Fetch an IPv6 source host written without a port (closes #295)

The fetcher's check of a source URL cut a port off the host with
net.SplitHostPort, which fails when an IPv6 address in brackets has no
port, so the brackets stayed on, the name lookup failed and the request
answered 500. The check now parses the URL and takes the host from
Hostname(), which drops the brackets with or without a port, so the
address is looked up and a private one is refused with 403.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -725,11 +725,14 @@ Key settings in more detail:
 - `signing_key` — HMAC secret for URL signatures
 - `db_url` — the SQLite database to open; omitted, it is
   `file:<state_dir>/state.sqlite3?_pragma=journal_mode(WAL)`, which keeps the
-  database in WAL mode. pixa opens one connection to it, so its own reads and
+  database in WAL mode. `state_dir` is percent-encoded in it, so a `%`, `?` or
-  writes run one at a time. pixa adds `_pragma=busy_timeout(5000)` to any
+  `#` in the name is written as `%25`, `%3F` or `%23`. For a `state_dir` of `/`
-  `db_url`, so a write that finds another program writing to the file waits up
+  or one starting with `//` it starts `file:////`, so SQLite does not read the
-  to five seconds for it instead of failing. WAL mode comes only from the URL:
+  first name in the path as a host. pixa opens one connection to it, so its own
-  keep `_pragma=journal_mode(WAL)` in one you set
+  reads and writes run one at a time. pixa adds `_pragma=busy_timeout(5000)` to
+  any `db_url`, so a write that finds another program writing to the file waits
+  up to five seconds for it instead of failing. WAL mode comes only from the
+  URL: keep `_pragma=journal_mode(WAL)` in one you set
 - `cache_max_bytes` — disk cache size limit in bytes; `0` disables the disk
   cache entirely; omitted defaults to 75% of the sum of the free space on the
   filesystem containing `<state_dir>/cache/` and the bytes of source and

TODO.md

@@ -30,6 +30,20 @@ P2: security: per-origin rate limiting
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-16 a source host that is an IPv6 address in brackets with no port,
+  such as `[2001:db8::a]`, is fetched like one with a port, through `/v1/image/`
+  and through an encrypted URL (closes #295). The fetcher's check of the source
+  URL kept the brackets when no port followed them, could not look the host up,
+  and the request answered 500. It now checks the address without brackets, so a
+  private one is refused with 403, as with a port.
+- 2026-10-16 a `state_dir` whose name holds `%`, `?` or `#` keeps its database
+  at `state.sqlite3` in that directory (closes #290): the `db_url` derived from
+  it put the name into a `file:` URL as it was, so SQLite read `%41` as `A`, a
+  `?` or `#` ended the path early, and the journal mode parameter was lost. The
+  derived `db_url` is now built with Go's `net/url`, which writes those
+  characters as `%25`, `%3F` and `%23`. For a `state_dir` of `/` or one starting
+  with `//` it starts `file:////`, so SQLite no longer reads the first name in
+  the path as a host.
 - 2026-10-16 a size with one side `0` keeps the side computed from the source's
   proportions at 1 or more (closes #283): it was rounded down, so for a thin
   source it came out at 0, and libvips then made the size square. An 8192x1

internal/config/config.go

@@ -338,8 +338,7 @@ func newFromSmartConfig(sc *smartconfig.Config) (*Config, error) {
 				settingName(keyDBURL), errValueEmpty)
 		}
 
-		// The driver sets the journal mode only through a _pragma parameter.
+		c.DBURL = defaultDBURL(c.StateDir)
-		c.DBURL = fmt.Sprintf("file:%s/state.sqlite3?_pragma=journal_mode(WAL)", c.StateDir)
 	}
 
 	if loader.err != nil {
@@ -354,6 +353,30 @@ func newFromSmartConfig(sc *smartconfig.Config) (*Config, error) {
 	return c, nil
 }
 
+// defaultDBURL returns the db_url used when db_url is omitted: the file
+// state.sqlite3 in stateDir, in WAL mode, which the driver sets only
+// through a _pragma parameter. String() percent-encodes any %, ? or # in
+// the directory name, which SQLite decodes back, so the URL names exactly
+// this file. OmitHost writes file:/var/lib/pixa/... instead of
+// file:///var/lib/pixa/..., and keeps a relative stateDir from being read
+// as a host name. The path written into the URL is stateDir followed by
+// /state.sqlite3; when it starts with //, as it does for a stateDir of /
+// or one starting with //, the empty host is kept, so the URL starts
+// file://// and SQLite does not read the first name in the path as a
+// host.
+func defaultDBURL(stateDir string) string {
+	dbPath := stateDir + "/state.sqlite3"
+
+	dbURL := url.URL{
+		Scheme:   "file",
+		OmitHost: !strings.HasPrefix(dbPath, "//"),
+		Path:     dbPath,
+		RawQuery: "_pragma=journal_mode(WAL)",
+	}
+
+	return dbURL.String()
+}
+
 // validateKnownKeys rejects configuration files containing keys the
 // application does not understand, so typos fail at startup instead of
 // being silently ignored, and rejects keys that are explicitly set to

