Enhance authentication handling in request processing

- Updated HandleCount, HandleEvent, and HandleReq functions to improve authentication checks based on new configuration options.
- Introduced `AuthToWrite` configuration to allow unauthenticated access for COUNT and REQ operations while still enforcing ACL checks.
- Enhanced comments for clarity on authentication requirements and access control logic.
- Bumped version to v0.17.18.

app/config/config.go

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ type C struct {
 	Owners              []string      `env:"ORLY_OWNERS" usage:"comma-separated list of owner npubs, who have full control of the relay for wipe and restart and other functions"`
 	ACLMode             string        `env:"ORLY_ACL_MODE" usage:"ACL mode: follows, managed (nip-86), none" default:"none"`
 	AuthRequired        bool          `env:"ORLY_AUTH_REQUIRED" usage:"require authentication for all requests (works with managed ACL)" default:"false"`
+	AuthToWrite         bool          `env:"ORLY_AUTH_TO_WRITE" usage:"require authentication only for write operations (EVENT), allow REQ/COUNT without auth" default:"false"`
 	BootstrapRelays     []string      `env:"ORLY_BOOTSTRAP_RELAYS" usage:"comma-separated list of bootstrap relay URLs for initial sync"`
 	NWCUri              string        `env:"ORLY_NWC_URI" usage:"NWC (Nostr Wallet Connect) connection string for Lightning payments"`
 	SubscriptionEnabled bool          `env:"ORLY_SUBSCRIPTION_ENABLED" default:"false" usage:"enable subscription-based access control requiring payment for non-directory events"`

app/handle-count.go

@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleCount(msg []byte) (err error) {
 	}
 	log.D.C(func() string { return fmt.Sprintf("COUNT sub=%s filters=%d", env.Subscription, len(env.Filters)) })
 
-	// If ACL is active, send a challenge (same as REQ path)
+	// If ACL is active, auth is required, or AuthToWrite is enabled, send a challenge (same as REQ path)
-	if acl.Registry.Active.Load() != "none" {
+	if acl.Registry.Active.Load() != "none" || l.Config.AuthRequired || l.Config.AuthToWrite {
 		if err = authenvelope.NewChallengeWith(l.challenge.Load()).Write(l); chk.E(err) {
 			return
 		}
@@ -36,11 +36,31 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleCount(msg []byte) (err error) {
 
 	// Check read permissions
 	accessLevel := acl.Registry.GetAccessLevel(l.authedPubkey.Load(), l.remote)
-	switch accessLevel {
+
-	case "none":
+	// If auth is required but user is not authenticated, deny access
-		return errors.New("auth required: user not authed or has no read access")
+	if l.Config.AuthRequired && len(l.authedPubkey.Load()) == 0 {
-	default:
+		return errors.New("authentication required")
-		// allowed to read
+	}
+
+	// If AuthToWrite is enabled, allow COUNT without auth (but still check ACL)
+	if l.Config.AuthToWrite && len(l.authedPubkey.Load()) == 0 {
+		// Allow unauthenticated COUNT when AuthToWrite is enabled
+		// but still respect ACL access levels if ACL is active
+		if acl.Registry.Active.Load() != "none" {
+			switch accessLevel {
+			case "none", "blocked", "banned":
+				return errors.New("auth required: user not authed or has no read access")
+			}
+		}
+		// Allow the request to proceed without authentication
+	} else {
+		// Only check ACL access level if not already handled by AuthToWrite
+		switch accessLevel {
+		case "none":
+			return errors.New("auth required: user not authed or has no read access")
+		default:
+			// allowed to read
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Use a bounded context for counting, isolated from the connection context

app/handle-event.go

@@ -203,9 +203,9 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleEvent(msg []byte) (err error) {
 	)
 
 	// If ACL mode is "none" and no pubkey is set, use the event's pubkey
-	// But if auth is required, always use the authenticated pubkey
+	// But if auth is required or AuthToWrite is enabled, always use the authenticated pubkey
 	var pubkeyForACL []byte
-	if len(l.authedPubkey.Load()) == 0 && acl.Registry.Active.Load() == "none" && !l.Config.AuthRequired {
+	if len(l.authedPubkey.Load()) == 0 && acl.Registry.Active.Load() == "none" && !l.Config.AuthRequired && !l.Config.AuthToWrite {
 		pubkeyForACL = env.E.Pubkey
 		log.I.F(
 			"HandleEvent: ACL mode is 'none' and auth not required, using event pubkey for ACL check: %s",
@@ -215,12 +215,12 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleEvent(msg []byte) (err error) {
 		pubkeyForACL = l.authedPubkey.Load()
 	}
 
