stack, "goroutine ") {
+		t.Errorf("stack field = %q, want a stack trace", stack)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRecovererRepanicsOnAbortHandler checks that a handler aborting
+// with http.ErrAbortHandler is not treated as a crash: Recoverer
+// panics again so the server aborts the response, and logs nothing.
+func TestRecovererRepanicsOnAbortHandler(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	var logbuf bytes.Buffer
+
+	mw := middleware.NewWithLogger(
+		slog.New(slog.NewJSONHandler(&logbuf, nil)),
+	)
+
+	handler := mw.Recoverer()(
+		http.HandlerFunc(func(_ http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+			panic(http.ErrAbortHandler)
+		}),
+	)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(), http.MethodGet, "/", http.NoBody)
+
+	var recovered any
+
+	func() {
+		defer func() { recovered = recover() }()
+
+		handler.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	}()
+
+	err, _ := recovered.(error)
+	if !errors.Is(err, http.ErrAbortHandler) {
+		t.Errorf("Recoverer panicked with %v, want http.ErrAbortHandler", recovered)
+	}
+
+	if logbuf.Len() != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("abort was logged: %q", logbuf.String())
+	}
+}

backend/internal/reportbuf/reportbuf.go

@@ -80,12 +80,16 @@ func New(
 			// stopOnce makes OnStop idempotent: a second
 			// invocation must not close an already-closed channel
 			// (which would panic) or flush again.
+			var err error
+
 			b.stopOnce.Do(func() {
 				close(b.done)
-				b.flushLocked()
+				err = b.flushLocked()
 			})
 
-			return nil
+			// A failed final flush fails the stop, so the process
+			// exits non-zero.
+			return err
 		},
 	})
 
@@ -109,7 +113,12 @@ func (b *Buffer) Append(v any) error {
 		data := b.drainBuf()
 		b.mu.Unlock()
 
-		go b.writeFile(data)
+		go func() {
+			writeErr := b.writeFile(data)
+			if writeErr != nil {
+				b.log.Error("flush reports failed", "error", writeErr)
+			}
+		}()
 
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -128,7 +137,10 @@ func (b *Buffer) flushLoop() {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ticker.C:
-			b.flushLocked()
+			err := b.flushLocked()
+			if err != nil {
+				b.log.Error("flush reports failed", "error", err)
+			}
 		case <-b.done:
 			return
 		}
@@ -137,19 +149,19 @@ func (b *Buffer) flushLoop() {
 
 // flushLocked acquires the lock, drains the buffer, and
 // writes the data to a compressed file.
-func (b *Buffer) flushLocked() {
+func (b *Buffer) flushLocked() error {
 	b.mu.Lock()
 
 	if b.buf.Len() == 0 {
 		b.mu.Unlock()
 
-		return
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	data := b.drainBuf()
 	b.mu.Unlock()
 
-	b.writeFile(data)
+	return b.writeFile(data)
 }
 
 // drainBuf copies the buffer contents and resets it.
@@ -164,7 +176,7 @@ func (b *Buffer) drainBuf() []byte {
 
 // writeFile creates a timestamped zstd-compressed JSONL file
 // in the data directory.
-func (b *Buffer) writeFile(data []byte) {
+func (b *Buffer) writeFile(data []byte) error {
 	ts := time.Now().UTC().Format("2006-01-02T15-04-05.000Z")
 	name := fmt.Sprintf("reports-%s.jsonl.zst", ts)
 	path := filepath.Join(b.dataDir, name)
@@ -177,31 +189,35 @@ func (b *Buffer) writeFile(data []byte) {
 		filePerms,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		b.log.Error("create report file", "error", err)
-
-		return
+		return fmt.Errorf("create report file: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// Closes the file on the early returns below. The success
+	// path closes it explicitly to check the error; closing it
+	// a second time here is harmless.
 	defer func() { _ = f.Close() }()
 
 	enc, err := zstd.NewWriter(f)
 	if err != nil {
-		b.log.Error("create zstd encoder", "error", err)
-
-		return
+		return fmt.Errorf("create zstd encoder: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	_, writeErr := enc.Write(data)
-	if writeErr != nil {
-		b.log.Error("write compressed data", "error", writeErr)
-
+	_, err = enc.Write(data)
+	if err != nil {
 		_ = enc.Close()
 
