Project Management

REMOTE_USER

Zero-Day Shield

SSO + Zero-Day Protection for Redmine

by Redmine Community

Add SAML/OIDC SSO to Redmine via REMOTE_USER — Protect Project Data with Authenticated Proxy

Overview

Why Redmine Needs an Authenticated Proxy

Redmine is a widely deployed open-source project management and issue tracking platform used by software teams, engineering organizations, and government agencies. Redmine instances contain project plans, bug reports, feature requests, time tracking data, wiki pages, and document attachments. Many Redmine deployments have been running for years with accumulated institutional knowledge that would be costly to lose or expose. OnePAM adds enterprise SSO to Redmine using its built-in REMOTE_USER authentication. Users authenticate through your corporate IdP, and OnePAM injects the verified identity. Project access is controlled centrally from your IdP, and every session is audited.

HTTP Header Authentication

REMOTE_USER

Redmine supports HTTP authentication via the REMOTE_USER environment variable/header. When 'Enable login with your web server account' is enabled, Redmine trusts the authenticated identity from the reverse proxy.

Zero-Day Risk Profile

Redmine Vulnerability Risks

Without an authenticated proxy, these risks are directly exploitable by any network-reachable attacker.

Redmine and its Ruby on Rails stack have had XSS and CSRF vulnerabilities

Project data includes bug reports that may reference security vulnerabilities

Document attachments can contain sensitive specifications and contracts

Time tracking and resource data reveals organizational structure and capacity

The Challenge

Security Challenges with Redmine

These are the risks organizations face when Redmine is not behind an authenticated proxy.

Long-Running Instances

Many Redmine deployments have been running for years with accumulated project history, making them valuable targets.

Security Bug Exposure

Issue trackers often contain security vulnerability reports that should be restricted to authorized personnel.

Document Attachments

Attached files may include contracts, technical specifications, and sensitive documentation.

Plugin Vulnerabilities

Redmine plugins extend functionality but may introduce security vulnerabilities with varying maintenance quality.

Credential Sprawl

Redmine maintains its own user database, creating yet another credential outside your corporate directory.

Outdated Deployments

Many Redmine instances run older versions with known vulnerabilities due to upgrade complexity.

The OnePAM Solution

How OnePAM Adds SSO + Zero-Day Protection to Redmine

A step-by-step guide to deploying OnePAM's authenticated proxy in front of Redmine.

Deploy OnePAM in Front of Redmine

Place OnePAM as the reverse proxy for Redmine's web interface.

Redmine's web server (Passenger, Puma, or Thin) is configured to accept connections only from OnePAM.

Configure IdP Federation

Connect OnePAM to your SAML 2.0 or OIDC identity provider.

OnePAM handles authentication, MFA enforcement, and group membership retrieval.

Enable REMOTE_USER Auth

Enable Redmine's web server authentication to trust OnePAM's REMOTE_USER header.

In Redmine settings, enable 'Enable login with your web server account'. Redmine trusts the authenticated identity.

Map Project Access

IdP groups map to Redmine project memberships and roles.

Each team sees their projects, managers get project admin roles, and contractors get limited access — all from your IdP.

Audit and Comply

Every Redmine access is logged with corporate identity context.

OnePAM logs who accessed which projects, when, and from where. Session recording captures issue and document access.

Business Impact

Benefits of Securing Redmine with OnePAM

Measurable security and operational outcomes from deploying OnePAM in front of Redmine.

Protect Project History

Years of project data, issue history, and documentation are only accessible to authenticated users.

Zero unauthorized project access

Enterprise SSO for Redmine

Users authenticate with corporate credentials — no separate Redmine passwords.

Single identity for projects

Shield Outdated Instances

Even if your Redmine instance runs an older version, OnePAM blocks unauthenticated exploitation.

Protection for unpatched instances

MFA for Project Access

Require MFA before accessing project data, especially for security-sensitive issues.

MFA-protected projects

Centralized Access Management

Manage project membership from your IdP instead of Redmine's admin panel.

IdP-driven project access

Instant Deprovisioning

Disable a user in your IdP and Redmine access stops immediately.

Real-time access revocation

SSO Features

Redmine SSO Capabilities

Every feature needed to provide enterprise-grade SSO and access control for Redmine.

SAML 2.0 & OIDC SSO via Redmine REMOTE_USER

IdP group to Redmine project/role mapping

Auto-provisioning users from IdP

Session recording for compliance

IP and geo-restriction for project access

Device trust verification

API access policies (REST and XML)

Concurrent session controls

Document attachment access auditing

Multi-Redmine instance SSO support

Security

Zero-Day Protection Features

Enterprise-grade security controls that shield Redmine from exploitation.

Redmine isolated from direct network access

End-to-end TLS encryption

Request-level identity verification

Protection against Redmine XSS and CSRF vulnerabilities

Document attachment access controls

Automatic session termination on IdP sign-out

Real-World Scenarios

Redmine SSO + Security Use Cases

Common scenarios where organizations deploy OnePAM in front of Redmine.

Engineering teams accessing project management via corporate SSO

Restricting security issue trackers to authorized personnel with MFA

Contractors accessing specific projects with time-limited, audited sessions

Compliance-driven project access auditing for government and defense

Protecting long-running Redmine instances from web application vulnerabilities

Centralized project access management across multiple Redmine instances

Frequently Asked Questions

Redmine SSO + Security FAQ

Common questions about deploying OnePAM's authenticated proxy for Redmine.

Does OnePAM work with older Redmine versions?

Yes. REMOTE_USER authentication has been supported in Redmine since version 1.x. OnePAM works with all Redmine versions that support this feature.

Can we still use Redmine's API for integrations?

Yes. OnePAM supports path-based policies. API calls can use API keys while interactive sessions require SSO.

Does OnePAM affect Redmine email notifications?

No. Redmine's outbound email notifications are internal processes unaffected by OnePAM's inbound access control.

Can we restrict access to specific projects?

Yes. OnePAM passes IdP group memberships that map to Redmine project memberships and roles, providing centralized access control.

What about Redmine plugins?

OnePAM protects all Redmine URLs including those added by plugins. Plugin-specific pages are also behind authenticated proxy access.

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