Revalidate every document redirect before following it
An approved download host redirects to an unapproved internal URL after the first request passes validation.
- Focused work estimate
- 3h 30m + prerequisites
- Priority in the scenario
- High
- Engineering practice
- HTTP security · Redirect handling
Estimated field mix
- Security60%
- Networking40%
Field percentages are editorial estimates of the ticket's engineering focus. They total 100%; they are not measured time, proficiency scores, or ownership evidence.
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Project context
A fictional knowledge service imports documents from customer-entered URLs. The importer follows redirects and trusts response metadata too broadly.
Setup prerequisites
- Build a local fetch adapter and controlled HTTP test servers.
- Use synthetic documents and deny network access outside the test allowlist.
Preceding work
Complete these dependencies, or supply their agreed outputs before taking this ticket.
Acceptance criteria
- Limit redirect count and validate each target independently.
- Do not forward credentials across origins.
- Reject redirect loops with a stable reason code.
Implementation constraints
- Use local controlled redirect fixtures only.
Verification to include
- Follow one permitted same-policy redirect.
- Redirect toward an internal fixture address and assert it is blocked before connection.
Deliverables
- Redirect policy and credential-stripping regression
Rollout and recovery
Enable bounded redirect handling; disable redirect support if a client bypasses target validation.
Value of the work
For the engineer: Practice defensive URL handling and bounded untrusted-input processing.
For the team: Review whether integrations can import content without expanding infrastructure access.
Evidence boundaries
Outcome Evidence: Tests, patches, and runbooks are requested deliverables. They become Outcome Evidence only through a qualified Mission and immutable Evidence IDs.
Ownership Evidence: Independent adaptation must be observed under a declared verification policy and cite immutable Evidence IDs. Completing a planning ticket establishes no Ownership Evidence.