fix: popouts and reconnects on Safari over http://localhost failed with "Session id mismatch"

solara/server/flask.py

@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def kernels_connection(ws: simple_websocket.Server, kernel_id: str, name: str):
         logger.info("Solara kernel requested for session_id=%s kernel_id=%s", session_id, kernel_id)
         if session_id is None:
             logger.warning("no session cookie")
-            session_id = "session-id-cookie-unavailable:" + str(uuid4())
+            session_id = kernel_context.SESSION_ID_COOKIE_UNAVAILABLE_PREFIX + str(uuid4())
         ws_wrapper = WebsocketWrapper(ws)
         headers_dict: Dict[str, List[str]] = {}
         for k, v in request.headers.__iter__():
@@ -255,12 +255,12 @@ def read_root(path):
 
     samesite = "lax"
     secure = False
-    # we want samesite, so we can set a cookie when embedded in an iframe, such as on huggingface
+    # we want samesite=none, so the cookie is also set when embedded in a cross-site iframe, such as on huggingface
     # however, samesite=none requires Secure https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Set-Cookie/SameSite
-    # when hosted on the localhost domain we can always set the Secure flag
-    # to allow samesite https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Cookies#restrict_access_to_cookies
+    # Over plain http on localhost we deliberately do NOT set Secure, since Safari does not accept a Secure cookie
+    # from http://localhost (see the starlette server for details).
     o = urlparse(request.base_url)
-    if request.headers.get("x-forwarded-proto", "http") == "https" or o.hostname == "localhost":
+    if request.headers.get("x-forwarded-proto", "http") == "https" or o.scheme == "https":
         samesite = "none"
         secure = True
 

solara/server/kernel_context.py

@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@
 WebSocket = Any
 logger = logging.getLogger("solara.server.app")
 
+# session id prefix the servers use when the browser did not send the session cookie (cookies blocked,
+# or a Secure cookie the browser refuses on plain http, as Safari does on http://localhost)
+SESSION_ID_COOKIE_UNAVAILABLE_PREFIX = "session-id-cookie-unavailable:"
+
 
 class Local(threading.local):
     kernel_context_stack: Optional[List[Optional["VirtualKernelContext"]]] = None
@@ -931,11 +935,22 @@ def initialize_virtual_kernel(session_id: str, kernel_id: str, websocket: websoc
         assert context is not None
         # redact both session ids: they are bearer credentials for takeover once persistence is on.
         # The client message must NOT echo them back either (it reaches an attacker's browser).
-        logger.critical(
-            "Session id mismatch when reusing kernel (hack attempt?): %s != %s",
-            redact_id(context.session_id),
-            redact_id(session_id),
-        )
+        if context.session_id.startswith(SESSION_ID_COOKIE_UNAVAILABLE_PREFIX) or session_id.startswith(SESSION_ID_COOKIE_UNAVAILABLE_PREFIX):
+            # not a hack attempt: without the cookie a reconnect or popout cannot prove it owns the kernel
+            logger.warning(
+                "Session id mismatch when reusing kernel %s: the browser did not send the session cookie "
+                "(cookies blocked, or the browser refused the cookie), so a reconnect or popout cannot be matched to the session that "
+                "created the kernel: %s != %s",
+                redact_id(kernel_id),
+                redact_id(context.session_id),
+                redact_id(session_id),
+            )
+        else:
+            logger.critical(
+                "Session id mismatch when reusing kernel (hack attempt?): %s != %s",
+                redact_id(context.session_id),
+                redact_id(session_id),
+            )
         websocket.send_text("Session id mismatch when reusing kernel (hack attempt?)")
         # to avoid very fast reconnects (we are in a thread anyway)
         time.sleep(0.5)

solara/server/starlette.py

@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ async def _kernel_connection(ws: starlette.websockets.WebSocket):
 
     if not session_id:
         logger.warning("no session cookie")
-        session_id = "session-id-cookie-unavailable:" + str(uuid4())
+        session_id = kernel_context.SESSION_ID_COOKIE_UNAVAILABLE_PREFIX + str(uuid4())
     # we use the jupyter session_id query parameter as the key/id
     # for a page scope.
     page_id = ws.query_params["session_id"]
@@ -610,11 +610,14 @@ async def root(request: Request, fullpath: str = ""):
     samesite = "lax"
     secure = False
     httponly = settings.session.http_only
-    # we want samesite, so we can set a cookie when embedded in an iframe, such as on huggingface
+    # we want samesite=none, so the cookie is also set when embedded in a cross-site iframe, such as on huggingface
     # however, samesite=none requires Secure https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Set-Cookie/SameSite
-    # when hosted on the localhost domain we can always set the Secure flag
-    # to allow samesite https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Cookies#restrict_access_to_cookies
-    if request.scope["scheme"] == "https" or request.headers.get("x-forwarded-proto", "http") == "https" or request.base_url.hostname == "localhost":
+    # Over plain http on localhost we deliberately do NOT set Secure: Chrome and Firefox accept a Secure cookie
+    # from http://localhost, but Safari does not (https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=218980), so Safari would
+    # never send the session cookie back. Every websocket then gets a fresh session id, and reconnects and popouts
+    # (ipypopout) fail with "Session id mismatch". A samesite=lax cookie is still sent to an iframe when the
+    # embedding page is on localhost as well (the port does not matter for samesite).
+    if request.scope["scheme"] == "https" or request.headers.get("x-forwarded-proto", "http") == "https":
         samesite = "none"
         secure = True
     elif request.base_url.hostname != "localhost":

solara/website/pages/documentation/advanced/content/10-howto/40-embed.md

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ If you do not see your app, you can open the browser developer tools in your bro
 
