Configuring Nginx to Not Reject but Pass Requests with DotDot URLs

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss how to configure Nginx to pass requests to the backend server instead of rejecting them, specifically when dealing with .dot URLs.

Background

By default, Nginx rejects requests that contain .dot URLs, such as .htaccess or .php. This behavior is to prevent access to hidden files and to maintain security. However, in some cases, you might want to allow these requests to be passed to the backend server.

Solution

To pass requests with .dot URLs to the backend server, you need to configure Nginx to remove the dot from the URL before sending it to the server. Here's how:

Step 1: Create a New Location Block

Create a new location block in your Nginx configuration file, e.g., /etc/nginx/sites-available/your_site. This block will handle all requests with .dot URLs:

 location ~* \. {
 

Step 2: Remove the Dot from the URL

Use the reg_ex directive to remove the dot from the URL:

 location ~* \. {
 set $no_dot "";
 if ($request_uri ~ "^/(.*)\.(.*)$") {
 set $no_dot $1;
 }
 set $request_uri $no_dot$request_uri;
 

Step 3: Pass the Request to the Backend Server

Use the proxy_pass directive to pass the request to the backend server:

 location ~* \. {
 set $no_dot "";
 if ($request_uri ~ "^/(.*)\.(.*)$") {
 set $no_dot $1;
 }
 set $request_uri $no_dot$request_uri;
 proxy_pass http://backend_server:8000$request_uri;
 }
 

Testing

Test your configuration by accessing a .dot URL, e.g., .htaccess. The request should be passed to the backend server instead of being rejected by Nginx.

• Create a new location block in your Nginx configuration file
• Remove the dot from the URL using a regular expression
• Pass the request to the backend server using the proxy_pass directive

References

• Nginx Proxy Server
• Nginx Rewrite Module