Release v0.27.0: security hardening (audit 0026)

Remediates the rfc-app application + deploy-config findings from the
Session 0026 security audit. Cut as the "v0.25.0-security-hardening"
branch (from v0.24.0); reversioned to 0.27.0 on rebase onto main since
v0.26.0 (#28) shipped while this was in flight.

- C1 (Critical): single sanitizeHtml.js chokepoint (DOMPurify) for every
  marked→innerHTML / dangerouslySetInnerHTML sink (MarkdownPreview,
  ProposalView x2, Editor); rel=noopener hook on target=_blank links.
- H1: per-account OTC-verify lockout (migration 023, auto-applied) +
  per-IP throttle via new ratelimit.py; wired on otc verify/request +
  passcode check/verify.
- M1: device_trust.lookup() single indexed-row read — cookie value is now
  "<row_id>.<raw_token>"; bcrypt-checks one row, not a global table scan.
  (Behavior change: existing device-trust cookies re-prompt once.)
- M2: HTTP security headers (CSP/HSTS/XFO/XCTO/Referrer-Policy) at nginx.
- M4: session cookie Secure-by-default (SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE opt-out).
- M5: bounce webhook fails CLOSED (503) when secret unset, instead of open;
  RFC_APP_INSECURE_BOUNCE_WEBHOOK=1 dev opt-in.
- L2/L3: per-IP cooldown + check-endpoint throttle.
- L4: systemd sandbox knobs. L8/I1: nginx server_tokens off + TLS1.0/1.1 out.

VERSION + frontend/package.json → 0.27.0; CHANGELOG documents the upgrade
steps (incl. the out-of-band nginx + systemd apply, which the flotilla
deploy gesture does not perform).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -23,6 +23,68 @@ skip versions are the composition of each intervening adjacent
 release's steps in order — no A-to-B path is pre-computed beyond
 that.
 
+## 0.27.0 — 2026-05-28
+
+**Minor — security-hardening release (Session-0026 audit remediation).
+One auto-applied migration (023); one behavior change that re-prompts
+device-trust; deployments MUST re-apply the nginx + systemd files.**
+This is the work cut as the "v0.25.0 security-hardening" branch; it
+reversioned to 0.27.0 because v0.26.0 (#28) took the next slot while it
+was in flight. Shipped from driver session 0030.0.
+
+- **C1 (Critical) — stored-XSS closed.** Every markdown→HTML sink now
+  routes through one chokepoint, `frontend/src/lib/sanitizeHtml.js`
+  (DOMPurify), before any `innerHTML` / `dangerouslySetInnerHTML` write:
+  `MarkdownPreview`, both `ProposalView` sinks (entry body +
+  `proposed_use_case`), and `Editor`. A hook adds
+  `rel="noopener noreferrer"` to `target=_blank` links. `marked` no
+  longer passes raw HTML / `javascript:` URIs to the DOM, so a
+  contributor can no longer plant a payload that runs in an admin/owner
+  session during review.
+- **H1 — OTC verify is rate-limited.** New `backend/app/ratelimit.py`
+  (per-IP token buckets) gates `/auth/otc/verify`, `/auth/otc/request`,
+  and the passcode check/verify paths; a per-account OTC-verify lockout
+  (migration `023_otc_verify_lockout.sql`) mirrors the passcode lockout.
+- **M1 — device-trust lookup no longer table-scans.** The device-trust
+  cookie value is now `"<row_id>.<raw_token>"`; `device_trust.lookup`
+  reads the one indexed row and bcrypt-checks only it, instead of
+  bcrypt-checking every row in the table on each unauthenticated
+  `/auth/device-trust/start`.
+- **M2 — HTTP security headers** (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options,
+  X-Content-Type-Options, Referrer-Policy) added to the nginx server
+  block. **L8/I1**: `server_tokens off` + legacy TLS1.0/1.1 removed.
+- **M4 — session cookie `Secure` by default** (`SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE`,
+  defaults on; a dev box on plain http sets it `false`).
+- **M5 — bounce webhook fails closed.** An unset
+  `WEBHOOK_EMAIL_BOUNCE_SECRET` now **disables** `/api/webhooks/email-bounce`
+  (503) instead of leaving it open; a dev opts back in with
+  `RFC_APP_INSECURE_BOUNCE_WEBHOOK=1`.
+- **L2/L3** per-IP cooldown + check-endpoint throttle. **L4** systemd
+  sandbox knobs (`CapabilityBoundingSet=`, `ProtectKernel*`,
+  `RestrictAddressFamilies`, `SystemCallFilter`, …).
+
+Upgrade steps:
+
+1. **Migration** — none manual; `023_otc_verify_lockout.sql` auto-applies
+   at startup via `db.run_migrations`.
+2. **Device trust (MUST expect re-prompt)** — the cookie format changed,
+   so existing "trusted device" cookies no longer match; affected users
+   are re-prompted for device verification once. No data migration; old
+   rows are simply never matched and age out.
+3. **nginx + systemd (MUST apply out-of-band)** — the deploy gesture does
+   **not** install `deploy/nginx/ohm.wiggleverse.org.conf` or
+   `deploy/systemd/rfc-app.service`. After deploying the code, copy both
+   to their system locations, then `nginx -t && systemctl reload nginx`
+   and `systemctl daemon-reload && systemctl restart <unit>`. (M2 headers
+   and L4 sandboxing do not take effect until this is done.)
+4. **Bounce webhook (SHOULD)** — bind `WEBHOOK_EMAIL_BOUNCE_SECRET` (or
+   set `RFC_APP_INSECURE_BOUNCE_WEBHOOK=1` for dev). Unset → the endpoint
+   returns 503 (closed). No legitimate bounce source is wired today, so
+   503 is the safe default.
+5. **Session cookie (SHOULD, dev only)** — a deployment served over plain
+   http MUST set `SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE=false` or the session cookie
+   won't be sent. Production over HTTPS leaves it unset (Secure on).
+
 ## 0.26.0 — 2026-05-28
 
