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reverse-proxy/docs/architecture/decisions/013-health-check-port.md
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glm-5.1 161049a17d Add ADR-029/030, implementation tasks, and spec updates for admin socket removal
Security review #005 identified critical vulnerabilities in the Unix domain
socket admin API (C1 symlink race, C2 no auth, C3 info leak, W1-W7, S1-S6).
ADR-028 (already accepted) replaces the socket with an authenticated HTTP
admin API on the health check port. This commit adds the remaining spec work:

- ADR-029: Config file TOCTOU mitigation (mtime check on reload)
- ADR-030: Store cli_allow_wildcard_bind in ConfigReloadHandle for consistent
  reload validation
- Implementation tasks for the admin HTTP migration (fix/admin-http-api),
  TOCTOU fix (fix/config-reload-toctou), and wildcard flag fix
  (fix/wildcard-flag-reload)
- Updated review #005 status to resolved with per-finding disposition
- Resolved OQ-16: POST for state-changing admin endpoints, GET for read-only
- Updated all architecture docs to reference new ADRs, use admin_key_path
  instead of admin_socket_path, and reflect POST method for /admin/reload
2026-06-15 05:19:42 +00:00

3.0 KiB

ADR-013: Health Check on Separate Local Port

Status

Accepted

Context

The health check endpoint (/health) needs to be accessible for monitoring without requiring TLS. Serving it on the main HTTPS listener would mean:

  1. TLS handshake must succeed for the health check to respond
  2. External monitoring tools need to handle TLS
  3. A TLS configuration error would make the health check unreachable, creating a false-negative monitoring signal
  4. It creates collision with upstream applications that use /health for their own health checks (see ADR-022)

Three options were considered (see OQ-03):

  1. Separate unencrypted port on localhost (chosen): Simple, works with standard monitoring tools, health checks work even when TLS is misconfigured
  2. Main HTTPS listener only: Would require TLS for health checks, creating a circular dependency — TLS config errors would make health checks unreachable
  3. Admin port with its own listener: Most flexible but adds complexity beyond what's needed for a simple health check

Decision

Add a configurable health check port that binds to 127.0.0.1 only (localhost), serving /health over plain HTTP. This is a separate listener from the main HTTP and HTTPS listeners.

The port is configurable via health_check_port in StaticConfig. The default value is 9900 (enabled, localhost only). Setting it to 0 disables the health check listener entirely — there is no /health route on the main HTTPS listener (see ADR-022).

Rationale

  • A local-only health check port is the standard pattern for reverse proxies and service meshes (envoy, haproxy, k8s health probes all use this pattern)
  • Health checks should work even when TLS is misconfigured — that's the whole point of monitoring
  • Binding to 127.0.0.1 only means the health check is not exposed to the internet — only local monitoring tools (systemd, scripts, load balancers on the same host) can reach it
  • Configurable port allows different deployment scenarios (some monitoring runs on different ports)
  • Disabling via health_check_port = 0 removes the health check entirely — the admin HTTP endpoint's /admin/status (with Bearer token) remains available as an alternative health/status mechanism (ADR-028)
  • When this project is folded into alknet, the health check will use alknet's existing patterns, making the separate port unnecessary in that context

Consequences

Positive:

  • Health checks work even when TLS is misconfigured
  • Standard pattern that monitoring tools expect
  • Not exposed to the internet (localhost only)
  • Configurable — can be disabled if not needed
  • systemd can use it for NotifyAccess readiness checks

Negative:

  • Additional listener to manage (minimal complexity)

References

  • operations.md
  • ADR-022 — Health check scope (no /health on main listener)
  • ADR-028 — Authenticated HTTP admin API (admin endpoints on health check port)
  • OQ-03 (now resolved)