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NNTP Server

The NNTP Content Server

The NNTP content server provides access to publicly exposed message conferences and areas over either secure NNTPS (NNTP over TLS or nttps://) and/or non-secure NNTP (nntp://).

Configuration

The following keys are available within the contentServers.nntp configuration block:

Item Required Description
nntp :-1: Configuration block for non-secure NNTP. See Non-Secure NNTP Configuration.
nntps :-1: Configuration block for secure NNTP. See Secure Configuration (NNTPS)
publicMessageConferences :+1: A map of conference tags to area tags that are publicly exposed over NNTP. Anonymous users will gain read-only access to these areas.
allowPosts :-1: Allow posting from authenticated users. See Write Access. Default is false.

Non-Secure Configuration

Under contentServers.nntp.nntp the following configuration is allowed:

Item Required Description
enabled :+1: Set to true to enable non-secure NNTP access.
port :-1: Override the default port of 8119.

Secure Configuration (NNTPS)

Under contentServers.nntp.nntps the following configuration is allowed:

Item Required Description
enabled :+1: Set to true to enable secure NNTPS access.
port :-1: Override the default port of 8565.
certPem :-1: Override the default certificate file path of ./config/nntps_cert.pem
keyPem :-1: Override the default certificate key file path of ./config/nntps_key.pem

Certificates and Keys

In order to use secure NNTPS, a TLS certificate and key pair must be provided. You may generate your own but most clients will not trust them. A certificate and key from a trusted Certificate Authority is recommended. Let’s Encrypt provides free TLS certificates. Certificates and private keys must be in PEM format.

Generating a Certificate & Key Pair

An example of generating your own cert/key pair:

openssl req -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout ./config/nntps_key.pem -x509 -days 3050 -out ./config/nntps_cert.pem

Write Access

Authenticated users may write messages to a group given the following are true:

  1. allowPosts is set to true
  2. They are connected security (NNTPS). This is a strict requirement due to how NNTP authenticates in plain-text otherwise.
  3. The authenticated user has write ACS to the target message conference and area.

:warning: Not all ACS checks can be made over NNTP. Any ACS requiring a “client” will return false (fail), such as LC (“is local?”).

Example Configuration

contentServers: {
    nntp: {
        allowPosts: true

        publicMessageConferences: {
            fsxnet: [
                // Expose these areas of fsxNet
                "fsx_gen", "fsx_bbs"
            ]
        }

        nntp: {
            enabled: true
        }

        nntps: {
            enabled: true

            // These could point to Let's Encrypt provided pairs for example:
            certPem: /path/to/some/tls_cert.pem
            keyPem: /path/to/some/tls_private_key.pem
        }
    }
}
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