 **Minor — no schema migration, no new secret, no config, no upgrade

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.26.0
+0.27.0

backend/app/api_notifications.py

@@ -557,7 +557,26 @@ def make_router(config: Config) -> APIRouter:
         # stays unauthenticated for dev (the v1 contract).
         import os as _os
         expected = _os.environ.get("WEBHOOK_EMAIL_BOUNCE_SECRET", "").strip()
-        if expected:
+        # v0.25.0 (audit 0026 M5): fail closed. An unset secret used to
+        # leave this endpoint fully unauthenticated — anyone could suppress
+        # any user's mail by POSTing their address (email_opt_out_all flip
+        # below). Now an unset secret DISABLES the endpoint (503) instead
+        # of opening it. A dev that genuinely wants it open opts in
+        # explicitly with RFC_APP_INSECURE_BOUNCE_WEBHOOK=1, mirroring the
+        # RFC_APP_INSECURE_WEBHOOKS dev-bypass on the Gitea hook.
+        if not expected:
+            if _os.environ.get("RFC_APP_INSECURE_BOUNCE_WEBHOOK", "").strip() == "1":
+                log.warning(
+                    "email-bounce webhook running UNAUTHENTICATED "
+                    "(RFC_APP_INSECURE_BOUNCE_WEBHOOK=1) — never set this in production"
+                )
+            else:
+                log.error(
+                    "email-bounce webhook refused: WEBHOOK_EMAIL_BOUNCE_SECRET is unset "
+                    "(set the secret to enable, or RFC_APP_INSECURE_BOUNCE_WEBHOOK=1 for dev)"
+                )
+                raise HTTPException(503, "Bounce webhook not configured")
+        else:
             received = request.headers.get("X-Webhook-Secret", "")
             import hmac as _hmac
             if not received or not _hmac.compare_digest(expected, received):

backend/app/device_trust.py

@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ class IssueOutcome:
     raw_token: str
     row_id: int
 
+    @property
+    def cookie_value(self) -> str:
+        """The value to put in the `rfc_device_trust` cookie: the row-id
+        selector joined to the raw token (v0.25.0 / audit 0026 M1). The
+        selector lets `lookup` read one indexed row instead of scanning."""
+        return f"{self.row_id}.{self.raw_token}"
+
 
 def _new_token() -> str:
     return secrets.token_urlsafe(TOKEN_BYTES)
@@ -173,33 +180,37 @@ def lookup(raw_token: str) -> LookupOutcome:
     if not raw:
         return LookupOutcome(ok=False, user=None, reason="invalid")
 
-    # The unique index on `device_token_hash` would let us SELECT by
+    # v0.25.0 (audit 0026 M1): the cookie is "<row_id>.<raw_token>". We
-    # hash if bcrypt were a stable hash, but bcrypt incorporates a
+    # parse the row-id selector and read exactly ONE row by its indexed
-    # per-row salt — equal tokens produce different hashes. We walk
+    # primary key, then bcrypt-check the token against that single row.
-    # the candidate set instead. In practice the set is small (a
-    # human has a handful of trusted devices) and bcrypt is cheap on
-    # the order of milliseconds; the walk is bounded by the user's
-    # active device count.
     #
-    # We don't pre-filter by `revoked_at IS NULL` here so that a
+    # The previous shape read EVERY device_trust row (all users, including
-    # token presented for a recently-revoked row produces a
+    # revoked/expired) and bcrypt-checked each — an unauthenticated
-    # 'revoked' outcome (the endpoint surfaces a different shape).
+    # CPU-amplification DoS reachable at /auth/device-trust/start that
-    # Same for expired: we let the walk hit and classify after.
+    # grew without bound as the table accumulated. bcrypt's per-row salt
-    rows = db.conn().execute(
+    # is why we can't SELECT by hash; carrying the row-id in the cookie is
+    # the standard fix (the id is not secret; the token still is).
+    selector, sep, token = raw.partition(".")
+    if not sep or not selector.isdigit() or not token:
+        # Legacy bare-token cookies (pre-v0.25.0) and malformed values land
+        # here. We refuse rather than fall back to a full-table scan, so
+        # the amplification path is fully closed; affected users simply
+        # re-authenticate once via OTC/passcode and get a new cookie.
+        return LookupOutcome(ok=False, user=None, reason="invalid")
+
+    matched = db.conn().execute(
         """
         SELECT id, user_id, device_token_hash, expires_at, revoked_at
           FROM device_trust
-         ORDER BY id DESC
+         WHERE id = ?
         """,
-    ).fetchall()
+        (int(selector),),
+    ).fetchone()
 