 ### Security considerations
 
-Solara uses a cookie to implement sessions. To support setting cookies in an iframe, we set the session cookie using `Secure`, and `SameSite=Strict`. See [MDN](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Cookies#restrict_access_to_cookies) for more details. This means that we can only support iframes via https or localhost. Note that proxy servers can tell
+Solara uses a cookie to implement sessions. To support setting cookies in an iframe on a different site, we set the session cookie using `Secure`, and `SameSite=None` when served over https. See [MDN](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Cookies#restrict_access_to_cookies) for more details. This means that we can only support cross-site iframes via https. Over plain http (e.g. while developing on localhost) the cookie is set with `SameSite=Lax`, which is still sent to an iframe when the embedding page is on the same site (such as another port on localhost). Note that proxy servers can tell
 solara-server that the connection is secure by forwarding the `X-Forwarded-Proto` header, see [our self hosted deployment documentation for more information](https://solara.dev/documentation/getting_started/deploying/self-hosted).
 
 

tests/integration/server_test.py

@@ -220,6 +220,26 @@ def test_kernel_asyncio(browser: playwright.sync_api.Browser, solara_server, sol
         solara.server.settings.kernel.threaded = threaded
 
 
+def _session_cookie_attributes(response: requests.Response) -> str:
+    # the page sets only the session cookie, so the raw header is that cookie with its attributes
+    header = response.headers["set-cookie"].lower()
+    assert header.startswith(solara.server.server.COOKIE_KEY_SESSION_ID + "="), header
+    return header
+
+
+def test_session_cookie_attributes(solara_server, solara_app, extra_include_path):
+    with extra_include_path(HERE), solara_app("server_test:ClickButton"):
+        # Over plain http on localhost the cookie must not be Secure: Safari refuses a Secure cookie from
+        # http://localhost, after which reconnects and popouts fail with "Session id mismatch".
+        cookie = _session_cookie_attributes(requests.get(solara_server.base_url))
+        assert "secure" not in cookie
+        assert "samesite=lax" in cookie
+        # behind an https proxy we want a cross-site iframe to work, which requires Secure + SameSite=None
+        cookie = _session_cookie_attributes(requests.get(solara_server.base_url, headers={"x-forwarded-proto": "https"}))
+        assert "secure" in cookie
+        assert "samesite=none" in cookie
+
+
 def test_cdn_secure(solara_server, solara_app, extra_include_path):
     cdn_url = solara_server.base_url + "/_solara/cdn"
     assert solara.settings.assets.proxy

tests/unit/lifecycle_test.py

@@ -50,6 +50,29 @@ def test_kernel_max_per_session(monkeypatch):
             ctx.close()
 
 
+def test_session_mismatch_without_cookie_is_not_logged_as_hack_attempt(caplog, monkeypatch):
+    # a browser that does not send the session cookie gets a fresh session id per websocket, so a
+    # reconnect or popout cannot match the kernel's session: refuse, but explain instead of crying wolf
+    monkeypatch.setattr(kernel_context.time, "sleep", lambda s: None)
+    prefix = kernel_context.SESSION_ID_COOKIE_UNAVAILABLE_PREFIX
+    kernel_context.initialize_virtual_kernel(prefix + "a", "kern-no-cookie", Mock())
+    kernel_context.initialize_virtual_kernel("real-session", "kern-with-cookie", Mock())
+    try:
+        with caplog.at_level("WARNING", logger="solara.server.app"):
+            with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Session id mismatch"):
+                kernel_context.initialize_virtual_kernel(prefix + "b", "kern-no-cookie", Mock())
+            assert [r.levelname for r in caplog.records if "mismatch" in r.getMessage()] == ["WARNING"]
+            assert "did not send the session cookie" in caplog.text
+            caplog.clear()
+            # two different real cookies for the same kernel is still a potential hack attempt
+            with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Session id mismatch"):
+                kernel_context.initialize_virtual_kernel("other-session", "kern-with-cookie", Mock())
+            assert [r.levelname for r in caplog.records if "mismatch" in r.getMessage()] == ["CRITICAL"]
+    finally:
+        for ctx in list(kernel_context.contexts.values()):
+            ctx.close()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.skipif(on_windows, reason="This test is flaky on Windows")
 async def test_kernel_lifecycle_reconnect_simple(short_cull_timeout):
     # a reconnect should be possible within the reconnect window