Harden session cookie security with configurable cookie flags

backend/app/config.py

@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ Follows pydantic-settings patterns: all values are prefixed with BANGUI_
 and validated at startup via the Settings singleton.
 """
 
+from typing import Literal
+
 from pydantic import Field, field_validator
 from pydantic_settings import BaseSettings, SettingsConfigDict
 
@@ -47,6 +49,25 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
         default="UTC",
         description="IANA timezone name used when displaying timestamps in the UI.",
     )
+    session_cookie_httponly: bool = Field(
+        default=True,
+        description=(
+            "Mark the session cookie as HttpOnly so browser scripts cannot access it."
+        ),
+    )
+    session_cookie_samesite: Literal["lax", "strict", "none"] = Field(
+        default="lax",
+        description=(
+            "SameSite policy for the session cookie. "
+            "Use 'lax', 'strict', or 'none' depending on deployment requirements."
+        ),
+    )
+    session_cookie_secure: bool = Field(
+        default=False,
+        description=(
+            "Set the session cookie Secure flag when the backend is served over HTTPS."
+        ),
+    )
     cors_allowed_origins: str | list[str] = Field(
         default_factory=list,
         description=(

backend/app/routers/auth.py

@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ async def login(
     response.set_cookie(
         key=_COOKIE_NAME,
         value=signed_token,
-        httponly=True,
-        samesite="lax",
-        secure=False,  # Set to True in production behind HTTPS
+        httponly=settings.session_cookie_httponly,
+        samesite=settings.session_cookie_samesite,
+        secure=settings.session_cookie_secure,
         max_age=settings.session_duration_minutes * 60,
     )
     return LoginResponse(token=signed_token, expires_at=session.expires_at)

backend/tests/test_routers/test_auth.py

@@ -66,6 +66,22 @@ class TestLogin:
         assert response.status_code == 200
         assert "bangui_session" in response.cookies
         assert "." in response.cookies["bangui_session"]
+        set_cookie = response.headers.get("set-cookie", "")
+        assert "HttpOnly" in set_cookie
+        assert "SameSite=lax" in set_cookie
+
+    async def test_login_sets_secure_cookie_when_enabled(
+        self, client: AsyncClient
+    ) -> None:
+        """Login sets the Secure flag when session cookies are configured for HTTPS."""
+        client._transport.app.state.settings.session_cookie_secure = True
+        await _do_setup(client)
+        response = await client.post(
+            "/api/auth/login", json={"password": "mysecretpass1"}
+        )
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        set_cookie = response.headers.get("set-cookie", "")
+        assert "Secure" in set_cookie
 
     async def test_login_fails_with_wrong_password(
         self, client: AsyncClient