-    matched = None
+    # One bcrypt check, against the selected row only. A wrong/forged token
-    for row in rows:
+    # for a real id reads as 'unknown' (cookie cleared), same as a missing
-        if _check(raw, row["device_token_hash"]):
+    # row — a probing client can't distinguish the two.
-            matched = row
+    if matched is None or not _check(token, matched["device_token_hash"]):
-            break
-
-    if matched is None:
         return LookupOutcome(ok=False, user=None, reason="unknown")
 
     if matched["revoked_at"] is not None:

backend/app/main.py

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ no need for a separate worker.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
+import os
 import secrets
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
 
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ from . import (
     otc,
     passcode as passcode_mod,
     providers as providers_mod,
+    ratelimit,
     turnstile,
     webhooks,
 )
@@ -142,12 +144,20 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
     # eagerly via load_config(). Everything else waits for lifespan.
     config = load_config()
     app = FastAPI(lifespan=lifespan)
+    # v0.25.0 (audit 0026 M4): the session cookie is the primary 30-day
+    # auth credential and must carry `Secure` in production so it never
+    # travels cleartext. Default to Secure; a dev box serving over plain
+    # http opts out with SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE=false. Production (OHM is
+    # HTTPS-only with an HTTP->HTTPS 301) leaves this unset → Secure on.
+    session_secure = os.environ.get("SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE", "true").strip().lower() not in (
+        "0", "false", "no", "off",
+    )
     app.add_middleware(
         SessionMiddleware,
         secret_key=config.secret_key,
         session_cookie="rfc_session",
         max_age=60 * 60 * 24 * 30,
-        https_only=False,
+        https_only=session_secure,
     )
     return app
 
@@ -155,24 +165,25 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
 app = create_app()
 
 
-def _set_device_trust_cookie(response: Response, raw_token: str) -> None:
+def _set_device_trust_cookie(response: Response, cookie_value: str) -> None:
     """Attach the v0.11.0 device-trust cookie to the response.
 
-    HttpOnly + Secure + SameSite=Lax + 30-day Max-Age + Path=/. The
+    HttpOnly + Secure + SameSite=Lax + 30-day Max-Age + Path=/. As of
-    cookie value is the raw token; server-side storage is the hash.
+    v0.25.0 (audit 0026 M1) the value is `IssueOutcome.cookie_value` —
-    The cookie is "essential" per the v0.13.0 cookie-consent contract
+    "<row_id>.<raw_token>" — so `device_trust.lookup` can read one indexed
-    (it is part of authentication), so we set it regardless of the
+    row instead of scanning; server-side storage remains the bcrypt hash
-    user's analytics / other-cookies choice.
+    of the token half only. The cookie is "essential" per the v0.13.0
+    cookie-consent contract (it is part of authentication), so we set it
+    regardless of the user's analytics / other-cookies choice.
 
-    Secure=True means the cookie is only ever sent over HTTPS. The
+    Secure=True means the cookie is only ever sent over HTTPS — the
-    SessionMiddleware in `create_app` keeps `https_only=False` for
+    device-trust cookie holds a 30-day credential and must never travel
-    dev parity, but the device-trust cookie holds a 30-day credential
+    cleartext. (The session cookie now also defaults to Secure; see M4 in
-    and must not travel cleartext — production deployments serve over
+    `create_app`.)
-    HTTPS, so Secure on the device-trust cookie is non-negotiable.
     """
     response.set_cookie(
         key=device_trust_mod.COOKIE_NAME,
-        value=raw_token,
+        value=cookie_value,
         max_age=device_trust_mod.COOKIE_MAX_AGE_SECONDS,
         path="/",
         secure=True,
@@ -245,6 +256,10 @@ def _oauth_router(config) -> APIRouter:
 
     @router.post("/auth/otc/request")
     async def otc_request(body: OtcRequestBody, request: Request):
+        # v0.25.0 (audit 0026 H1/L2): per-IP brake at the cheapest point,
+        # before the Turnstile network call or any bcrypt/SMTP work.
+        if not ratelimit.otc_request_limiter.allow(ratelimit.client_key(request)):
+            raise HTTPException(429, "Too many requests; please wait a few minutes")
         # v0.12.0 / roadmap item #10: gate the request on a successful
         # Turnstile siteverify before the bcrypt hash + SMTP send. The
         # check runs first so a failed challenge spends no rate budget
@@ -278,9 +293,25 @@ def _oauth_router(config) -> APIRouter:
 
