This repo is an example of how to create a docker environment with nginx serving as reverse proxy to nodejs app.

The Nginx server is configured to use ssl...

...delivering its content (through https://)

...and to authenticate its clients.

Disclaimer This is an example repo. Note that the commands below generate the files WITHOUT passphrases. You should look into using the -des3 option and adding the ssl_password_file directive to the nginx config.

for both the server and an example client

Taken from here and here

You can run these commands inside the /auth folder. Then, copy the files that nginx needs into docker/web/auth.

openssl genrsa -out ca.key 4096 # add -des3 to give the file a password
openssl req -new -x509 -days 365 -key ca.key -out ca.crt

openssl genrsa -out server.key 1024 # add -des3 to give the file a password
openssl req -new -key server.key -out server.csr

openssl x509 -req -days 365 -in server.csr -CA ca.crt -CAkey ca.key -set_serial 01 -out server.crt

openssl genrsa -out client.key 1024 # add -des3 to give the file a password
openssl req -new -key client.key -out client.csr

openssl x509 -req -days 365 -in client.csr -CA ca.crt -CAkey ca.key -set_serial 01 -out client.crt

openssl dhparam -out dhparam.pem 2048

openssl pkcs12 -export -clcerts -in client.crt -inkey client.key -out client.p12

You'll need to give these to nginx (place them in docker/web/auth, the dockerfile will do the rest):

• dhparam.pem
• ca.crt
• server.crt
• server.key

You'll need to give these to your clients:

• ca.crt
• client.key + client.csr
• (or) client.p12

if you want to use curl or some dev library, the certificate+key are enough. If you want to import the certificate into your keychain/firefos/client software, you'll need the p12 file.

• you can remove the -des3 from the commands above if you don't want to use passphrases in your files.

After configuring nginx, your client should be able to acess the service. Anyone else (or the client without the certificates) should get a 400 - No required SSL certificate was sent error.

(you need to be inside the /docker directory)

(also, make sure to change the /docker/web/confs/nodeapi.conf file to suit your domain)

docker-compose build --pull;

# Interactively
docker-compose up;
# Daemon
docker-compose up -d;

docker-compose down

In order to test the configuration, in your client, you can use curl...

# Authenticated
curl -v -s -k --key client.key --cert client.crt https://example.com

# Not Authenticated
curl -v -s -k https://example.com

... or import the p12 file into your system/browser and then navigate to your url.