Passport js fails to maintain session in cross-domain

Question

I am using passport JS, express and mongoose to make an API. When I test it in same domain it maintain session and works fine. But in cross domain it fails. Any clue how can i maintain the session in cross domain using the same configuration. Following is the code

 allowCrossDomain = function(req, res, next) {
    res.header("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", "*");
    res.header("Access-Control-Allow-Methods", "GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, OPTIONS");
    res.header("Access-Control-Allow-Headers", req.headers["access-control-request-headers"]);
    // res.header("Access-Control-Allow-Credentials", "true");
    if ("OPTIONS" == req.method) {
        res.send(200);
    } else {
        next();
    }

  //allow all crossDomain request
app.use(allowCrossDomain);

//session handling
app.use(express.cookieParser("gallery"));
app.use(express.session());
app.use(passport.initialize());
app.use(passport.session());

app.use(function(req, res, next) {
    // check if client sent cookie
    var cookie = req.cookies.cokkieName;
    if (cookie === undefined) {
        //set up cookie here by a random number
        });
    }
    next(); // <-- important!
});
passport.use(new LocalStrategy({
    usernameField: "email"
},
function(email, password, done) {
    User.authenticate(email, password, function(err, reply) {
       //authenticate user and call the callback
            return done(err, false);

    });
}));


passport.serializeUser(function(user, done) {
return done(null, user._id);
});


passport.deserializeUser(function(id, done) {
//find user via id and return the user details
return done(null, user._id);
});

   app.post("/login", function(req, res, next) {
    passport.authenticate("local",
        function(err, data, info) {
            //custom callback
            user.getProfile(req, res, next, err, data, info);
        })(req, res, next);
});

@kundu_ did you get the solution? – Arpit Kumar Nov 24 '17 at 05:29 — Arpit Kumar, Nov 24 '17 at 05:29

score 12 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 26 '13 at 14:08

12

I was having the same problem. Before configuring anything in express app, use the following(exactly the same) to set header of response for cross-domain :

app.use(function(req, res, next) {
res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Credentials', true);
res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', req.headers.origin);
res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Methods', 'GET,PUT,POST,DELETE');
res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Headers', 'X-Requested-With, X-HTTP-Method-Override, Content-Type, Accept');
if ('OPTIONS' == req.method) {
     res.send(200);
 } else {
     next();
 }
});

It works for me. Best of luck!

answered Nov 26 '13 at 14:08

sam100rav

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Do you know why it has to be this way? Why are credentials required? – Ryan Warner Apr 21 '15 at 16:33
I am also facing the same problem and this solution still not working for me. What should I do? Please help. – Arpit Kumar Nov 23 '17 at 17:44
OP should accept this answer. this is pure genius, you saved my day sir. – muffin Nov 16 '18 at 03:43

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 17 '14 at 01:49

As per Sriharsha's answer:

Set res.header("Access-Control-Allow-Credentials", "true");
Make sure you pass the credentials in the client side call. For example for AJAX, add this to your call: xhrFields: {withCredentials: true},

Additionally:

Don't use the wildcard for Access-Control-Allow-Origin with a credentialed request

As explained on MDN:

when responding to a credentialed request, server must specify a domain, and cannot use wild carding

I use this file, and call it from my main module with require("./enable-cors.js")(app);

// enable-cors.js
module.exports = function(app) {

    var methodOverride = require('method-override')
    app.use(methodOverride());
    var allowCrossDomain = function(req, res, next) {
        res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Credentials', true);
        res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', req.headers.origin);
        res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Methods', 'GET,PUT,POST,DELETE');
        res.header('Access-Control-Allow-Headers', 'Content-Type, Authorization');

        // intercept OPTIONS method
        if ('OPTIONS' == req.method) {
            res.send(200);
        }
        else {
            next();
        }
    };
    app.use(allowCrossDomain);
    // Built upon: http://cuppster.com/2012/04/10/cors-middleware-for-node-js-and-express/#sthash.WdJmNaRA.dpuf

};

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 27 '13 at 06:06

Allow the credentials to be shared by setting Access-Control-Allow-Credentials header. (I am not sure why you have commented in your code)

res.header("Access-Control-Allow-Credentials", "true");

then pass the credentials from javascript through XHR object.

xhr.withCredentials = true;

Passport js fails to maintain session in cross-domain

3 Answers3

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