README.md

@@ -199,23 +199,25 @@ image, `make run` builds it and runs it on port 8080.
 | `DATA_DIR`             | `./data/reports`     | Directory for compressed reports                                                                         |
 | `DATA_DIR_MAX_BYTES`   | `1073741824` (1 GiB) | Most bytes of report files kept in `DATA_DIR`, oldest deleted first; see [Report limits](#report-limits) |
 | `DEBUG`                | `false`              | Enable debug logging                                                                                     |
-| `TRUSTED_PROXIES`      | loopback + RFC1918   | Comma-separated CIDRs whose `X-Forwarded-For` / `X-Real-IP` headers are trusted for client IP resolution |
+| `TRUSTED_PROXIES`      | RFC 1918 ranges      | Comma-separated CIDRs whose `X-Forwarded-For` / `X-Real-IP` headers are trusted for client IP resolution |
 | `REPORTS_PER_MINUTE`   | `60`                 | Reports each client address may send a minute; see [Report limits](#report-limits)                       |
 | `CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS` | empty                | Comma-separated origins whose pages may call the API; see [CORS](#cors)                                  |
 | `METRICS_USERNAME`     | empty                | Basic auth user name for `/metrics`; see [Metrics](#metrics)                                             |
 | `METRICS_PASSWORD`     | empty                | Basic auth password for `/metrics`; see [Metrics](#metrics)                                              |
 | `SENTRY_DSN`           | empty                | DSN of the Sentry project to send errors to; see [Sentry](#sentry)                                       |
 
-`TRUSTED_PROXIES` defaults to
-`127.0.0.1/32,::1/128,10.0.0.0/8,172.16.0.0/12,192.168.0.0/16`. The loopback
-entries cover a reverse proxy on the same host. A request whose direct peer is
-outside this set has its forwarded headers ignored, and the direct peer is
-logged and rate-limited instead. The container image does not use this default;
-see [Deployment](#deployment).
+`TRUSTED_PROXIES` defaults to `10.0.0.0/8,172.16.0.0/12,192.168.0.0/16`. A list
+replaces the default; set and empty, the server trusts no proxy. Loopback is not
+in the default, so a reverse proxy on the same host has to be named, as in
+`TRUSTED_PROXIES=127.0.0.1/32`. A request whose direct peer is outside this set
+has its forwarded headers ignored, and the direct peer is logged and
+rate-limited instead. The container image does not use this default; see
+[Deployment](#deployment).
 
 A variable set to a value the server cannot use, such as `PORT=abc`,
 `DEBUG=maybe` or a `BIND_ADDRESS` that is not an IP address, stops it from
-starting, with an error naming the variable. An empty variable counts as unset.
+starting, with an error naming the variable. An empty variable counts as unset,
+except `TRUSTED_PROXIES`.
 
 #### Report storage
 

TODO.md

@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@ Run `make frontend-viewport-test` in CI as its own step; it is not part of
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-14: unset, the backend's own `TRUSTED_PROXIES` trusts `10.0.0.0/8`,
+  `172.16.0.0/12` and `192.168.0.0/16`, and no longer loopback; a list replaces
+  that; set and empty, it trusts no proxy, where it used to get the default, as
+  viper reads an empty environment variable as unset
+  ([#129](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/netwatch/issues/129)). A value it cannot
+  parse still stops the start, and the image still starts the backend with
+  `TRUSTED_PROXIES=127.0.0.1/32`. Tests load the config with it unset, empty and
+  set to a list
 - 2026-10-14: while report files cannot be written, `POST /api/v1/reports`
   answers 500, and storing recovers once writing works again, with no restart
   ([#123](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/netwatch/issues/123)). A failed write puts

internal/config/config.go

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"math"
 	"net/netip"
 	"net/url"
+	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -21,13 +22,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 // defaultTrustedProxies lists the networks whose forwarded
-// headers are honoured by default: IPv4 and IPv6 loopback,
-// for a reverse proxy on the same host, and the RFC1918
-// ranges. The container image does not use it:
+// headers are honoured when TRUSTED_PROXIES is unset: the
+// RFC 1918 ranges. The container image does not use it:
 // bin/entrypoint.sh gives the server 127.0.0.1/32, since
 // nginx is its only client there.
-const defaultTrustedProxies = "127.0.0.1/32,::1/128," +
-	"10.0.0.0/8,172.16.0.0/12,192.168.0.0/16"
+const defaultTrustedProxies = "10.0.0.0/8,172.16.0.0/12,192.168.0.0/16"
 
