How to switch to/from HTTPS using Apache as a proxy to Tomcat

Posted on by

I’m writing this down because it too me an age to figure out a way of doing this. I have a website which Tomcat is happily serving. Areas of the site require a secure connection so I’m using Spring security to require particular URLs to be accessed over HTTPS. It means that when I access http://example.org:8080/webapp/login, it’ll bump me to https://example.org:8443/webapp/login. Note: Tomcat is setup with the SSL connector and a self signed .keystore see (http://tomcat.apache.org/tomcat-6.0-doc/ssl-howto.html).

I have two vhosts setup in Apache, one for the http://example.org and one for https://example.org. They are both using mod_proxy to ProxyPass and ProxyPassReverse requests to the appropriate Tomcat URL’s. The problem comes when switching to HTTPS from HTTP and vice versa. Ideally I wanted some sort of ProxyPassReverse declaration in my config for http://example.org what would change HTTP headers (that Spring sets) for https://example.org:8443/webapp into https://example.org. Except ProxyPassReverse doesn’t work like that.

Now, I realise I could simply not use Spring to manage which parts of the site should be accessed over HTTPS and which should not…and just setup Apache to redirect as appropriate. I don’t want to do that though, because that makes the task of adding these restrictions a deploy time task, rather than a development time task. I don’t want to risk someone forgetting to add new restrictions when deploying the webapp and I’d much rather the developer added these restrictions when they were working on the task and really thinking about where and when they are needed.

So, how do I solve the problem so that the app can manage its secure-ness and I can setup Apache once and forget about it? The answer is to ProxyPassReverse onto a “special” URL, which when accessed will redirect to the HTTPS (or HTTP) site. For example, if the HTTP site needed to redirect to the HTTPS site, I’d add rules like so to perform the redirect:

    # Proxy a request (from the server) to switch to https onto a special URL "/2https/"
    ProxyPassReverse /2https/ https://example.org:8443/webapp/

    # When a client requests a URL prefixed with "/2https" map it onto the secure site
    RewriteRule ^/2https/(.*)$ https://example.org/$1 [R,L]

…and you’d add something similar to the secure site Apache config. As long as I don’t mount any pages at /2http or /2https I should be ok. Note a couple of things:

  • You’ll need “SSLProxyEngine on” and “RewriteEngine on” and obviously the appropriate Apache modules loaded for these commands.
  • Because of the redirect between HTTP <-> HTTPS you won’t be able to POST data between them directly (I’m not sure why you’d NEED to though)
  • Obviously you’ll need to setup Apache with an SSL certificate…but that is a different story

I should say a special thanks to this random site – from whence the idea actually came from. If anyone has any better ideas on how to do it I’d love to hear them. Please comment below.

9,402 thoughts on “How to switch to/from HTTPS using Apache as a proxy to Tomcat”

  2. кухни на заказ от производителя кухни на заказ от производителя .

  4. заказать кухню по индивидуальному проекту заказать кухню по индивидуальному проекту .

  15. Gates of Olympus features very high volatility. Gates of Olympus 1000 is a six-reel, five-row slot. Now, you’re here to either check out my formidable physique or learn about playing the best Greek mythology slots online. Probably both. I’m the Mighty Hercureels, and besides knowing how to get ripped and looking good, I know a thing or two about slots. With me, you will learn about the discipline of playing with a slot, recognizing what one looks like, how it feels to play with one, and where you can get the best slot action legally online. This slot review breaks down every trick, oddity, and feature from the Megaways system to the bonus choices, plus, if you want to see which other demo slots no registration are worth a spin, check our curated picks at Gamesville. You’ll find everything you need to know before you ever consider playing for real. No gatekeeping, just real info, honest demo feedback, and all the scientific oddities from the animated universe.
    https://breast-enhancement-cream.com/nvcasino-casino-app-mobiles-casino-fur-osterreichische-spieler/
    18+ | terms apply Gates of Olympus Dice shines as a stellar example of Pragmatic Play’s craftsmanship, blending engaging gameplay with rich features. The game’s Tumble Feature, combined with dynamic multipliers and the Free Spins round, elevates the excitement, offering players numerous ways to win. The Ante Bet and Bonus Buy options further enhance the strategic depth, making it a hit for those seeking control over their game experience. Diese Initiative haben wir mt dem Ziel gestartet, ein globales Selbstausschlusssystem zu schaffen, das es gefährdeten Spielern ermöglicht, ihren Zugang zu allen Online-Glücksspielmöglichkeiten global zu sperren. COPYRIGHT © 2015 – 2025. All rights reserved to Pragmatic Play, a Veridian (Gibraltar) Limited investment. Any and all content included on this website or incorporated by reference is protected by international copyright laws.

  17. There are many different types of casino bonuses, such as welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses, free spins, bonus codes, loyalty programs, and more. Specific bonuses for new or existing players and their conditions are listed above, but feel free to keep reading to learn more. The VIP program offers three VIP bonus incentives, a dedicated personal manager, expedited withdrawals, increased withdrawal limits, level-up bonuses, and exclusive invitations to private VIP events. You will earn 1 JB Point (JP) for every €5 $7.5 of real money bets playing online slot games. All in all, you may even receive additional free spins to spend on pokies. Slots Million just offered 20% up to 200 euros cash back on losses on Rival Games Slots, gambling white paper UK tablet. She also stated that theyre delighted to announce the partnership on their 25-year anniversary, and mobile devices with JavaScript and HTML5 running on them.
    https://qualifiedbuildinginspectors.co.nz/is-kingbet9-legit-australian-players-perspective/
    Your preferred payment method will also play a role, Gus is a leader – hell lead you right to gold. Sensational win on the Aloha Cluster Pays slot machine it is planned that online business in the near future will also pay taxes to Panama, but a large variety of other genres of games such as slots. Aloha Cluster pays is a 6 row 5 reel slot game with unique features and payouts that occur when a cluster of symbols come up on the reel. 9 or more of the same symbol will award players with a win. Despite its quite outdated design and gameplay, this slot is still popular among players, especially among those who love playing the bonus games and wagering the bonus money. Many reviewers recommend it precisely for these purposes. Well, let’s get this sorted out. Aloha: Cluster Pays is a Hawaiian-style slot machine.

  20. Долго искал адекватный материал по теме и наткнулся на это руководство. Автор подробно разбирает накрутка поведенческих факторов — от теории до практики с реальными кейсами. Теперь хотя бы понимаю, сколько это реально стоит и на что обращать внимание.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>