new post - updated server directories

package.json

@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
     "build": "webpack && babel-node metadata.js",
     "c9": "webpack-dev-server --port $PORT --host $IP --hot --content-base dist --history-api-fallback",
     "dev": "webpack-dev-server --content-base public --inline --hot --history-api-fallback",
-    "prod": "export NODE_ENV=production && webpack -p && babel-node metadata.js && go build",
+    "prod": "export NODE_ENV=production && webpack -p && babel-node metadata.js && go build ./server/mywebsite.go",
-    "prod-win": "set NODE_ENV=production && webpack -p && babel-node metadata.js && go build",
+    "prod-win": "set NODE_ENV=production && webpack -p && babel-node metadata.js && go build ./server/mywebsite.go",
     "deploy" : "npm run prod && ./mywebsite"
   },
   "repository": {

posts/Web Stuff/2016-08-30-ubuntu16-mongodb.md

@@ -0,0 +1,206 @@
+# Installing and setting up authentication with MongoDB on Ubuntu 16.04.1
+
+I recently spun up a new virtual machine on Digital Ocean and I decided to try the latest version
+of Ubuntu.. because why not? I wanted to just host a MongoDB instance because I was going to host my site on Google's App Engine.
+Turns out Google blocks any outgoing requests that are not HTTP.
+(This prevents the Go [MGO](https://godoc.org/gopkg.in/mgo.v2) driver from connecting)
+
+***
+
+## Installing MongoDB
+
+Luckily Digital Ocean offers great documentation when it comes to installing software. They usually have guides
+and tutorials that are fairly up to date. I first followed [this guide](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-mongodb-on-ubuntu-16-04)
+to get MongoDB installed.
+
+On previous versions of Ubuntu, MongoDB was installed as a service. Newer versions use Systemd to run the database.
+Systemd uses different commands to check database statistics.
+
+The Systemd configuration is located in a few different places, but mine seems to work in the following directory.
+Here the run command can be edited, although this probably does not need to be done
+as most settings can be adjusted in the MongoDB config file.
+
+MongoDB systemd config
+```bash
+    /lib/systemd/system/mongod.service
+```
+
+MongoDB config
+```bash
+    /etc/mongod.conf
+```
+
+Service as well as systemd can be used to start and stop MongoDB.
+These commands will do the same thing, which is nice.
+```bash
+    sudo service mongod <start,stop,restart>
+    sudo systemctl <start,stop,restart> mongod
+```
+
+Although you can start, stop, and restart MongoDB with service and systemctl,
+MongoDB does not show up when listing all services.
+```bash
+    sudo service --status-all
+```
+
+Systemclt must now be used
+```bash
+    sudo systemctl status
+```
+
+## Enabling security for external connections
+
+Any time a port is opened up for a MongoDB instance security precautions must be taken.
+[There are thousands of MongoDB instances that are exposed to the internet.](http://www.securityweek.com/thousands-mongodb-databases-found-exposed-internet)
+There are a few reasons for this. MongoDB is usually run on the same machine of web applications,
+therefore the port it is running on should not be opened up at all. MongoDB can also be tricky to configure properly
+and a system admin must know exactly what they are doing in making the database secure. Login credentials do not
+even need to be set up if the port it is running on is not even open. As soon as that port is opened up,
+unwanted guests can gain easy access, especially if it is running on the default port (27018).
+
+The first thing to do when running MongoDB for external access is to run it on a completely different port.
+Why run it on the port where attackers know exactly what they are looking for?
+
+Security authentication must be enabled in the MongoDB config file. It is turned off by default.
+Make sure to do this after creating user accounts or else access will be denied.
+
+## Creating user accounts
+
+Although this probably isn't the most secure thing to do, I start out by creating a root admin.
+I do this because it allows me control over any database and it gives me easier access and power.
+My database doesn't store any sensative information so I am okay with this.
+
+A root admin can be created by connecting to the server with the command `mongo` using the admin database.
+```bash
+    mongo
+    use admin
+```
+
+Databases can also be listed
+```bash
+    show dbs
+```
+
+Use the admin database and create a root user
+```bash
+    db.createUser(
+      {
+        user: "admin",
+        pwd: "password",
+        roles: ["root"]
+      }
+    )
+```
+
+Verify that the user was created
+```bash
+    db.getUsers()
+```
+
+Lets go enable security
+```bash
+    sudo nano /etc/mongod.conf
+```
+
+Uncomment `#security` by removing the `#` and add this line after
+```bash
+    security:
+        authorization: enabled
+```
+
+Restart database or reboot the system
+```bash
+    sudo systemctl restart mongod
+```
+
+We can now authenticate to the database as our newly created root admin
+```bash
+    mongo admin --port 27017 -u 'admin' -p 'password'
+```
+
+## Difficulties configuring users
+
+When I first started setting up users I had a heck of a time. I wasn't sure which database to use for certain
+users or what permissions I had to give them. Part of this is due to my impatience of not reading the
+documentation thoroughly.
+
+Server wide users/admins MUST be in the admin database. We created a root use in the admin database
+previously so that user should have access to any database in the server. All database users must be in
+their respective database. For example if we want to use the "test" database, users must be created
+within this database in order to gain access. Although access can be gained with a root admin account,
+this is something that should not be done in production.
+
+Lets create a read/write user for the "test" database
+```bash
+    use test
+    
+    db.createUser(
+      {
+        user: "user",
+        pwd: "password",
+        roles: ["readWrite"]
+      }
+    )
+```
+
+Verify that the user was created
+```bash
+    db.getUsers()
+```
+
+Login as this user
+```bash
+    mongo test --port 27017 -u 'user' -p 'admin'
+```
+
+Now a proper user should be set up for read/write access. This is the exact method I used to
+gain access to an external database the Go's MGO MongoDB database driver.
+
+### Scripts for easier access to the database
+
+I created some shell scripts on my database server with credentials saved because I use long random passwords
+that I cannot remember off the top of my head. (keep in mind this increases security risks)
+It took me awhile to get this to work because some syntax did not work for me when inside of a shell script.
+
+I created a file called `mongo_admin.sh` and one called `mongo_user.sh`.
+
+The files look like this
+```bash
+    mongo admin --port 27017 -u 'user' -p 'password'
+```
+
+This was frustrating because I figured out it would not work when using double quotes
+inside of the shell script, although double quotes work when issuing the command manually.
+I also realized that a database must be specified in order to connect. This can be done
+like above, or like this.
+```bash
+    mongo --port 27017 -u 'user' -p 'password' --authenticationDatabase admin
+```
+
+## Firewall
+
+Firewall rules must be changed to enable external database access. First of all, edit the MongoDB config
+file and change the default database port. Once that is changed use [UFW](https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UFW)
+to change firewall rules. For this example I will change MongoDB to run on port 27018.
+
+```bash
+    ufw enable
+    ufw status
+    ufw allow 27018/tcp
+```
+
+This will allow all incoming connections to the database. It is advised to only allow
+incoming connections from the web application server that is being used.
+
+Allow to certain ip
+```bash
+    ufw allow from <ip> to any port 27018
+```
+
+## Conclusion
+
+MongoDB can be tricky to set up, but it is highly recommened to go through the entire process.
+In the end I decided not to host my MongoDB instance externally so I did not go through
+the entire [MongoDB security check list](https://docs.mongodb.com/v2.6/administration/security-checklist/#audit-system-activity).
+There are a few other things to do such as adding encryption and monitoring system activity, but
+I covered most of the important issues.