-		return
+		return fmt.Errorf("write compressed data: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	closeErr := enc.Close()
-	if closeErr != nil {
-		b.log.Error("close zstd encoder", "error", closeErr)
+	err = enc.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("close zstd encoder: %w", err)
 	}
+
+	err = f.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("close report file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }

backend/internal/reportbuf/reportbuf_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package reportbuf_test
 
 import (
+	"errors"
+	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -52,6 +54,46 @@ func TestFlushOnShutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestFailedFinalFlushFailsStop proves a final flush that cannot
+// write its file makes the stop fail, which makes the process
+// exit non-zero instead of dropping the buffered reports silently.
+func TestFailedFinalFlushFailsStop(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("DATA_DIR", dir)
+
+	var buf *reportbuf.Buffer
+
+	app := fxtest.New(t,
+		fx.Provide(
+			globals.New,
+			logger.New,
+			config.New,
+			reportbuf.New,
+		),
+		fx.Populate(&buf),
+	)
+
+	app.RequireStart()
+
+	err := buf.Append(map[string]string{"probe": "shutdown"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("append report: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Removing the data directory leaves the final flush nowhere to
+	// write. A read-only directory would not do: tests run as root
+	// in the backend image, and root ignores the read-only bit.
+	err = os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("remove data dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = app.Stop(t.Context())
+	if !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+		t.Fatalf("stop error = %v, want the final flush's error", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func hasReportFile(t *testing.T, dir string) bool {
 	t.Helper()
 

backend/internal/server/export_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package server
+
+// MaxRequestBodyBytes exposes the router-wide body limit to the
+// external tests.
+const MaxRequestBodyBytes = maxRequestBodyBytes

backend/internal/server/routes.go

@@ -7,18 +7,26 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5/middleware"
 )
 
-const requestTimeout = 60 * time.Second
+const (
+	requestTimeout = 60 * time.Second
+
+	// maxRequestBodyBytes caps every request body. A route group
+	// can mount s.mw.MaxBodyBytes with a smaller value to lower
+	// its bound, but cannot raise it: this cap runs first.
+	maxRequestBodyBytes int64 = 1 << 20 // 1 MiB
+)
 
 // SetupRoutes configures the chi router with middleware and
 // all application routes.
 func (s *Server) SetupRoutes() {
 	s.router = chi.NewRouter()
 
-	s.router.Use(middleware.Recoverer)
+	s.router.Use(s.mw.Recoverer())
 	s.router.Use(middleware.RequestID)
 	s.router.Use(s.mw.Logging())
 	s.router.Use(s.mw.SecurityHeaders())
 	s.router.Use(s.mw.CORS())
+	s.router.Use(s.mw.MaxBodyBytes(maxRequestBodyBytes))
 	s.router.Use(middleware.Timeout(requestTimeout))
 
 	s.router.Get(

backend/internal/server/routes_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+package server_test
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/globals"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/handlers"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/healthcheck"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/logger"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/middleware"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/reportbuf"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/netwatch/internal/server"
+
+	"go.uber.org/fx"
+	"go.uber.org/fx/fxtest"
+)
+
+// TestHealthCheckRejectsOversizeBody sends the health check, which
+// never reads its body, a body one byte over the limit. Only the
+// router-wide body limit can reject it.
+func TestHealthCheckRejectsOversizeBody(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	var srv *server.Server
+
+	// The same constructors as main, never started: SetupRoutes is
+	// called directly, so nothing listens.
+	app := fxtest.New(t,
+		fx.Provide(
+			config.New,
+			globals.New,
+			handlers.New,
+			healthcheck.New,
+			logger.New,
+			middleware.New,
+			reportbuf.New,
+			server.New,
+		),
+		fx.Populate(&srv),
+	)
+
+	err := app.Err()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("build server: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	srv.SetupRoutes()
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(),
+		http.MethodGet, "/.well-known/healthcheck",
+		strings.NewReader(
+			strings.Repeat("x", int(server.MaxRequestBodyBytes)+1),
+		),
+	)
+
+	srv.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want %d",
+			rec.Code, http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge)
+	}
+
+	if got := rec.Body.String(); got != "{\"status\":\"error\"}\n" {
+		t.Errorf("body = %q, want %q", got, "{\"status\":\"error\"}\n")
+	}
+
+	got := rec.Header().Get("Content-Type")
+	if got != "application/json; charset=utf-8" {
+		t.Errorf("Content-Type = %q, want a JSON content type", got)
+	}
+}