Merge pull request #37 from MarvyNwaokobia/feat/issue-14-startup-secret-validation

feat(config): validate secret format and length at startup

Author: ogazboiz

.env.example

@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ POOL_TOKEN_ADDRESS=
 STELLAR_USDC_ISSUER=
 STELLAR_EURC_ISSUER=
 STELLAR_PHP_ISSUER=
-# Secret key for the on-chain LoanManager admin account (G... / S...)
-LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET=
+# Secret key for the on-chain LoanManager admin account (must be a valid Stellar S... seed)
+LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET=SAWMKGQNIPJQM5F2LD6U3BZW7DR2PZFTPH2TX2JMCCA5CKHGXW25LX6T
 # Optional override for score reconciliation read calls
 SCORE_RECONCILIATION_SOURCE_SECRET=
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ SCORE_RECONCILIATION_AUTOCORRECT_THRESHOLD=50
 
 # Authentication
 JWT_SECRET=your-super-secret-jwt-key-change-in-production
-INTERNAL_API_KEY=change-me
+INTERNAL_API_KEY=replace-this-with-a-real-api-key-min-32-chars
 
 # Webhooks
 WEBHOOK_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS=30000

README.md

@@ -120,29 +120,33 @@ With Docker Compose from the repo root, the `backend` service runs `migrate:up`
 
 ### Environment Variables
 
-Create a `.env` file in the backend directory:
+Create a `.env` file in the backend directory (see `.env.example` for all available variables):
 
 ```env
 # Server Configuration
 PORT=3001
 
 # CORS Configuration
 FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:3000
-# Optional backward-compatible fallback for multiple allowed origins during migration
-# CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS=http://localhost:3000,http://localhost:3001
 
 # Stellar Configuration
 STELLAR_NETWORK=testnet
 STELLAR_RPC_URL=https://soroban-testnet.stellar.org
 STELLAR_NETWORK_PASSPHRASE=Test SDF Network ; September 2015
 LOAN_MANAGER_CONTRACT_ID=
-LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET=
-
-# Future: Add API keys for remittance services
-# WISE_API_KEY=your_key_here
-# WESTERN_UNION_API_KEY=your_key_here
+LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET=S...   # valid Stellar Ed25519 secret seed
 ```
 
