v1.2.3 - Handle rate limiting properly on kind 99999 request

deploy_local.sh

@@ -1,19 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+# Restart the service
+sudo systemctl stop c-relay.service
 
 # Copy the binary to the deployment location
-cp build/c_relay_x86 ~/Storage/c_relay/crelay
-
-# Copy the service file to systemd (use the main service file)
-sudo cp systemd/c-relay.service /etc/systemd/system/c-relay-local.service
-
-# Reload systemd daemon to pick up the new service
-sudo systemctl daemon-reload
-
-# Enable the service (if not already enabled)
-sudo systemctl enable c-relay-local.service
+cp build/c_relay_static_x86_64 ~/Storage/c_relay/crelay
 
 # Restart the service
-sudo systemctl restart c-relay-local.service
+sudo systemctl restart c-relay.service
 
 # Show service status
-sudo systemctl status c-relay-local.service --no-pager -l
+sudo systemctl status c-relay.service --no-pager -l

src/config.c

@@ -2554,20 +2554,46 @@ int handle_kind_23456_unified(cJSON* event, char* error_message, size_t error_si
             return -1;
         }
         
+        DEBUG_LOG("=== NIP-44 DECRYPTION DEBUG (Level 5) ===");
+        DEBUG_LOG("Relay privkey (first 16 chars): %.16s...", relay_privkey);
+        DEBUG_LOG("Sender pubkey: %s", sender_pubkey);
+        DEBUG_LOG("Content length: %zu", strlen(content));
+        DEBUG_LOG("Content (first 100 chars): %.100s%s", content, strlen(content) > 100 ? "..." : "");
+
         // Perform NIP-44 decryption (relay as recipient, admin as sender)
+        DEBUG_LOG("Calling nostr_nip44_decrypt...");
+        DEBUG_LOG("  relay_privkey_bytes (first 8 bytes hex): %02x%02x%02x%02x%02x%02x%02x%02x...",
+                  relay_privkey_bytes[0], relay_privkey_bytes[1], relay_privkey_bytes[2], relay_privkey_bytes[3],
+                  relay_privkey_bytes[4], relay_privkey_bytes[5], relay_privkey_bytes[6], relay_privkey_bytes[7]);
+        DEBUG_LOG("  sender_pubkey_bytes (first 8 bytes hex): %02x%02x%02x%02x%02x%02x%02x%02x...",
+                  sender_pubkey_bytes[0], sender_pubkey_bytes[1], sender_pubkey_bytes[2], sender_pubkey_bytes[3],
+                  sender_pubkey_bytes[4], sender_pubkey_bytes[5], sender_pubkey_bytes[6], sender_pubkey_bytes[7]);
+        
         char decrypted_text[16384]; // Buffer for decrypted content (16KB)
         int decrypt_result = nostr_nip44_decrypt(relay_privkey_bytes, sender_pubkey_bytes, content, decrypted_text, sizeof(decrypted_text));
 
+        DEBUG_LOG("nostr_nip44_decrypt returned: %d (NOSTR_SUCCESS=%d)", decrypt_result, NOSTR_SUCCESS);
+        
         // Clean up private key immediately after use
         memset(relay_privkey_bytes, 0, 32);
         free(relay_privkey);
 
         if (decrypt_result != NOSTR_SUCCESS) {
-            DEBUG_ERROR("error: NIP-44 decryption failed");
-            snprintf(error_message, error_size, "error: NIP-44 decryption failed");
+            DEBUG_ERROR("error: NIP-44 decryption failed with code %d", decrypt_result);
+            DEBUG_ERROR("  This means the encrypted content cannot be decrypted with the provided keys");
+            DEBUG_ERROR("  Possible causes:");
+            DEBUG_ERROR("    1. Content was encrypted for a different relay pubkey");
+            DEBUG_ERROR("    2. Content format is incompatible (wrong NIP-44 version)");
+            DEBUG_ERROR("    3. Content is corrupted or malformed");
+            snprintf(error_message, error_size, "error: NIP-44 decryption failed (code: %d)", decrypt_result);
             return -1;
         }
         