     @router.post("/auth/otc/verify")
     async def otc_verify(body: OtcVerifyBody, request: Request, response: Response):
+        # v0.25.0 (audit 0026 H1): per-IP brake against fan-out guessing,
+        # plus the per-email lockout enforced inside otc.verify_code.
+        ip = ratelimit.client_key(request)
+        if not ratelimit.verify_limiter.allow(ip):
+            raise HTTPException(429, "Too many attempts; please wait a few minutes")
         result = otc.verify_code(body.email, body.code)
+        if result.reason == "locked":
+            raise HTTPException(
+                423,
+                {
+                    "detail": "Too many failed attempts; wait a few minutes or request a new code",
+                    "locked_until": result.locked_until,
+                },
+            )
         if not result.ok or result.user is None:
             raise HTTPException(400, "Invalid or expired code")
+        # Legit sign-in: clear this IP's window so a user who fat-fingered
+        # a couple of codes isn't left throttled.
+        ratelimit.verify_limiter.reset(ip)
         auth.store_session(request, result.user)
         # v0.8.0: surface `needs_profile` so the Login.jsx surface can
         # decide whether to advance to the first/last/why capture step
@@ -313,7 +344,7 @@ def _oauth_router(config) -> APIRouter:
         if body.trust_device:
             ua = request.headers.get("user-agent", "")
             outcome = device_trust_mod.issue(result.user.user_id, ua)
-            _set_device_trust_cookie(response, outcome.raw_token)
+            _set_device_trust_cookie(response, outcome.cookie_value)
         return {
             "ok": True,
             "user": {
@@ -337,12 +368,17 @@ def _oauth_router(config) -> APIRouter:
     # ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
     @router.get("/auth/passcode/check")
-    async def passcode_check(email: str = ""):
+    async def passcode_check(request: Request, email: str = ""):
         """Does this email have a passcode set? Anonymous endpoint —
         the Login.jsx flow calls this after the user types their email
         to decide whether to render a passcode input or fall back to
         OTC. We surface only the boolean; lockout state, the hash, and
-        the set-at stamp are not leaked here."""
+        the set-at stamp are not leaked here.
+
+        v0.25.0 (audit 0026 L3): per-IP rate limit so the has-passcode
+        boolean can't be bulk-harvested to enumerate accounts."""
+        if not ratelimit.check_limiter.allow(ratelimit.client_key(request)):
+            raise HTTPException(429, "Too many requests; please wait a few minutes")
         status = passcode_mod.passcode_status(email)
         return {"has_passcode": status.has_passcode}
 
@@ -376,6 +412,11 @@ def _oauth_router(config) -> APIRouter:
         v0.11.0: the body's `trust_device` flag, if true, mints a
         fresh device-trust row and sets the long-lived cookie. Same
         opt-in contract as `/auth/otc/verify`."""
+        # v0.25.0 (audit 0026 H1): per-IP brake in front of the per-account
+        # passcode lockout, so fan-out across emails is throttled too.
+        ip = ratelimit.client_key(request)
+        if not ratelimit.verify_limiter.allow(ip):
+            raise HTTPException(429, "Too many attempts; please wait a few minutes")
         result = passcode_mod.verify_passcode(body.email, body.passcode)
         if result.reason == "locked":
             raise HTTPException(
@@ -387,11 +428,12 @@ def _oauth_router(config) -> APIRouter:
             )
         if not result.ok or result.user is None:
             raise HTTPException(400, "Invalid passcode")
+        ratelimit.verify_limiter.reset(ip)
         auth.store_session(request, result.user)
         if body.trust_device:
             ua = request.headers.get("user-agent", "")
             outcome = device_trust_mod.issue(result.user.user_id, ua)
-            _set_device_trust_cookie(response, outcome.raw_token)
+            _set_device_trust_cookie(response, outcome.cookie_value)
         return {
             "ok": True,
             "user": {
@@ -459,7 +501,7 @@ def _oauth_router(config) -> APIRouter:
         if body.trust_device:
             ua = request.headers.get("user-agent", "")
             outcome = device_trust_mod.issue(result.user.user_id, ua)
-            _set_device_trust_cookie(response, outcome.raw_token)
+            _set_device_trust_cookie(response, outcome.cookie_value)
 
         # Has the user already set a passcode? (Could only happen via
         # an admin pre-population path that doesn't exist yet, but

backend/app/otc.py

@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@ def _cooldown_seconds() -> int:
         return 60
 
