How to add username/password for fort forwadring in pfsense
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@johnpoz I’m not arguing that VPN is not widely used or not the best solution. I’m just arguing that in lots af scenarios it’s a hazzle and annoying.
Most users don’t understand what VPN does to their networking connection/stack, some don’t get how and when to use i properly. We have lots of users without fixed devices, so they can only use it intermittenly.
On top of that there’s the whole distribution/installation/management of VPN clients on different clients... just sayin
For webservices access a HTTPS authenticating Proxy has similar security as a VPN client. If you need the two factor auth, you can require a client certificate in HAproxy as well (that does open up the can of management and trouble again though :-) )
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@keyser said in How to add username/password for fort forwadring in pfsense:
Even though I’m not home right now, the feedback from @Crunk_Bass has provided enough info to confirm that HAproxy now does support user authentication, and it is fairly simple to setup. I found this guide which I think will easily be adopted to pfSense:
https://blog.taragana.com/guide-haproxy-http-basic-authentication-for-specific-sites-ssl-termination-15813
Really cool HAproxy has this feature now. I don’t think it was the case about 8 years ago when I was looking for a TMG replacement - at least I was unable to google my way to the solution if it did exist.
Excellent discovery :-)
Interesting that the question in this topic came to my mind yesterday. However there is Kemp and the ESP feature that is actually the same as you described with TMG. There is also a free version just check the limitations.
The reason why one would like the authentication done by Pfsense and not at the service is that the service behind Pfsense is not known by bots. Thus you will not have 5000 css attempts a day on your WordPress site. And no webshell installed now and then. VPN is different. You mostly need software to access it. Its better in many cases but if you would like to give a Link and a Password to a friend. VPN is not the best match.
I try to setup this and let you know. There is already haproxy, LetsEncrypt and some backend servers for my domain. A password for some backend servers would be awesome.
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Thanks for all posts. I have tried HAProxy in pfSense, but it make our OpenVPN unable to access the same webpages in LAN. I stopped trying HAProxy, I don't know what I am wrong (I have read many online instructions.).
I don't know how to enable nginx in pfsense. Because there is no nginx in package manager of pfSense, but nginx is in pfsense.
I setup a separate host with nginx inside our LAN, and use port forwarding from outside via pfSense to the nginx after authentication, then forward to our service in LAN. It works.
It is good if we can combine the nginx host into pfSense.
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huh? I use ha proxy and share the port... Are you trying to use 443 with openvpn and on haproxy? If so then you have to tell openvpn to share port.
But yeah if your going to require a auth on the port your trying to do openvpn on - you could have issues for sure.
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I port forward to HAproxy listening on a Localhost VIP and use split DNS to access inside HAproxy sites from inside/VPNs. (Outside connections get forwarded to the Localhost VIP, inside connections connect straight to the localhost VIP)
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I also think VPN is the way to go (OpenVPN would be my choice), especially if you already have VPN for other staff. Simply configure overrides to restrict your development LAN from general users, and then create Clients for Win, Mac & Linux. Basic users can simply install the clients, wheres more knowledgeable peeps can use the raw config files or package.
I have done exactly this for various customer lab setups that required different access groups for various servers.
