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Security Guide

This document outlines security best practices and configurations for the Home Assistant MCP Server.

Authentication

JWT Authentication

The server uses JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for API authentication:

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_JWT_TOKEN

Token Configuration

security:
  jwt_secret: YOUR_SECRET_KEY
  token_expiry: 24h
  refresh_token_expiry: 7d

Access Control

CORS Configuration

Configure allowed origins to prevent unauthorized access:

security:
  allowed_origins:
    - http://localhost:3000
    - https://your-domain.com

IP Filtering

Restrict access by IP address:

security:
  allowed_ips:
    - 192.168.1.0/24
    - 10.0.0.0/8

SSL/TLS Configuration

Enable HTTPS

ssl:
  enabled: true
  cert_file: /path/to/cert.pem
  key_file: /path/to/key.pem

Certificate Management

  1. Use Let's Encrypt for free SSL certificates
  2. Regularly renew certificates
  3. Monitor certificate expiration

Rate Limiting

Basic Rate Limiting

rate_limit:
  enabled: true
  requests_per_minute: 100
  burst: 20

Advanced Rate Limiting

rate_limit:
  rules:
    - endpoint: /api/control
      requests_per_minute: 50
    - endpoint: /api/state
      requests_per_minute: 200

Data Protection

Sensitive Data

  • Use environment variables for secrets
  • Encrypt sensitive data at rest
  • Implement secure backup procedures

Logging Security

  • Avoid logging sensitive information
  • Rotate logs regularly
  • Protect log file access

Best Practices

  1. Regular Security Updates
  2. Keep dependencies updated
  3. Monitor security advisories

  4. Apply patches promptly

  5. Password Policies

  6. Enforce strong passwords
  7. Implement password expiration

  8. Use secure password storage

  9. Monitoring

  10. Log security events
  11. Monitor access patterns

  12. Set up alerts for suspicious activity

  13. Network Security

  14. Use VPN for remote access
  15. Implement network segmentation
  16. Configure firewalls properly

Security Checklist

  • Configure SSL/TLS
  • Set up JWT authentication
  • Configure CORS properly
  • Enable rate limiting
  • Implement IP filtering
  • Secure sensitive data
  • Set up monitoring
  • Configure backup encryption
  • Update security policies

Incident Response

  1. Detection
  2. Monitor security logs
  3. Set up intrusion detection

  4. Configure alerts

  5. Response

  6. Document incident details
  7. Isolate affected systems

  8. Investigate root cause

  9. Recovery

  10. Apply security fixes
  11. Restore from backups
  12. Update security measures

Additional Resources