+        DEBUG_LOG("✓ NIP-44 decryption successful!");
+        DEBUG_LOG("Decrypted text length: %zu", strlen(decrypted_text));
+        DEBUG_LOG("Decrypted text (first 200 chars): %.200s%s", decrypted_text, strlen(decrypted_text) > 200 ? "..." : "");
+        DEBUG_LOG("=== END NIP-44 DECRYPTION DEBUG ===");
+
         // Parse decrypted content as command array directly (NOT as NIP-17 inner event)
         // Kind 23456 events contain direct command arrays: ["command_name", arg1, arg2, ...]
         decrypted_content = cJSON_Parse(decrypted_text);

src/main.c

@@ -844,58 +844,117 @@ cJSON* retrieve_event(const char* event_id) {
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
+/**
+ * Check if filters contain only kind 99999 (NDK ping)
+ * Returns 1 if all filters only request kind 99999, 0 otherwise
+ */
+static int is_only_kind_99999_request(cJSON* filters) {
+    if (!filters || !cJSON_IsArray(filters)) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    
+    int filter_count = cJSON_GetArraySize(filters);
+    if (filter_count == 0) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    
+    for (int i = 0; i < filter_count; i++) {
+        cJSON* filter = cJSON_GetArrayItem(filters, i);
+        if (!filter || !cJSON_IsObject(filter)) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        
+        cJSON* kinds = cJSON_GetObjectItem(filter, "kinds");
+        if (!kinds || !cJSON_IsArray(kinds)) {
+            // Filter has no kinds or kinds is not an array - not a pure 99999 request
+            return 0;
+        }
+        
+        int kinds_count = cJSON_GetArraySize(kinds);
+        if (kinds_count == 0) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        
+        for (int j = 0; j < kinds_count; j++) {
+            cJSON* kind_item = cJSON_GetArrayItem(kinds, j);
+            if (!cJSON_IsNumber(kind_item)) {
+                return 0;
+            }
+            int kind_val = (int)cJSON_GetNumberValue(kind_item);
+            if (kind_val != 99999) {
+                return 0;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    
+    return 1; // All filters only contain kind 99999
+}
+
 int handle_req_message(const char* sub_id, cJSON* filters, struct lws *wsi, struct per_session_data *pss) {
     if (!cJSON_IsArray(filters)) {
         DEBUG_ERROR("REQ filters is not an array");
         return 0;
     }
 
+    // Check if this is a kind 99999 (NDK ping) request - these should never count toward rate limiting
+    int is_ndk_ping = is_only_kind_99999_request(filters);
+
     // EARLY SUBSCRIPTION LIMIT CHECK - Check limits BEFORE any processing
     if (pss) {
         time_t current_time = time(NULL);
 
         // Check if client is currently rate limited due to excessive failed attempts
         if (pss->rate_limit_until > current_time) {
-            char rate_limit_msg[256];
-            int remaining_seconds = (int)(pss->rate_limit_until - current_time);
-            snprintf(rate_limit_msg, sizeof(rate_limit_msg),
-                    "Rate limited due to excessive failed subscription attempts. Try again in %d seconds.", remaining_seconds);
+            // NDK ping (kind 99999) should not be blocked by rate limiting at all
+            if (is_ndk_ping) {
+                // Allow the request through - it will be handled normally and get a proper response
+                // The subscription will be created but no events will match (which is correct)
+                DEBUG_TRACE("Allowing kind 99999 NDK ping through despite rate limit");
+                // Fall through to normal processing (skip rate limit block)
+            } else {
+                char rate_limit_msg[256];
+                int remaining_seconds = (int)(pss->rate_limit_until - current_time);
+                snprintf(rate_limit_msg, sizeof(rate_limit_msg),
+                        "Rate limited due to excessive failed subscription attempts. Try again in %d seconds.", remaining_seconds);
 