 // Default limits on stored reports; README.md gives the reasons for
 // these values.
@@ -135,6 +134,14 @@ func New(
 			viper.GetString("DEBUG"), errNotBool)
 	}
 
+	// An empty TRUSTED_PROXIES trusts no proxy, but viper reads an
+	// empty environment variable as unset and would give the default,
+	// so the environment is read first.
+	trustedProxies, set := os.LookupEnv("TRUSTED_PROXIES")
+	if !set {
+		trustedProxies = viper.GetString("TRUSTED_PROXIES")
+	}
+
 	s := &Config{
 		BindAddress:        viper.GetString("BIND_ADDRESS"),
 		CORSAllowedOrigins: splitList(viper.GetString("CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS")),
@@ -146,7 +153,7 @@ func New(
 		Port:               port,
 		ReportsPerMinute:   viper.GetInt("REPORTS_PER_MINUTE"),
 		SentryDSN:          viper.GetString("SENTRY_DSN"),
-		TrustedProxies:     splitList(viper.GetString("TRUSTED_PROXIES")),
+		TrustedProxies:     splitList(trustedProxies),
 		log:                log,
 		params:             &params,
 	}

internal/config/config_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package config_test
 
 import (
+	"os"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -29,6 +31,62 @@ func requireConfigError(t *testing.T, setting string) {
 	}
 }
 
+// requireTrustedProxies builds the config as main does and fails the
+// test unless its TrustedProxies are want.
+func requireTrustedProxies(t *testing.T, want []string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var cfg *config.Config
+
+	app := fx.New(
+		fx.NopLogger,
+		fx.Provide(globals.New, logger.New, config.New),
+		fx.Populate(&cfg),
+	)
+
+	err := app.Err()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("config error = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !slices.Equal(cfg.TrustedProxies, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("TrustedProxies = %q, want %q", cfg.TrustedProxies, want)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestTrustedProxiesUnsetTrustsRFC1918: unset, the server trusts the
+// RFC 1918 ranges and nothing else, loopback included.
+func TestTrustedProxiesUnsetTrustsRFC1918(t *testing.T) {
+	// t.Setenv first, so the variable is put back as it was after the
+	// test.
+	t.Setenv("TRUSTED_PROXIES", "")
+
+	err := os.Unsetenv("TRUSTED_PROXIES")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	requireTrustedProxies(t,
+		[]string{"10.0.0.0/8", "172.16.0.0/12", "192.168.0.0/16"})
+}
+
+// TestTrustedProxiesEmptyTrustsNothing: set and empty, the server
+// trusts no proxy. viper alone would read the empty variable as unset
+// and give the default.
+func TestTrustedProxiesEmptyTrustsNothing(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("TRUSTED_PROXIES", "")
+
+	requireTrustedProxies(t, []string{})
+}
+
+// TestTrustedProxiesListReplacesDefault: a list is used as given, with
+// none of the default ranges added.
+func TestTrustedProxiesListReplacesDefault(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("TRUSTED_PROXIES", "172.17.0.1/32, 2001:db8::/32")
+
+	requireTrustedProxies(t, []string{"172.17.0.1/32", "2001:db8::/32"})
+}
+
 // TestSettingsLoadAsGiven: valid values pass the checks and are used
 // as given. bin/entrypoint.sh starts the server with these
 // BIND_ADDRESS and PORT values.