$_SERVER["REMOTE_USER"] blank.. but not really?

[jgauthier]

I have a PHP application behind apache.  Apache was using NTML authentication and serving the page from the local host.

I've changed things around, and moved the authentication to an external apache server using SAML2.

The new apache system is also functioning as a reverse proxy for the application.

 

Once I got all the auth pieces working, but my app complains there is no user being passed.

Interesting.  So, I whip up this simple page:

<?php
phpinfo();

foreach (getallheaders() as $name => $value) {
        echo "$name: $value\n";
}

print "User name: \"".$_SERVER["REMOTE_USER"]."\"";
?>

phpinfo() and the foreach both reveal that HTTP_USER is being set.

However, the explicit call for REMOTE_USER comes up blank!

 

The application is open source, so I can see they are calling $_SERVER["REMOTE_USER"].

I have another application that is closed source, but exhibits the same symptoms. It shows me the variables, but the authorization mechanism cannot seem to process the user.

 

This very well may not be a PHP issue at all, but since I can reproduce it within PHP, I figured I would start here to dig deeper into how this works, and where the fault may be.

 

Thanks!

Edited December 2, 2013 by jgauthier

[dalecosp]

Does $_SERVER['REDIRECT_REMOTE_USER'] get populated?

[jgauthier]

I don't see any reference to it in the output.

 

But I can add it in httpd.conf:

RequestHeader set REDIRECT_REMOTE_USER %{REMOTE_USER}s

Edited December 2, 2013 by jgauthier

[requinix]

Could it be that the new Apache configuration isn't setting the REMOTE_USER?

[Ch0cu3r]

 

 

phpinfo() and the foreach both reveal that HTTP_USER is being set.

However, the explicit call for REMOTE_USER comes up blank!

 

Then shouldn't you be using $_SERVER["HTTP_USER"] instead of $_SERVER["REMOTE_USER"]?

  

[jgauthier]

That's a typo in my message. I am using  REMOTE-USER. Which appears to be correct when I look at all the headers, but empty when I call it explicitly.

I am pretty sure this is an apache config issue, but I am stumped with it.

[requinix]

REMOTE-USER is not correct. It should be REMOTE_USER or maybe HTTP_USER.

[jgauthier]

I have set REMOTE_USER, the same thing occurs.

[jazzman1]

Are you able to apply some debugging steps? Any errors? This would be a good start for us. 

[dalecosp]

I'm tending to think the key to this is in the original post ...

 

 

 

reverse proxy

... unfortunately, all I've ever done with proxies is cache and deny access to pr0n sites.

edit: And Woah!  Gotta love English ... "cache site pages and deny access to..."

Edited December 4, 2013 by dalecosp