internal/config/config_validation_internal_test.go

@@ -135,6 +135,104 @@ func TestDefaultDBURLOpensTheDatabaseInWALMode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestDerivedDBURLOpensStateDirHoldingURLCharacters opens the db_url
+// derived from a state_dir whose name holds %41, ? and #, and checks that
+// the database is state.sqlite3 in that directory, in WAL mode. Put into
+// a file: URL as it is, the name would lose its meaning: %41 is read as
+// A, and the path ends at the ?, which also loses the journal mode.
+func TestDerivedDBURLOpensStateDirHoldingURLCharacters(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	stateDir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "a%41b?c#d")
+
+	err := os.Mkdir(stateDir, 0o750)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create %q: %v", stateDir, err)
+	}
+
+	// Quoted so YAML takes the whole name as it is.
+	c, err := configFromYAML(t, signingKeyLine+"state_dir: '"+stateDir+"'\n")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("config with state_dir %q should be valid, got: %v", stateDir, err)
+	}
+
+	t.Logf("state_dir %q gives db_url %q", stateDir, c.DBURL)
+
+	checkDBURLOpensFileInWALMode(t, c.DBURL, filepath.Join(stateDir, "state.sqlite3"))
+}
+
+// TestDerivedDBURLOpensStateDirStartingWithTwoSlashes opens the db_url
+// derived from a state_dir that starts with //, and checks that the
+// database is state.sqlite3 in that directory, in WAL mode. Written right
+// after file:, such a name gives a URL starting file://, and SQLite reads
+// the first directory name as a host and refuses to open it.
+func TestDerivedDBURLOpensStateDirStartingWithTwoSlashes(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	stateDir := "/" + dir
+
+	c, err := configFromYAML(t, signingKeyLine+"state_dir: "+stateDir+"\n")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("config with state_dir %q should be valid, got: %v", stateDir, err)
+	}
+
+	t.Logf("state_dir %q gives db_url %q", stateDir, c.DBURL)
+
+	checkDBURLOpensFileInWALMode(t, c.DBURL, filepath.Join(dir, "state.sqlite3"))
+}
+
+// TestDerivedDBURLForRootStateDir checks the db_url derived from a
+// state_dir of /. The path written into the URL is then
+// //state.sqlite3, and written right after file: it gives a URL starting
+// file://, where SQLite reads state.sqlite3 as a host and refuses to open
+// it. The test only checks the URL, since it cannot write to /.
+func TestDerivedDBURLForRootStateDir(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	c, err := configFromYAML(t, signingKeyLine+"state_dir: /\n")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("config with state_dir / should be valid, got: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	t.Logf("state_dir / gives db_url %q", c.DBURL)
+
+	wantDBURL := "file:////state.sqlite3?_pragma=journal_mode(WAL)"
+	if c.DBURL != wantDBURL {
+		t.Errorf("DBURL = %q, want %q", c.DBURL, wantDBURL)
+	}
+}
+
+// checkDBURLOpensFileInWALMode opens dbURL with the SQLite driver pixad
+// uses, and checks that the database is in WAL mode and is the file
+// dbFile.
+func checkDBURLOpensFileInWALMode(t *testing.T, dbURL, dbFile string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite", dbURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to open %q: %v", dbURL, err)
+	}
+
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = db.Close() })
+
+	var journalMode string
+
+	err = db.QueryRowContext(t.Context(), "PRAGMA journal_mode").Scan(&journalMode)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to read the journal mode of %q: %v", dbURL, err)
+	}
+
+	if journalMode != "wal" {
+		t.Errorf("journal mode of %q = %q, want wal", dbURL, journalMode)
+	}
+
+	_, err = os.Stat(dbFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("opening %q did not create %q: %v", dbURL, dbFile, err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestExplicitValidValuesAreUsed(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 

internal/httpfetcher/httpfetcher.go

@@ -473,16 +473,16 @@ func validateURL(ctx context.Context, rawURL string, allowHTTP bool) error {
 		return ErrUnsupportedScheme
 	}
 
-	// Parse to extract host
+	parsedURL, err := neturl.Parse(rawURL)
-	host := extractHost(rawURL)
+	if err != nil {
-	if host == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %w", ErrInvalidHost, err)
-		return ErrInvalidHost
 	}
 
