Need to allow encoded slashes on Apache

Question

I'm currently trying to place a URL within a URL. For example:

http://example.com/url/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.url2.com

I'm aware that I have to encode the URL, which I have done, but now I am getting a 404 error back from the server rather than my app. I think my problem lies with apache and can be fixed with the AllowEncodedSlashes On directive.

I've tried putting the directive at the bottom of the httpd.conf to no effect, and am unsure what to do next. Am I putting it in the right place? If so, does anyone have any other solutions?

Answer 1

I kept coming across this post for another issue. Let me just explain real quick.

I had the same style URL and was also trying to proxy it.

Example: Proxy requests from /example/ to another server.

/example/http:%2F%2Fwww.someurl.com/

Issue 1: Apache believes that's an invalid url

Solution: AllowEncodedSlashes On in httpd.conf

Issue 2: Apache decodes the encoded slashes

Solution: AllowEncodedSlashes NoDecode in httpd.conf (Requires Apache 2.3.12+)

Issue 3: mod_proxy attempts to re-encode (double encode) the URL changing %2F to %252F (eg. /example/http:%252F%252Fwww.someurl.com/)

Solution: In httpd.conf use the ProxyPass keyword nocanon to pass the raw URL thru the proxy.

ProxyPass http://anotherserver:8080/example/ nocanon

httpd.conf file:

AllowEncodedSlashes NoDecode

<Location /example/>
  ProxyPass http://anotherserver:8080/example/ nocanon
</Location>

Reference:

• http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_proxy.html
• http://www.silverdisc.co.uk/blog/2009/02/28/url-canonicalisation-and-normalisation
• Cannot match %2F in mod_rewrite