 
+# v0.25.0 / security audit 0026 (H1): per-email OTC verify lockout,
+# mirroring the passcode path (passcode.py). Five consecutive wrong codes
+# for an email lock its OTC verify for 15 minutes. The per-IP limiter in
+# ratelimit.py is the primary brute-force brake; this is the durable,
+# passcode-parity layer.
+LOCKOUT_AFTER_FAILED_ATTEMPTS = 5
+LOCKOUT_DURATION_MINUTES = 15
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Code generation + hashing
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -206,6 +215,61 @@ class VerifyOutcome:
     ok: bool
     user: SessionUser | None
     reason: str
+    # v0.25.0 (H1): ISO-8601 stamp when reason == 'locked'.
+    locked_until: str | None = None
+
+
+def _verify_lockout_until(email: str) -> str | None:
+    """Return the active lockout stamp for `email`, or None if not locked.
+
+    Clears an elapsed lockout (and resets the counter) as a side effect so
+    the next failure starts a fresh budget — mirrors passcode.verify_passcode.
+    """
+    row = db.conn().execute(
+        "SELECT failed_attempts, locked_until FROM otc_verify_state WHERE email = ?",
+        (email,),
+    ).fetchone()
+    if row is None or not row["locked_until"]:
+        return None
+    still_locked = db.conn().execute(
+        "SELECT datetime(?) > datetime('now') AS locked", (row["locked_until"],),
+    ).fetchone()["locked"]
+    if still_locked:
+        return row["locked_until"]
+    db.conn().execute(
+        "UPDATE otc_verify_state SET failed_attempts = 0, locked_until = NULL WHERE email = ?",
+        (email,),
+    )
+    return None
+
+
+def _record_verify_failure(email: str) -> None:
+    """Increment the per-email failure counter; stamp a lockout once it
+    crosses the threshold. Mirrors the passcode lockout shape."""
+    db.conn().execute(
+        """
+        INSERT INTO otc_verify_state (email, failed_attempts)
+        VALUES (?, 1)
+        ON CONFLICT(email) DO UPDATE SET failed_attempts = failed_attempts + 1
+        """,
+        (email,),
+    )
+    count = db.conn().execute(
+        "SELECT failed_attempts FROM otc_verify_state WHERE email = ?", (email,),
+    ).fetchone()["failed_attempts"]
+    if count >= LOCKOUT_AFTER_FAILED_ATTEMPTS:
+        db.conn().execute(
+            f"""
+            UPDATE otc_verify_state
+               SET locked_until = datetime('now', '+{LOCKOUT_DURATION_MINUTES} minutes')
+             WHERE email = ?
+            """,
+            (email,),
+        )
+
+
+def _clear_verify_state(email: str) -> None:
+    db.conn().execute("DELETE FROM otc_verify_state WHERE email = ?", (email,))
 
 
 def verify_code(email: str, code: str) -> VerifyOutcome:
@@ -214,6 +278,13 @@ def verify_code(email: str, code: str) -> VerifyOutcome:
     if not email or not code:
         return VerifyOutcome(ok=False, user=None, reason="invalid")
 
+    # v0.25.0 (H1): refuse before spending any bcrypt if this email is in
+    # its OTC-verify lockout window. The passcode path is unaffected — a
+    # locked-out OTC user can still set/use a passcode, and vice versa.
+    locked_until = _verify_lockout_until(email)
+    if locked_until:
+        return VerifyOutcome(ok=False, user=None, reason="locked", locked_until=locked_until)
+
     rows = db.conn().execute(
         """
         SELECT id, code_hash, expires_at, consumed_at
@@ -237,6 +308,9 @@ def verify_code(email: str, code: str) -> VerifyOutcome:
             break
 
     if matched is None:
+        # A genuine wrong guess against this email — the brute-force
+        # signal. Count it toward the lockout threshold (H1).
+        _record_verify_failure(email)
         return VerifyOutcome(ok=False, user=None, reason="wrong")
 
     if matched["consumed_at"] is not None:
@@ -255,6 +329,8 @@ def verify_code(email: str, code: str) -> VerifyOutcome:
         "UPDATE otc_codes SET consumed_at = datetime('now') WHERE id = ?",
         (matched["id"],),
     )
+    # Success wipes the per-email failure counter (H1).
+    _clear_verify_state(email)
     user = provision_or_link_user(email)
     return VerifyOutcome(ok=True, user=user, reason="ok")
 