-            // Send CLOSED notice for rate limiting
-            cJSON* closed_msg = cJSON_CreateArray();
-            cJSON_AddItemToArray(closed_msg, cJSON_CreateString("CLOSED"));
-            cJSON_AddItemToArray(closed_msg, cJSON_CreateString(sub_id));
-            cJSON_AddItemToArray(closed_msg, cJSON_CreateString("error: rate limited"));
-            cJSON_AddItemToArray(closed_msg, cJSON_CreateString(rate_limit_msg));
+                // Send CLOSED notice for rate limiting
+                cJSON* closed_msg = cJSON_CreateArray();
+                cJSON_AddItemToArray(closed_msg, cJSON_CreateString("CLOSED"));
+                cJSON_AddItemToArray(closed_msg, cJSON_CreateString(sub_id));
+                cJSON_AddItemToArray(closed_msg, cJSON_CreateString("error: rate limited"));
+                cJSON_AddItemToArray(closed_msg, cJSON_CreateString(rate_limit_msg));
 
-            char* closed_str = cJSON_Print(closed_msg);
-            if (closed_str) {
-                size_t closed_len = strlen(closed_str);
-                unsigned char* buf = malloc(LWS_PRE + closed_len);
-                if (buf) {
-                    memcpy(buf + LWS_PRE, closed_str, closed_len);
-                    lws_write(wsi, buf + LWS_PRE, closed_len, LWS_WRITE_TEXT);
-                    free(buf);
+                char* closed_str = cJSON_Print(closed_msg);
+                if (closed_str) {
+                    size_t closed_len = strlen(closed_str);
+                    unsigned char* buf = malloc(LWS_PRE + closed_len);
+                    if (buf) {
+                        memcpy(buf + LWS_PRE, closed_str, closed_len);
+                        lws_write(wsi, buf + LWS_PRE, closed_len, LWS_WRITE_TEXT);
+                        free(buf);
+                    }
+                    free(closed_str);
                 }
-                free(closed_str);
+                cJSON_Delete(closed_msg);
+
+                // Do NOT increment rate limiting counters here - the client is already rate limited.
+                // Incrementing counters while already blocked would extend the punishment indefinitely,
+                // especially for benign requests like NDK's kind 99999 pings.
+
+                return 0;
             }
-            cJSON_Delete(closed_msg);
-
-            // Update rate limiting counters
-            pss->failed_subscription_attempts++;
-            pss->last_failed_attempt = current_time;
-
-            return 0;
         }
 
         // Check session subscription limits
         if (pss->subscription_count >= g_subscription_manager.max_subscriptions_per_client) {
             DEBUG_ERROR("Maximum subscriptions per client exceeded");
 
-            // Update rate limiting counters for failed attempt
-            pss->failed_subscription_attempts++;
-            pss->last_failed_attempt = current_time;
-            pss->consecutive_failures++;
+            // Update rate limiting counters for failed attempt (but not for NDK ping)
+            if (!is_ndk_ping) {
+                pss->failed_subscription_attempts++;
+                pss->last_failed_attempt = current_time;
+                pss->consecutive_failures++;
+            }
 
             // Implement progressive backoff: 1s, 5s, 30s, 300s (5min) based on consecutive failures
             int backoff_seconds = 1;
@@ -1010,7 +1069,8 @@ int handle_req_message(const char* sub_id, cJSON* filters, struct lws *wsi, stru
         cJSON_Delete(closed_msg);
 
         // Update rate limiting counters for failed attempt (global limit reached)
-        if (pss) {
+        // Do not count NDK ping (kind 99999) toward rate limiting
+        if (pss && !is_ndk_ping) {
             time_t current_time = time(NULL);
             pss->failed_subscription_attempts++;
             pss->last_failed_attempt = current_time;

src/main.h

@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
 // Using CRELAY_ prefix to avoid conflicts with nostr_core_lib VERSION macros
 #define CRELAY_VERSION_MAJOR 1
 #define CRELAY_VERSION_MINOR 2
-#define CRELAY_VERSION_PATCH 0
-#define CRELAY_VERSION "v1.2.0"
+#define CRELAY_VERSION_PATCH 3
+#define CRELAY_VERSION "v1.2.3"
 
 // Relay metadata (authoritative source for NIP-11 information)
 #define RELAY_NAME "C-Relay"

src/subscriptions.c

@@ -265,11 +265,11 @@ int validate_subscription_id(const char* sub_id) {
         return 0; // Empty or too long
     }
 
