Implementing "Secure database" issue

Summary of Steps for Dockerizing Application with MongoDB

1. Adjust docker-compose.yml for Database Security

• Added MongoDB authentication by setting MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME and MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD in the mongodb service.

• Configured the application’s environment in todo-app service to use a connection string with MongoDB credentials, ensuring it connects with authentication.

• Updated the MONGO_URI to include the username, password, and authSource=admin to ensure MongoDB authenticates against the admin database:

  environment:
    - MONGO_URI=mongodb://mongoAdmin:someRandomPassword123$@mongodb:27017/todo-app?authSource=admin

2. Created a .env File for Sensitive Information

• Moved sensitive credentials out of docker-compose.yml into a .env file, making it easier to manage securely.

• The .env file contains:

  MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME=mongoAdmin
  MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD=someRandomPassword123$
  MONGO_URI=mongodb://mongoAdmin:someRandomPassword123$@mongodb:27017/todo-app?authSource=admin

3. Update mongodb.js to Use Environment Variables

• Adapted mongodb.js to use process.env.MONGO_URI, ensuring credentials are securely managed through environment variables and not hard-coded.
• This file establishes the connection to MongoDB when called in the main application file (server.js), making it a reusable module.

4. Start the Application in Detached Mode

• To run the application in the background without displaying logs, we used:

  docker-compose --env-file .env up -d

• Verified MongoDB access by connecting via mongosh, ensuring authentication with the credentials in .env.

5. Accessing MongoDB via mongosh

• From the Host: Connected to MongoDB from the host system using the credentials and authSource:

  > mongosh "mongodb://localhost:27017" --username mongoAdmin --password someRandomPassword123$ --authenticationDatabase admin

• From the MongoDB Container: Alternatively, accessed mongosh within the MongoDB container directly:

  > mongosh -u mongoAdmin -p someRandomPassword123$ --authenticationDatabase admin

Final Files

• Dockerfile: No changes made; retained the existing setup for the application image.
• docker-compose.yml: Updated to include MongoDB authentication and connection string adjustments for secure access.
• mongodb.js: Used to handle the MongoDB connection logic and configured to read from environment variables.
• .env: Contains sensitive MongoDB credentials and the connection string for secure and flexible configuration.

---

Closes #15 (closed)

README.md

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ e.g., using BCRYPT)
 
 Develop a TODO app that fulfills the requirements from above. You can use any language
 and framework that you want. The app needs to be connected to a database to store the TODO
-lists. **Use MongoDB as the database.**
+lists. Use MongoDB as the database.
 ---
 ## Prerequisites
 - Git
@@ -32,11 +32,19 @@ In exercise 1, the deployment consisted of 2 parts: deploying the database and t
 `git clone https://gitlab.reutlingen-university.de/gajesh24/cloudcomputing_act1.git`
 2. Enter the folder:
 `cd cloudcomputing_act1`
-3. Build the image:
-`sudo docker build -t todo-app .`
-4. Start docker compose file
-`sudo docker compose up -d`
-5. Open up website on `http://localhost/`
+3. Create .env file with the following contents:
+`
+MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME=mongoAdmin
+MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD=someRandomPassword123
+MONGO_URI=mongodb://$MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME:$MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD@mongodb:27017/todo-app?authSource=admin
+`
+4. Build the application
+`sudo docker compose build`
+5. Run the application
+`sudo docker compose --env-file .env up -d`
+6. Open up website on `http://localhost/`
+7. To stop the application
+`sudo docker compose stop`
 
 ---
 ## Authors