server/controller/redirect.go

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ func DiscordRedirect(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, _ httprouter.Params
 	http.Redirect(w, r, "https://discordapp.com/invite/0Z2tzxKECEj2BHwj", 301)
 }
 
-// Redirect to discord
+// Redirect to vpn
 func VPNRedirect(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, _ httprouter.Params) {
 	http.Redirect(w, r, "https://mitchel.io:943", 301)
 }

server/model/raw_sensor/raw_sensor.go

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ func (s *Data) toJson() string {
 
 }
 
+//default store structure
 func (s *Data) StoreData() error {
 
 	if db.Mongo.Connected() {
@@ -57,13 +58,13 @@ func (s *Data) StoreData() error {
 }
 
 //handle queries for all sensors page
-//********************************************************************************
 type DataStore_AllSensors struct {
 	ID          string    `json:"location" bson:"_id"`
 	Temperature float64   `json:"temperature" bson:"temperature"`
 	Updated     time.Time `json:"updated" bson:"updated"`
 }
 
+//get latest update from each unique sensor
 func GetAllSensors() ([]DataStore_AllSensors, error) {
 
 	s := []DataStore_AllSensors{}
@@ -89,51 +90,3 @@ func GetAllSensors() ([]DataStore_AllSensors, error) {
 		return s, errors.New("Query failed")
 	}
 }
-
-//********************************************************************************
-
-//get sensor information by location
-//********************************************************************************
-type DataStore_SensorByLocation struct {
-	Id sensorByLocation `json:"_id" bson:"_id"`
-}
-
-type sensorByLocation struct {
-	Year     int    `json:"year" bson:"year"`
-	Month    int    `json:"month" bson:"month"`
-	Location string `json:"location" bson:"location"`
-}
-
-/*
-func GetSensorInfoByLocation(sensor_location string) ([]DataStore_SensorByLocation, error) {
-	s := []DataStore_SensorByLocation{}
-	if db.Mongo.Connected() == true {
-		session := db.Mongo.Session.Copy()
-		defer session.Close()
-		c := session.DB(db.Mongo.Info.Database).C(collection)
-		err := c.Pipe([]bson.M{{"$project": bson.M{"location": "$location", "year": bson.M{"$year": "$updated"}, "month": bson.M{"$month": "$updated"}}},
-			bson.M{"$match": bson.M{"location": sensor_location}},
-			bson.M{"$group": bson.M{"_id": bson.M{"year": "$year", "month": "$month", "location": "$location"}}},
-			bson.M{"$sort": bson.M{"_id.year": -1, "_id.month": -1}}}).All(&s)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Println(err)
-			return s, nil
-		}
-		return s, nil
-	} else {
-		return s, errors.New("Query failed")
-	}
-}
-*/
-
-//********************************************************************************
-
-/*************************
-testStore := model.SensorData{
-		ID:          bson.NewObjectId(),
-		Temperature: 34.2,
-		Humidity:    33.22,
-		Location:    "Grand Meadow",
-		Updated:     time.Now(),
-}
-**************************/

server/mywebsite.go

@@ -6,28 +6,12 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"github.com/NYTimes/gziphandler"
 	
-	//local import paths relative to app.yaml file
 	"mywebsite/server/controller/api"
 	"mywebsite/server/db"
 	"mywebsite/server/route"
 	"mywebsite/server/utils"
 )
 
-/* for app engine
-func init() {
-	configurations := utils.ReadConfig()
-
-	db.Configure(configurations.Database)
-	api.Configure(configurations.Api)
-
-	db.Mongo.Connect()
-
-	router := route.Routes()
-
-	http.Handle("/", router)
-}
-*/
-
 func main(){
 	configurations := utils.ReadConfig()