-	// If auth is required but user is not authenticated, deny access
+	// If auth is required or AuthToWrite is enabled but user is not authenticated, deny access
-	if l.Config.AuthRequired && len(l.authedPubkey.Load()) == 0 {
+	if (l.Config.AuthRequired || l.Config.AuthToWrite) && len(l.authedPubkey.Load()) == 0 {
-		log.D.F("HandleEvent: authentication required but user not authenticated")
+		log.D.F("HandleEvent: authentication required for write operations but user not authenticated")
 		if err = okenvelope.NewFrom(
 			env.Id(), false,
-			reason.AuthRequired.F("authentication required"),
+			reason.AuthRequired.F("authentication required for write operations"),
 		).Write(l); chk.E(err) {
 			return
 		}

app/handle-req.go

@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleReq(msg []byte) (err error) {
 			)
 		},
 	)
-	// send a challenge to the client to auth if an ACL is active or auth is required
+	// send a challenge to the client to auth if an ACL is active, auth is required, or AuthToWrite is enabled
-	if acl.Registry.Active.Load() != "none" || l.Config.AuthRequired {
+	if acl.Registry.Active.Load() != "none" || l.Config.AuthRequired || l.Config.AuthToWrite {
 		if err = authenvelope.NewChallengeWith(l.challenge.Load()).
 			Write(l); chk.E(err) {
 			return
@@ -72,18 +72,41 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleReq(msg []byte) (err error) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	switch accessLevel {
+	// If AuthToWrite is enabled, allow REQ without auth (but still check ACL)
-	case "none":
+	// Skip the auth requirement check for REQ when AuthToWrite is true
-		// For REQ denial, send a CLOSED with auth-required reason (NIP-01)
+	if l.Config.AuthToWrite && len(l.authedPubkey.Load()) == 0 {
-		if err = closedenvelope.NewFrom(
+		// Allow unauthenticated REQ when AuthToWrite is enabled
-			env.Subscription,
+		// but still respect ACL access levels if ACL is active
-			reason.AuthRequired.F("user not authed or has no read access"),
+		if acl.Registry.Active.Load() != "none" {
-		).Write(l); chk.E(err) {
+			switch accessLevel {
-			return
+			case "none", "blocked", "banned":
+				if err = closedenvelope.NewFrom(
+					env.Subscription,
+					reason.AuthRequired.F("user not authed or has no read access"),
+				).Write(l); chk.E(err) {
+					return
+				}
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		// Allow the request to proceed without authentication
+	}
+
+	// Only check ACL access level if not already handled by AuthToWrite
+	if !l.Config.AuthToWrite || len(l.authedPubkey.Load()) > 0 {
+		switch accessLevel {
+		case "none":
+			// For REQ denial, send a CLOSED with auth-required reason (NIP-01)
+			if err = closedenvelope.NewFrom(
+				env.Subscription,
+				reason.AuthRequired.F("user not authed or has no read access"),
+			).Write(l); chk.E(err) {
+				return
+			}
+			return
+		default:
+			// user has read access or better, continue
 		}
-		return
-	default:
-		// user has read access or better, continue
 	}
 	var events event.S
 	// Create a single context for all filter queries, isolated from the connection context
@@ -537,7 +560,8 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleReq(msg []byte) (err error) {
 			cancel = false
 			subbedFilters = append(subbedFilters, f)
 		} else {
-			// remove the IDs that we already sent
+			// remove the IDs that we already sent, as it's one less
+			// comparison we have to make.
 			var notFounds [][]byte
 			for _, id := range f.Ids.T {
 				if _, ok := seen[hexenc.Enc(id)]; ok {
@@ -574,7 +598,7 @@ func (l *Listener) HandleReq(msg []byte) (err error) {
 				remote:       l.remote,
 				Id:           string(env.Subscription),
 				Receiver:     receiver,
-				Filters:      env.Filters,
+				Filters:      &subbedFilters,
 				AuthedPubkey: l.authedPubkey.Load(),
 			},
 		)

pkg/version/version

@@ -1 +1 @@
-v0.17.17
+v0.17.18