+#### Secret format requirements
+
+The server validates secret format at startup and exits if any check fails:
+
+| Variable                    | Requirement                                               |
+| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `JWT_SECRET`                | At least 32 characters                                    |
+| `INTERNAL_API_KEY`          | At least 32 characters                                    |
+| `LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET` | Valid Stellar Ed25519 secret seed (`S...`, 56 characters) |
+
 ## Available Scripts
 
 ```bash

src/config/env.ts

@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
+import { StrKey } from "@stellar/stellar-sdk";
 import logger from "../utils/logger.js";
 
-/**
- * List of environment variables required for the application to function.
- * If any of these are missing or empty on startup, the server will exit immediately
- * with a clear error message.
- */
 const REQUIRED_ENV_VARS = [
   "DATABASE_URL",
   "REDIS_URL",
@@ -22,12 +18,30 @@ const REQUIRED_ENV_VARS = [
   "SCORE_DELTA_LATE",
 ];
 
-/**
- * Validates that all critical environment variables are set and non-empty.
- * Logs a clear error message and halts the process if any requirements are unmet.
- */
+const MIN_SECRET_LENGTH = 32;
+
+function validateSecretFormat(errors: string[]): void {
+  const jwtSecret = process.env.JWT_SECRET?.trim();
+  if (jwtSecret && jwtSecret.length < MIN_SECRET_LENGTH) {
+    errors.push(
+      `JWT_SECRET must be at least ${MIN_SECRET_LENGTH} characters (got ${jwtSecret.length})`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  const apiKey = process.env.INTERNAL_API_KEY?.trim();
+  if (apiKey && apiKey.length < MIN_SECRET_LENGTH) {
+    errors.push(
+      `INTERNAL_API_KEY must be at least ${MIN_SECRET_LENGTH} characters (got ${apiKey.length})`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  const adminSecret = process.env.LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET?.trim();
+  if (adminSecret && !StrKey.isValidEd25519SecretSeed(adminSecret)) {
+    errors.push(`LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET is not a valid Stellar secret key`);
+  }
+}
+
 export function validateEnvVars(): void {
-  // Filter for variables that are either absent OR just whitespace
   const missing = REQUIRED_ENV_VARS.filter(
     (key) => !process.env[key] || process.env[key]!.trim() === "",
   );
@@ -40,16 +54,32 @@ export function validateEnvVars(): void {
     const missingVarMsg = `Missing or empty required variables: ${bold(missing.join(", "))}`;
     const actionMsg = `Please verify these variables in your \x1b[4m.env\x1b[0m file or deployment environment.`;
 
-    // Direct console error for immediate visibility during startup failure
     console.error(`\n${errorPrefix}\n${missingVarMsg}\n${actionMsg}\n`);
 
-    // Structured log for persistent logs (e.g., Sentry, CloudWatch, etc.)
     logger.error("Environment validation failure", {
       missing,
       node_env: process.env.NODE_ENV,
     });
 
-    // Stop execution immediately
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  const formatErrors: string[] = [];
+  validateSecretFormat(formatErrors);
+
+  if (formatErrors.length > 0) {
+    const boldRed = (msg: string) => `\x1b[1;31m${msg}\x1b[0m`;
+
+    const errorPrefix = boldRed("FATAL ERROR: Environment validation failed");
+    const details = formatErrors.map((e) => `  - ${e}`).join("\n");
+
+    console.error(`\n${errorPrefix}\n${details}\n`);
+
+    logger.error("Environment format validation failure", {
+      errors: formatErrors,
+      node_env: process.env.NODE_ENV,
+    });
+
     process.exit(1);
   }
 

src/tests/envValidation.test.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,26 @@ import { jest } from "@jest/globals";
 
 jest.mock("../utils/logger.js");
 
+const VALID_STELLAR_SECRET =
+  "SBJ6ZXIH5JXKHXJUDF7DUX2HY5Q3SOOAUCQ3OUO5TIIJMOYIGPPP6Q6W";
+
+function setValidEnv(): void {
+  process.env.DATABASE_URL = "postgres://localhost";
+  process.env.REDIS_URL = "redis://localhost";
+  process.env.JWT_SECRET = "a".repeat(32);
+  process.env.STELLAR_RPC_URL = "http://localhost";
+  process.env.STELLAR_NETWORK_PASSPHRASE = "test";
+  process.env.LOAN_MANAGER_CONTRACT_ID = "C1";
+  process.env.LENDING_POOL_CONTRACT_ID = "C2";
+  process.env.POOL_TOKEN_ADDRESS = "T1";
+  process.env.LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET = VALID_STELLAR_SECRET;
+  process.env.INTERNAL_API_KEY = "b".repeat(32);
+  process.env.FRONTEND_URL = "http://localhost:3000";
+  process.env.SCORE_DELTA_REPAY = "15";
+  process.env.SCORE_DELTA_DEFAULT = "50";
+  process.env.SCORE_DELTA_LATE = "5";
+}
+
 describe("Environment Variable Validation", () => {
   const originalEnv = process.env;
   let mockExit: any;
@@ -26,39 +46,77 @@ describe("Environment Variable Validation", () => {
     mockExit.mockRestore();
   });
 
-  it("should not exit if all required variables are present", () => {
-    // All required variables are expected to be in originalEnv/process.env
-    // or we set them here for the test
-    process.env.DATABASE_URL = "postgres://localhost";
-    process.env.REDIS_URL = "redis://localhost";
-    process.env.JWT_SECRET = "secret";
-    process.env.STELLAR_RPC_URL = "http://localhost";
-    process.env.STELLAR_NETWORK_PASSPHRASE = "test";
-    process.env.LOAN_MANAGER_CONTRACT_ID = "C1";
-    process.env.LENDING_POOL_CONTRACT_ID = "C2";
-    process.env.POOL_TOKEN_ADDRESS = "T1";
-    process.env.LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET = "S1";
-    process.env.INTERNAL_API_KEY = "K1";
-    process.env.FRONTEND_URL = "http://localhost:3000";
-    process.env.SCORE_DELTA_REPAY = "15";
-    process.env.SCORE_DELTA_DEFAULT = "50";
-    process.env.SCORE_DELTA_LATE = "5";
+  it("should not exit if all required variables are present and valid", () => {
+    setValidEnv();
 
     expect(() => validateEnvVars()).not.toThrow();
     expect(mockExit).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("should exit with code 1 if a required variable is missing", () => {
+    setValidEnv();
     delete process.env.DATABASE_URL;
 
     expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow("Process.exit called with 1");
     expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
   });
 
   it("should exit with code 1 if a required variable is empty string", () => {
+    setValidEnv();
     process.env.DATABASE_URL = "   ";
 
     expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow("Process.exit called with 1");
     expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
   });
+
+  describe("JWT_SECRET format validation", () => {
+    it("should exit if JWT_SECRET is shorter than 32 characters", () => {
+      setValidEnv();
+      process.env.JWT_SECRET = "short";
+
+      expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow("Process.exit called with 1");
+      expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+    });
+
+    it("should pass if JWT_SECRET is exactly 32 characters", () => {
+      setValidEnv();
+      process.env.JWT_SECRET = "a".repeat(32);
+
+      expect(() => validateEnvVars()).not.toThrow();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("INTERNAL_API_KEY format validation", () => {
+    it("should exit if INTERNAL_API_KEY is shorter than 32 characters", () => {
+      setValidEnv();
+      process.env.INTERNAL_API_KEY = "short";
+
+      expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow("Process.exit called with 1");
+      expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+    });
+
+    it("should pass if INTERNAL_API_KEY is exactly 32 characters", () => {
+      setValidEnv();
+      process.env.INTERNAL_API_KEY = "x".repeat(32);
+
+      expect(() => validateEnvVars()).not.toThrow();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET format validation", () => {
+    it("should exit if LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET is not a valid Stellar secret key", () => {
+      setValidEnv();
+      process.env.LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET = "not-a-stellar-key";
+
+      expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow("Process.exit called with 1");
+      expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+    });
+
+    it("should pass if LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET is a valid Stellar secret key", () => {
+      setValidEnv();
+      process.env.LOAN_MANAGER_ADMIN_SECRET = VALID_STELLAR_SECRET;
+
+      expect(() => validateEnvVars()).not.toThrow();
+    });
+  });
 });