backend/app/ratelimit.py

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+"""In-process per-IP sliding-window rate limiter (security audit 0026, H1).
+
+The auth verify endpoints (`/auth/otc/verify`, `/auth/passcode/verify`)
+had no per-IP brake, so an attacker could fan out guesses against a
+target identity bounded only by bcrypt cost. This module is the brake.
+
+It is deliberately tiny: §4.2 says the app is a single process with a
+colocated SQLite file, so an in-memory dict of `key -> deque[timestamps]`
+is sufficient and needs no shared store. State resets on restart, which
+fails *open* for a brief window — acceptable because the per-email OTC
+lockout (`otc_verify_state`) and the passcode lockout both persist in the
+database and carry the durable guarantee; this limiter is the
+anti-fan-out layer on top.
+
+Chosen over a per-identity lockout *as the primary control* because a
+per-IP window throttles the attacker without letting them grief a victim
+by locking that victim's account (the known downside of identity
+lockouts). Both layers run together.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import threading
+import time
+from collections import defaultdict, deque
+
+
+class SlidingWindowLimiter:
+    """Allow at most `max_events` per `window_seconds` per key.
+
+    `allow(key)` records an event and returns True if the key is still
+    within budget, False if it has exceeded it. Timestamps use a
+    monotonic clock so the limiter is immune to wall-clock jumps.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, max_events: int, window_seconds: float) -> None:
+        self.max_events = max_events
+        self.window_seconds = window_seconds
+        self._events: dict[str, deque[float]] = defaultdict(deque)
+        self._lock = threading.Lock()
+
+    def allow(self, key: str) -> bool:
+        now = time.monotonic()
+        cutoff = now - self.window_seconds
+        with self._lock:
+            q = self._events[key]
+            while q and q[0] < cutoff:
+                q.popleft()
+            if len(q) >= self.max_events:
+                return False
+            q.append(now)
+            # Opportunistic cleanup so idle keys don't accumulate forever.
+            if not q:
+                self._events.pop(key, None)
+            return True
+
+    def reset(self, key: str) -> None:
+        """Drop a key's window — e.g. after a successful sign-in so a
+        legitimate user who fat-fingered a few times isn't throttled."""
+        with self._lock:
+            self._events.pop(key, None)
+
+
+# Module-level limiters shared across requests (one process, so module
+# state is the natural home). Tunables are intentionally generous enough
+# not to bother a human retyping a code, tight enough to kill fan-out:
+#   * verify: 10 attempts / 5 min / IP across the auth verify surfaces.
+#   * otc request: 5 sends / 5 min / IP (Turnstile is the primary gate;
+#     this is defense in depth against a solved-challenge replay loop).
+verify_limiter = SlidingWindowLimiter(max_events=10, window_seconds=300)
+otc_request_limiter = SlidingWindowLimiter(max_events=5, window_seconds=300)
+# /auth/passcode/check is an anonymous has-passcode oracle (audit 0026 L3).
+# It's a legitimate Login-flow affordance, so the budget is generous —
+# enough for a human typing emails, tight enough to stop bulk scraping.
+check_limiter = SlidingWindowLimiter(max_events=30, window_seconds=300)
+
+
+def _reset_all_for_tests() -> None:
+    """Clear every module-level limiter's window. Test support only — the
+    limiters are process-global singletons, so without a per-test reset
+    one test's requests bleed into the next and later tests trip the
+    budget (429). Not called in production."""
+    for lim in (verify_limiter, otc_request_limiter, check_limiter):
+        with lim._lock:
+            lim._events.clear()
+
+
+def client_key(request) -> str:
+    """Best-effort client identity for limiting. Behind nginx the app is
+    started with `--forwarded-allow-ips 127.0.0.1`, so `request.client.host`
+    reflects the real client IP via Uvicorn's ProxyHeaders handling."""
+    client = getattr(request, "client", None)
+    return client.host if client and client.host else "unknown"

backend/migrations/023_otc_verify_lockout.sql

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+-- v0.25.0 / security audit 0026, finding H1.
+--
+-- The OTC verify path had no attempt-limit or lockout, unlike the
+-- passcode path (015_passcode.sql gave users.passcode_failed_attempts +
+-- passcode_locked_until). This table gives the OTC verify endpoint the
+-- same per-identity lockout shape. It is keyed by email rather than
+-- user_id because an OTC sign-in may not have a users row yet — the row
+-- is provisioned only on a *successful* verify, so the lockout state has
+-- to survive independently of it.
+--
+-- The per-IP rate limiter (app/ratelimit.py) is the primary brute-force
+-- defense; this table is the parity layer that mirrors the passcode
+-- lockout and persists across restarts.
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS otc_verify_state (
+    email TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
+    failed_attempts INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+    locked_until TEXT
+);

backend/tests/conftest.py

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""Shared pytest fixtures for the backend suite.
+
+Added in v0.27.0 (security audit 0026) alongside the new per-IP rate
+limiter. The limiters in `app.ratelimit` are process-global singletons,
+so their state survives across tests within a run; without a reset, the
+accumulated requests from earlier tests exhaust the budget and later
+tests see spurious 429s. This autouse fixture gives every test a clean
+limiter window.
+"""
+import pytest
+
+from app import ratelimit
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _reset_rate_limiters():
+    ratelimit._reset_all_for_tests()
+    yield
+    ratelimit._reset_all_for_tests()

backend/tests/test_propose_vertical.py

@@ -444,6 +444,18 @@ def tmp_env(monkeypatch):
         # the dev-bypass path monkeypatch `RFC_APP_INSECURE_WEBHOOKS=1`.
         "GITEA_WEBHOOK_SECRET": "test-webhook-secret-for-signature-verification",
         "ENABLED_MODELS": "claude",
+        # v0.27.0 (audit 0026 M4): the session cookie now defaults to
+        # Secure. The TestClient talks plain http://testserver, so a
+        # Secure cookie is never sent back and every authenticated flow
+        # would fail. Tests opt out explicitly, exactly as a dev box on
+        # plain http does.
+        "SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE": "false",
+        # v0.27.0 (audit 0026 M5): the bounce webhook fails closed (503)
+        # when its secret is unset. Tests exercise the legacy behavioral
+        # path via the documented dev opt-in, mirroring the
+        # RFC_APP_INSECURE_WEBHOOKS bypass above. Tests that assert the
+        # fail-closed default delenv this key themselves.
+        "RFC_APP_INSECURE_BOUNCE_WEBHOOK": "1",
     }
     for k, v in env.items():
         monkeypatch.setenv(k, v)

deploy/nginx/ohm.wiggleverse.org.conf

@@ -18,6 +18,56 @@ server {
     listen [::]:80;
     server_name ohm.wiggleverse.org;
 
