From 854cab2c1804ea36f5c780a5a077fb146926df2c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ivan Dyachkov <dev@dyachkov.org>
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2025 17:06:50 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] docs: add default security improvements

---
 active/0030-default-security-improvements.md | 102 +++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 102 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 active/0030-default-security-improvements.md

diff --git a/active/0030-default-security-improvements.md b/active/0030-default-security-improvements.md
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+# Default security improvements
+
+## Changelog
+
+* 2025-06-30: @id Initial draft
+
+## Abstract
+
+This EIP proposes to improve the default security of EMQX.
+
+## Motivation
+
+The default security settings of EMQX can be improved to follow best practices and enhance the security of out-of-the-box installations.
+
+## Design
+
+1. Bind the Dashboard’s listener to 127.0.0.1 by default.
+
+2. Bind MQTT and Websocket listeners to 127.0.0.1 by default.
+
+3. Provision self-hosted certificates on startup.
+   - Generate self-signed certificates for the Dashboard and MQTT/Websocket listeners.
+   - Use these certificates to secure the connections by default.
+   - Enable HTTPS on Dashboard listener by default.
+
+4. Add built-in support for Let's Encrypt certificates and ACME protocol in general.
+
+5. Change default ACL "no match" action to `deny` by default.
+
+6. Change default password `public` to empty string in config schema
+
+Do not allow login for admin user if its password is `""`,  and return below hint text to dashboard:
+
+```
+* Run command to change admin password: emqx ctl admins passwd admin a-very-string-pasword
+* Configure dashboard.default_password="a-very-string-password"
+```
+
+## Configuration Changes
+
+Default emqx.conf changes:
+
+```
+listeners {
+  ssl {
+    default {
+      bind = "127.0.0.1:8883"
+    }
+  }
+  tcp {
+    default {
+      bind = "127.0.0.1:1883"
+    }
+  }
+  ws {
+    default {
+      bind = "127.0.0.1:8083"
+    }
+  }
+  wss {
+    default {
+      bind = "127.0.0.1:8084"
+    }
+  }
+}
+dashboard {
+  default_password = ""
+  listeners {
+    https {
+      bind = "127.0.0.1:18083"
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Default acl.conf changes:
+
+```
+%%-------------- Default ACL rules -------------------------------------------------------
+{allow, {username, {re, "^dashboard$"}}, subscribe, ["$SYS/#"]}.
+{allow, {ipaddr, "127.0.0.1"}, all, ["$SYS/#", "#"]}.
+{deny, all, subscribe, ["$SYS/#", {eq, "#"}, {eq, "+/#"}]}.
+{deny, all}.
+```
+
+## Backwards Compatibility
+
+No backwards compatibility issues are expected with these changes. The new defaults will not affect existing configurations unless they are explicitly changed to match the new defaults.
+
+## Document Changes
+
+TODO
+
+## Testing Suggestions
+
+Test the new defaults in a fresh EMQX installation to ensure that:
+- The Dashboard is accessible only from localhost.
+- MQTT and Websocket connections are only allowed from localhost.
+- Self-signed certificates are generated and used for secure connections.
+- Let's Encrypt certificates can be provisioned and used.
+- The ACL rules deny all unmatched actions by default.
+