-	// Remove port if present
+	// Hostname drops any port, and the brackets of an IPv6 address whether
-	h, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(host)
+	// or not a port follows them
-	if err == nil {
+	host := parsedURL.Hostname()
-		host = h
+	if host == "" {
+		return ErrInvalidHost
 	}
 
 	// Block obvious localhost patterns

internal/server/source_url_internal_test.go

@@ -6,12 +6,16 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"regexp"
 	"slices"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
+	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/encurl"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/imgcache"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/session"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/signature"
 )
 
 // percentSignPath is a source path holding a "%", which a URL writes %25.
@@ -433,3 +437,109 @@ func TestGeneratorRefusesSourceURLItCannotFetchAsWritten(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// ipv6SourcePath is the source path of the image URLs signedImageURL and
+// encryptedImageURL make.
+const ipv6SourcePath = "/ipv6.png"
+
+// TestImageRoutesFetchIPv6SourceHostWithOrWithoutPort requests ipv6SourcePath
+// on an IPv6 source host, written with and without a port, through a
+// /v1/image/ URL with a signature and through an encrypted URL. The public
+// address 2001:db8::a, a documentation address (RFC 3849) the fetcher accepts
+// as public, answers 200, and the upstream receives the request for
+// ipv6SourcePath. The private address fd00::1 answers 403, and the upstream
+// receives no request: the test's fetcher connects every address to the test
+// upstream, so only the fetcher's check of the source URL can refuse it.
+func TestImageRoutesFetchIPv6SourceHostWithOrWithoutPort(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		sourceHost string
+		wantStatus int
+		// wantRequests are the request targets the upstream must receive
+		wantRequests []string
+	}{
+		{"public address without a port", "[2001:db8::a]",
+			http.StatusOK, []string{ipv6SourcePath}},
+		{"public address with a port", "[2001:db8::a]:8443",
+			http.StatusOK, []string{ipv6SourcePath}},
+		{"private address without a port", "[fd00::1]",
+			http.StatusForbidden, nil},
+		{"private address with a port", "[fd00::1]:8443",
+			http.StatusForbidden, nil},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		imageURLs := map[string]string{
+			"image URL with a signature": signedImageURL(t, tt.sourceHost),
+			"encrypted URL":              encryptedImageURL(t, tt.sourceHost),
+		}
+
+		for route, imageURL := range imageURLs {
+			t.Run(tt.name+" "+route, func(t *testing.T) {
+				t.Parallel()
+
+				upstream := startRecordingUpstream(t)
+				s, _, _ := startImageProxy(t, upstream.Server)
+
+				rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+				s.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequestWithContext(
+					t.Context(), http.MethodGet, imageURL, nil))
+				t.Logf("GET %s: %d", imageURL, rec.Code)
+
+				if rec.Code != tt.wantStatus {
+					t.Errorf("status = %d, want %d; body %s",
+						rec.Code, tt.wantStatus, rec.Body.String())
+				}
+
+				got := upstream.requestTargets()
+				t.Logf("upstream received %q", got)
+
+				if !slices.Equal(got, tt.wantRequests) {
+					t.Errorf("upstream received %q, want %q", got, tt.wantRequests)
+				}
+			})
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// signedImageURL returns the /v1/image/ URL of ipv6SourcePath on sourceHost at
+// its original size as PNG, with a signature made with the test signing key,
+// which a host not on the allowlist needs. The URL has no q or fit, so it is
+// signed with the quality 85 and the fit cover.
+func signedImageURL(t *testing.T, sourceHost string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	path, sig, exp := signature.New(testSigningKey).GenerateSignedURL(
+		&signature.Request{
+			SourceHost: sourceHost,
+			SourcePath: ipv6SourcePath,
+			Format:     string(imgcache.FormatPNG),
+			Quality:    85,
+			FitMode:    string(imgcache.FitCover),
+		}, time.Hour)
+
+	return path + "?sig=" + sig + "&exp=" + strconv.FormatInt(exp, 10)
+}
+
+// encryptedImageURL returns the encrypted URL of ipv6SourcePath on sourceHost
+// at its original size as PNG, made with the test signing key.
+func encryptedImageURL(t *testing.T, sourceHost string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	generator, err := encurl.NewGenerator(testSigningKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("encurl.NewGenerator: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	token, err := generator.Generate(&encurl.Payload{
+		SourceHost: sourceHost, SourcePath: ipv6SourcePath,
+		Format: imgcache.FormatPNG,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("encurl Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return "/v1/e/" + token + "/img.png"
+}