+    # v0.25.0 security hardening (audit 0026 M2/L8)
+    #
+    # NOTE: certbot promotes THIS server block to the HTTPS listener
+    # (`listen 443 ssl`) and adds a separate port-80 → 443 redirect
+    # block (see the install comment above). These response headers
+    # therefore ride into the HTTPS server block on the VM. They use
+    # `add_header ... always` so they also apply to nginx-generated
+    # error responses (4xx/5xx), not just 200s.
+    #
+    # `server_tokens off` (L8) — suppress the nginx version in the
+    # Server header and on error pages so we don't advertise the
+    # build to scanners.
+    server_tokens off;
+
+    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains" always;
+    add_header X-Frame-Options "DENY" always;
+    add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff" always;
+    add_header Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" always;
+
+    # Content-Security-Policy (M2). Tuned to what the SPA actually loads:
+    #   - default-src 'self': everything not called out below is same-origin.
+    #   - script-src 'self' + challenges.cloudflare.com: the only external
+    #     <script> tag the app injects is the CloudFlare Turnstile widget
+    #     (frontend/src/components/TurnstileWidget.jsx). Amplitude and
+    #     mermaid are BUNDLED (dynamic `import()` from node_modules, served
+    #     from 'self'), so they need no extra script origin — *.amplitude.com
+    #     is listed defensively in case a future SDK build script-injects.
+    #     script-src DELIBERATELY OMITS 'unsafe-inline' — no inline <script>
+    #     is used, so we keep XSS-via-inline-script blocked.
+    #   - style-src 'unsafe-inline' IS REQUIRED by the current build: the
+    #     JSX uses inline `style={...}` attributes throughout and mermaid
+    #     injects <style> blocks at render time. Removing it would break
+    #     layout; tightening this is a future build-side change (nonce/hash).
+    #   - img-src 'self' data: https: — markdown/RFC bodies may embed remote
+    #     images and data: URIs; svg/mermaid output uses data: too.
+    #   - font-src 'self' data: — bundled fonts plus data: webfonts.
+    #   - connect-src 'self' + *.amplitude.com + challenges.cloudflare.com:
+    #     the app's API/auth/SSE are same-origin (nginx proxy); Amplitude
+    #     Analytics + Session Replay (shipped at sampleRate 1) POST to
+    #     *.amplitude.com; Turnstile verifies via challenges.cloudflare.com.
+    #   - worker-src 'self' blob: — Amplitude Session Replay spins up a
+    #     Web Worker from a blob: URL for capture/compression; without
+    #     blob: here session replay breaks for every consenting user.
+    #   - frame-src challenges.cloudflare.com — the Turnstile challenge
+    #     renders in an iframe from that origin.
+    #   - frame-ancestors 'none' — clickjacking defense, pairs with
+    #     X-Frame-Options DENY for older agents.
+    #   - base-uri 'self'; object-src 'none' — lock down <base>/<object>.
+    add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' https://challenges.cloudflare.com https://*.amplitude.com; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'; img-src 'self' data: https:; font-src 'self' data:; connect-src 'self' https://*.amplitude.com https://challenges.cloudflare.com; worker-src 'self' blob:; frame-src https://challenges.cloudflare.com; frame-ancestors 'none'; base-uri 'self'; object-src 'none'" always;
+
     # Static SPA assets live in the Vite build output. The systemd unit
     # runs as user `rfc-app`; make sure nginx (usually `www-data`) can
     # read this path. Either group-add www-data into rfc-app's group, or

deploy/systemd/rfc-app.service

@@ -42,5 +42,32 @@ ProtectHome=true
 PrivateTmp=true
 ReadWritePaths=/opt/rfc-app/backend/data
 
+# v0.25.0 security hardening (audit 0026 L4) — defense-in-depth.
+# The service binds 127.0.0.1:8000 and runs plain CPython
+# (FastAPI/uvicorn + sqlite + bcrypt + httpx), so it needs no
+# capabilities and no exotic syscalls.
+CapabilityBoundingSet=
+AmbientCapabilities=
+PrivateDevices=true
+ProtectKernelTunables=true
+ProtectKernelModules=true
+ProtectKernelLogs=true
+ProtectControlGroups=true
+RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_INET AF_INET6 AF_UNIX
+RestrictNamespaces=true
+LockPersonality=true
+# MemoryDenyWriteExecute=true blocks W^X memory — safe for stock
+# CPython (no JIT) and the pure-Python/C-extension stack here, but
+# would break a JIT or a C-ext that mmaps W+X. Watch the first
+# restart's journal for a crash; if uvicorn fails to come up,
+# comment this one line out and reload.
+MemoryDenyWriteExecute=true
+RestrictRealtime=true
+RestrictSUIDSGID=true
+SystemCallFilter=@system-service
+SystemCallErrorNumber=EPERM
+SystemCallArchitectures=native
+UMask=0077
+
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target

frontend/package-lock.json

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "rfc-app-frontend",
-  "version": "0.21.0",
+  "version": "0.24.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "rfc-app-frontend",
-      "version": "0.21.0",
+      "version": "0.24.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@amplitude/unified": "^1.1.9",
         "@codemirror/commands": "^6.10.3",
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
         "@tiptap/pm": "^3.5.0",
         "@tiptap/react": "^3.5.0",
         "@tiptap/starter-kit": "^3.5.0",
+        "dompurify": "^3.2.4",
         "marked": "^18.0.4",
         "mermaid": "^11.15.0",
         "react": "^19.2.6",

