doc: clarify the use of ssh port forwarding

Reported-by: karimelghazouly@gmail.com

Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/159854511172.24991.4373145230066586863@wrigleys.postgresql.org

Backpatch-through: 9.5
This commit is contained in:
Bruce Momjian 2020-10-02 21:39:33 -04:00
parent 26b8361518
commit 472e518a44
1 changed files with 22 additions and 17 deletions

View File

@ -2611,34 +2611,39 @@ openssl x509 -req -in server.csr -text -days 365 \
First make sure that an <application>SSH</application> server is First make sure that an <application>SSH</application> server is
running properly on the same machine as the running properly on the same machine as the
<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> server and that you can log in using <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> server and that you can log in using
<command>ssh</command> as some user. Then you can establish a secure <command>ssh</command> as some user; you then can establish a
tunnel with a command like this from the client machine: secure tunnel to the remote server. A secure tunnel listens on a
local port and forwards all traffic to a port on the remote machine.
Traffic sent to the remote port can arrive on its
<literal>localhost</literal> address, or different bind
address if desired; it does not appear as coming from your
local machine. This command creates a secure tunnel from the client
machine to the remote machine <literal>foo.com</literal>:
<programlisting> <programlisting>
ssh -L 63333:localhost:5432 joe@foo.com ssh -L 63333:localhost:5432 joe@foo.com
</programlisting> </programlisting>
The first number in the <option>-L</option> argument, 63333, is the The first number in the <option>-L</option> argument, 63333, is the
port number of your end of the tunnel; it can be any unused port. local port number of the tunnel; it can be any unused port. (IANA
(IANA reserves ports 49152 through 65535 for private use.) The reserves ports 49152 through 65535 for private use.) The name or IP
second number, 5432, is the remote end of the tunnel: the port address after this is the remote bind address you are connecting to,
number your server is using. The name or IP address between the i.e., <literal>localhost</literal>, which is the default. The second
port numbers is the host with the database server you are going to number, 5432, is the remote end of the tunnel, e.g., the port number
connect to, as seen from the host you are logging in to, which your database server is using. In order to connect to the database
is <literal>foo.com</literal> in this example. In order to connect server using this tunnel, you connect to port 63333 on the local
to the database server using this tunnel, you connect to port 63333 machine:
on the local machine:
<programlisting> <programlisting>
psql -h localhost -p 63333 postgres psql -h localhost -p 63333 postgres
</programlisting> </programlisting>
To the database server it will then look as though you are really To the database server it will then look as though you are
user <literal>joe</literal> on host <literal>foo.com</literal> user <literal>joe</literal> on host <literal>foo.com</literal>
connecting to <literal>localhost</literal> in that context, and it connecting to the <literal>localhost</literal> bind address, and it
will use whatever authentication procedure was configured for will use whatever authentication procedure was configured for
connections from this user and host. Note that the server will not connections by that user to that bind address. Note that the server will not
think the connection is SSL-encrypted, since in fact it is not think the connection is SSL-encrypted, since in fact it is not
encrypted between the encrypted between the
<application>SSH</application> server and the <application>SSH</application> server and the
<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> server. This should not pose any <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> server. This should not pose any
extra security risk as long as they are on the same machine. extra security risk because they are on the same machine.
</para> </para>
<para> <para>
@ -2650,12 +2655,12 @@ psql -h localhost -p 63333 postgres
</para> </para>
<para> <para>
You could also have set up the port forwarding as You could also have set up port forwarding as
<programlisting> <programlisting>
ssh -L 63333:foo.com:5432 joe@foo.com ssh -L 63333:foo.com:5432 joe@foo.com
</programlisting> </programlisting>
but then the database server will see the connection as coming in but then the database server will see the connection as coming in
on its <literal>foo.com</literal> interface, which is not opened by on its <literal>foo.com</literal> bind address, which is not opened by
the default setting <literal>listen_addresses = the default setting <literal>listen_addresses =
'localhost'</literal>. This is usually not what you want. 'localhost'</literal>. This is usually not what you want.
</para> </para>