-    // Check for valid characters (alphanumeric, underscore, hyphen, colon, comma)
+    // Check for valid characters (alphanumeric, underscore, hyphen, colon, comma, plus)
     for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
         char c = sub_id[i];
         if (!((c >= 'a' && c <= 'z') || (c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z') ||
-              (c >= '0' && c <= '9') || c == '_' || c == '-' || c == ':' || c == ',')) {
+              (c >= '0' && c <= '9') || c == '_' || c == '-' || c == ':' || c == ',' || c == '+')) {
             return 0; // Invalid character
         }
     }
@@ -1456,6 +1456,10 @@ int validate_search_term(const char* search_term, char* error_message, size_t er
 
 /**
  * Validate all filter values in a filter object
+ * Returns:
+ *   1 = valid
+ *   0 = invalid (malformed, should count toward rate limit)
+ *  -1 = invalid but benign (e.g., kind 99999 from NDK ping, should not count toward rate limit)
  */
 int validate_filter_values(cJSON* filter_json, char* error_message, size_t error_size) {
     if (!filter_json || !cJSON_IsObject(filter_json)) {
@@ -1463,6 +1467,8 @@ int validate_filter_values(cJSON* filter_json, char* error_message, size_t error
         return 0;
     }
 
+    int has_kind_99999 = 0;  // Track if we encounter kind 99999 (NDK ping)
+
     // Validate kinds array
     cJSON* kinds = cJSON_GetObjectItem(filter_json, "kinds");
     if (kinds) {
@@ -1485,11 +1491,25 @@ int validate_filter_values(cJSON* filter_json, char* error_message, size_t error
             }
 
             int kind_val = (int)cJSON_GetNumberValue(kind_item);
+            
+            // Special case: kind 99999 is used by NDK for ping/connectivity checks
+            // We reject it but don't count it as a malformed request
+            if (kind_val == 99999) {
+                has_kind_99999 = 1;
+                snprintf(error_message, error_size, "kinds[%d]: invalid event kind %d (used by NDK for ping)", i, kind_val);
+                continue;  // Continue checking other kinds
+            }
+            
             if (kind_val < 0 || kind_val > 65535) { // Reasonable range for event kinds
                 snprintf(error_message, error_size, "kinds[%d]: invalid event kind %d", i, kind_val);
                 return 0;
             }
         }
+        
+        // If we only found kind 99999 and no other validation errors, return -1 (benign error)
+        if (has_kind_99999) {
+            return -1;
+        }
     }
 
     // Validate authors array

src/websockets.c

@@ -975,11 +975,15 @@ static int nostr_relay_callback(struct lws *wsi, enum lws_callback_reasons reaso
 
                                         // Validate filters before processing
                                         char filter_error[512] = {0};
-                                        if (!validate_filter_array(filters, filter_error, sizeof(filter_error))) {
+                                        int validation_result = validate_filter_array(filters, filter_error, sizeof(filter_error));
+                                        if (validation_result <= 0) {
                                             DEBUG_TRACE("REQ rejected: filter validation failed - %s", filter_error);
                                             send_notice_message(wsi, pss, filter_error);
                                             DEBUG_WARN("REQ rejected: invalid filters");
-                                            record_malformed_request(pss);
+                                            // Only record as malformed if it's a true error (0), not benign error (-1)
+                                            if (validation_result == 0) {
+                                                record_malformed_request(pss);
+                                            }
                                             cJSON_Delete(filters);
                                             cJSON_Delete(json);
                                             // Note: complete_message points to reassembly_buffer, which is managed separately
@@ -1060,10 +1064,14 @@ static int nostr_relay_callback(struct lws *wsi, enum lws_callback_reasons reaso
 
                                         // Validate filters before processing
                                         char filter_error[512] = {0};
-                                        if (!validate_filter_array(filters, filter_error, sizeof(filter_error))) {
+                                        int validation_result = validate_filter_array(filters, filter_error, sizeof(filter_error));
+                                        if (validation_result <= 0) {
                                             send_notice_message(wsi, pss, filter_error);
                                             DEBUG_WARN("COUNT rejected: invalid filters");
-                                            record_malformed_request(pss);
+                                            // Only record as malformed if it's a true error (0), not benign error (-1)
+                                            if (validation_result == 0) {
+                                                record_malformed_request(pss);
+                                            }
                                             cJSON_Delete(filters);
                                             cJSON_Delete(json);
                                             // Note: complete_message points to reassembly_buffer, which is managed separately
@@ -1673,11 +1681,15 @@ static int nostr_relay_callback(struct lws *wsi, enum lws_callback_reasons reaso
 