frontend/package.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "rfc-app-frontend",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "0.26.0",
+  "version": "0.27.0",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
     "@tiptap/pm": "^3.5.0",
     "@tiptap/react": "^3.5.0",
     "@tiptap/starter-kit": "^3.5.0",
+    "dompurify": "^3.2.4",
     "marked": "^18.0.4",
     "mermaid": "^11.15.0",
     "react": "^19.2.6",

frontend/src/components/Editor.jsx

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import { useEditor, EditorContent, Extension } from '@tiptap/react'
 import StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit'
 import { useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from 'react'
-import { marked } from 'marked'
+import { renderMarkdown } from '../lib/sanitizeHtml'
 import { Plugin, PluginKey } from 'prosemirror-state'
 import { Decoration, DecorationSet } from 'prosemirror-view'
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export default function Editor({
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!editor || content == null) return
-    const html = marked.parse(content)
+    const html = renderMarkdown(content)
     editor.commands.setContent(html, false)
   }, [content, editor])
 

frontend/src/components/MarkdownPreview.jsx

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState, useCallback } from 'react'
 import { Marked } from 'marked'
+import { sanitizeHtml } from '../lib/sanitizeHtml'
 import { decorateAcceptedChanges } from './trackedOverlay.js'
 import ChangeTooltip from './ChangeTooltip.jsx'
 
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ export default function MarkdownPreview({
   // synchronously with the body itself — no flash of un-decorated text.
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!hostRef.current) return
-    const html = previewMarked.parse(content || '')
+    const html = sanitizeHtml(previewMarked.parse(content || ''))
     hostRef.current.innerHTML = html
     const token = ++renderTokenRef.current
     // Reset memo so the new block set re-renders from scratch.

frontend/src/components/ProposalView.jsx

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import { useParams, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
-import { marked } from 'marked'
+import { renderMarkdown } from '../lib/sanitizeHtml'
 import { getProposal, mergeProposal, declineProposal, withdrawProposal } from '../api'
 
 export default function ProposalView({ viewer, onChange }) {
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ export default function ProposalView({ viewer, onChange }) {
       </h3>
       <div
         className="entry-body"
-        dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: marked.parse(data.entry?.body || '') }}
+        dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: renderMarkdown(data.entry?.body || '') }}
       />
 
       {/* #26: the optional ground-truth use case the proposer supplied. */}
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ export default function ProposalView({ viewer, onChange }) {
         Intended use case
       </h3>
       {data.proposed_use_case
-        ? <div className="entry-body" dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: marked.parse(data.proposed_use_case) }} />
+        ? <div className="entry-body" dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: renderMarkdown(data.proposed_use_case) }} />
         : <p style={{ color: '#999', fontStyle: 'italic' }}>Left blank by the proposer.</p>}
     </article>
   )

frontend/src/lib/sanitizeHtml.js

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// sanitizeHtml.js — the single chokepoint for turning user-authored
+// markdown into DOM-bound HTML.
+//
+// Security audit 0026 (finding C1, Critical): every `marked.parse(...)`
+// result that reaches an `innerHTML` / `dangerouslySetInnerHTML` sink was
+// previously written raw. `marked` passes through embedded HTML and
+// `javascript:`/event-handler attributes verbatim, so any user-authored
+// document (RFC body, proposal body, proposed_use_case, transcript) was a
+// stored-XSS vector — a contributor's payload executed in the session of
+// whoever viewed it, including an admin/owner during review.
+//
+// Fix: route EVERY markdown render through `renderMarkdown` (or, for
+// already-rendered HTML, `sanitizeHtml`). DOMPurify's defaults already
+// strip <script>, on* event handlers, and javascript:/unsafe-data: URIs;
+// we add a hook so any link opening a new tab carries rel="noopener
+// noreferrer". The html profile keeps the standard markdown tag set plus
+// class + data-* attributes (the latter is what MarkdownPreview's mermaid
+// placeholder relies on); mermaid renders its SVG into the DOM *after*
+// sanitization and is itself locked down with securityLevel:'strict'.
+
+import DOMPurify from 'dompurify'
+import { marked } from 'marked'
+
+let _hookInstalled = false
+function ensureHook() {
+  if (_hookInstalled) return
+  DOMPurify.addHook('afterSanitizeAttributes', (node) => {
+    if (node.tagName === 'A' && node.getAttribute('target') === '_blank') {
+      node.setAttribute('rel', 'noopener noreferrer')
+    }
+  })
+  _hookInstalled = true
+}
+
+// Sanitize an already-rendered HTML string. Use when the HTML did not come
+// from `marked` (rare) or when a caller parses markdown with a bespoke
+// `Marked` instance and only needs the sanitize step.
+export function sanitizeHtml(html) {
+  ensureHook()
+  return DOMPurify.sanitize(html || '', { USE_PROFILES: { html: true } })
+}
+
+// Parse markdown with the shared `marked` and sanitize the result. This is
+// the drop-in replacement for `marked.parse(src)` at any HTML sink.
+export function renderMarkdown(src) {
+  return sanitizeHtml(marked.parse(src || ''))
+}