                                     // Validate filters before processing
                                     char filter_error[512] = {0};
-                                    if (!validate_filter_array(filters, filter_error, sizeof(filter_error))) {
+                                    int validation_result = validate_filter_array(filters, filter_error, sizeof(filter_error));
+                                    if (validation_result <= 0) {
                                         DEBUG_TRACE("REQ rejected: filter validation failed - %s", filter_error);
                                         send_notice_message(wsi, pss, filter_error);
                                         DEBUG_WARN("REQ rejected: invalid filters");
-                                        record_malformed_request(pss);
+                                        // Only record as malformed if it's a true error (0), not benign error (-1)
+                                        if (validation_result == 0) {
+                                            record_malformed_request(pss);
+                                        }
                                         cJSON_Delete(filters);
                                         cJSON_Delete(json);
                                         free(message);
@@ -1756,10 +1768,14 @@ static int nostr_relay_callback(struct lws *wsi, enum lws_callback_reasons reaso
 
                                     // Validate filters before processing
                                     char filter_error[512] = {0};
-                                    if (!validate_filter_array(filters, filter_error, sizeof(filter_error))) {
+                                    int validation_result = validate_filter_array(filters, filter_error, sizeof(filter_error));
+                                    if (validation_result <= 0) {
                                         send_notice_message(wsi, pss, filter_error);
                                         DEBUG_WARN("COUNT rejected: invalid filters");
-                                        record_malformed_request(pss);
+                                        // Only record as malformed if it's a true error (0), not benign error (-1)
+                                        if (validation_result == 0) {
+                                            record_malformed_request(pss);
+                                        }
                                         cJSON_Delete(filters);
                                         cJSON_Delete(json);
                                         free(message);
@@ -2871,6 +2887,10 @@ int is_valid_hex_string(const char* str, size_t expected_len) {
 
 /**
  * Validate a filter array for REQ and COUNT messages
+ * Returns:
+ *   1 = valid
+ *   0 = invalid (malformed, should count toward rate limit)
+ *  -1 = invalid but benign (e.g., kind 99999 from NDK ping, should not count toward rate limit)
  */
 int validate_filter_array(cJSON* filters, char* error_message, size_t error_size) {
     if (!filters || !cJSON_IsArray(filters)) {
@@ -2884,6 +2904,8 @@ int validate_filter_array(cJSON* filters, char* error_message, size_t error_size
         return 0;
     }
 
+    int has_kind_99999 = 0;  // Track if we encounter kind 99999 (NDK ping)
+
     // Validate each filter object
     for (int i = 0; i < filter_count; i++) {
         cJSON* filter = cJSON_GetArrayItem(filters, i);
@@ -2964,6 +2986,15 @@ int validate_filter_array(cJSON* filters, char* error_message, size_t error_size
                         return 0;
                     }
                     int kind_val = (int)cJSON_GetNumberValue(kind);
+                    
+                    // Special case: kind 99999 is used by NDK (Nostr Development Kit) for ping/connectivity checks
+                    // We reject it but don't count it as a malformed request to avoid rate limiting NDK clients
+                    if (kind_val == 99999) {
+                        has_kind_99999 = 1;
+                        snprintf(error_message, error_size, "error: invalid kind value %d (NDK ping)", kind_val);
+                        continue;  // Continue checking other kinds
+                    }
+                    
                     if (kind_val < 0 || kind_val > MAX_KIND_VALUE) {
                         snprintf(error_message, error_size, "error: invalid kind value %d", kind_val);
                         return 0;
@@ -3041,5 +3072,10 @@ int validate_filter_array(cJSON* filters, char* error_message, size_t error_size
         }
     }
 
+    // If we found kind 99999 (NDK ping), return -1 to indicate benign error
+    if (has_kind_99999) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     return 1; // All filters valid
 }