admindb 2.1.1 → 2.3.0

package/docs/SECURITY.md

@@ -1,265 +1,265 @@
-# AdminDB Security, Authentication & Protection Guide
-
-> Comprehensive guide to AdminDB's security architecture, shared responsibility model, native authentication system, filesystem browsing sandboxing, remote PostgreSQL protection, and production deployment safeguards.
-
----
-
-## 📑 Table of Contents
-
-- [🛡️ Security Responsibility Model (Crucial)](#️-security-responsibility-model-crucial)
-- [Native Authentication System](#native-authentication-system)
-  - [Default Credentials & Alerts](#default-credentials--alerts)
-  - [Cryptographic Password Hashing (`npm run generatehash`)](#cryptographic-password-hashing-npm-run-generatehash)
-  - [Configuring Credentials](#configuring-credentials)
-  - [Session Tokens & Cookie Security](#session-tokens--cookie-security)
-- [Protecting AdminDB with Your Own Application Auth](#protecting-admindb-with-your-own-application-auth)
-  - [Custom Express Middleware (Recommended for Production)](#custom-express-middleware-recommended-for-production)
-  - [Reverse Proxy & Gateway Protection (Nginx, Caddy, Cloudflare Zero Trust)](#reverse-proxy--gateway-protection-nginx-caddy-cloudflare-zero-trust)
-- [Manager Mode & Filesystem Browsing Security](#manager-mode--filesystem-browsing-security)
-  - [Path Sandboxing (`browseRoot`) & Traversal Prevention](#path-sandboxing-browseroot--traversal-prevention)
-  - [Blocked Files & Secret Exclusion](#blocked-files--secret-exclusion)
-  - [Disabling File Browsing Completely](#disabling-file-browsing-completely)
-- [Remote PostgreSQL Security](#remote-postgresql-security)
-  - [Credential Masking & Memory Sanitation](#credential-masking--memory-sanitation)
-  - [Secure JSON Configuration Files (`name.postgres.json`)](#secure-json-configuration-files-namepostgresjson)
-  - [Per-Database Read-Only Enforcements](#per-database-read-only-enforcements)
-- [Production Security Checklist](#production-security-checklist)
-- [SQL Safety & Injection Protections](#sql-safety--injection-protections)
-- [Universal Destructive Action Safeguards](#universal-destructive-action-safeguards)
-
----
-
-## 🛡️ Security Responsibility Model (Crucial)
-
-> [!WARNING]
-> **IMPORTANT: Native Authentication is Basic Security.**
-> AdminDB's built-in single-user login screen and HTTP basic authentication are intended as **convenience access controls** for local development, trusted private intranets, or single-operator setups.
-> 
-> **It is the user's sole responsibility to fully protect AdminDB** when exposing it to untrusted networks, shared environments, or the public internet.
-
-For production or team usage, you should **always**:
-1. **Wrap AdminDB with your application's own authentication**: If embedding via Express/Node.js (`createRouter`), apply your organization's robust authentication middleware (e.g. NextAuth, Passport.js, OAuth2/OIDC, JWT verification, or session guards) before the AdminDB router, and disable native auth (`auth: false`).
-2. **Place behind a secure reverse proxy or VPN**: Terminate TLS/HTTPS and enforce IP allowlisting, Cloudflare Zero Trust / Cloudflare Access, AWS Cognito, or Tailscale/WireGuard.
-3. **Use granular database credentials**: Create dedicated database users with least-privilege permissions instead of root `postgres` superuser accounts.
-
----
-
-## Native Authentication System
-
-### Default Credentials & Alerts
-
-Out of the box, AdminDB includes default credentials to ensure a newly launched server is never exposed completely open:
-
-* **Default Username:** `admin`
-* **Default Password:** `admin` *(stored internally via a salted `scrypt` hash)*
-
-> [!CAUTION]
-> When running with default credentials, AdminDB displays a prominent warning in your terminal on startup and an alert badge in the web UI. Always generate a custom password for anything beyond local testing.
-
----
-
-### Cryptographic Password Hashing (`npm run generatehash`)
-
-AdminDB uses Node.js's built-in cryptographic `scrypt` algorithm with a unique 16-byte random salt per hash. To generate a secure hash for your custom password:
-
-```bash
-npm run generatehash
-```
-
-The interactive script prompts:
-```text
-Enter password to hash: [your-strong-password]
-```
-
-And outputs a formatted hash:
-```text
-⚡ AdminDB Password Hash Generated
-
-➜  Hash: scrypt:8011bcda719a32dd307cbcbad899e963:854657965139a68b14ffb30f6a64a18d8b10197046e720dbf6e2e26fee2c5dcc2b6a8b8aed514c1a2be7d73279481bf780c4cf381b68eea40d4e2a7b58dd24f8
-```
-
-You can also pass the password as a command-line argument:
-```bash
-node scripts/generate-hash.mjs "my_strong_password_123"
-```
-
----
-
-### Configuring Credentials
-
-You can supply the generated hash (or plain-text password) through any of the following methods:
-
-#### 1. Environment Variables (`.env`)
-```bash
-export ADMINDB_USERNAME="ops_admin"
-export ADMINDB_PASSWORD="scrypt:8011bcda719a32dd307cbcbad899e963:854657965139a68b14ffb30f6a64a18d8b10197046e720dbf6e2e26fee2c5dcc2b6a8b8aed514c1a2be7d73279481bf780c4cf381b68eea40d4e2a7b58dd24f8"
-export ADMINDB_SECRET="a7f8e92c4b1d6e3f8a0b5c7d9e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8"
-
-npx admindb
-```
-
-#### 2. CLI Flags
-```bash
-admindb -u ops_admin -P "scrypt:8011bcda719a32dd307cbcbad899e963:854657965139a68b14ffb30f6a64a18d8b10197046e720dbf6e2e26fee2c5dcc2b6a8b8aed514c1a2be7d73279481bf780c4cf381b68eea40d4e2a7b58dd24f8"
-```
-
-#### 3. JSON Configuration File (`name.postgres.json`)
-```json
-{
-  "production": "postgresql://postgres:secret@localhost:5432/mydb",
-  "auth": {
-    "username": "ops_admin",
-    "password": "scrypt:8011bcda719a32dd307cbcbad899e963:854657965139a68b14ffb30f6a64a18d8b10197046e720dbf6e2e26fee2c5dcc2b6a8b8aed514c1a2be7d73279481bf780c4cf381b68eea40d4e2a7b58dd24f8"
-  }
-}
-```
-
----
-
-### Session Tokens & Cookie Security
-
-When a user logs in through the web UI:
-1. **Token Generation:** A cryptographic timestamped token is created and signed using `HMAC-SHA256` with your configured `ADMINDB_SECRET`.
-2. **Cookie Security Flags:** The session cookie (`admindb_session`) is set with:
-   - `HttpOnly: true` (prevents client JavaScript access & XSS token theft)
-   - `SameSite: Lax` (protects against Cross-Site Request Forgery)
-   - `Path: /` (or your configured `basePath`)
-3. **Constant-Time Verification:** Password matching and token signature verification use constant-time comparisons (`crypto.timingSafeEqual`) to protect against timing attacks.
-
----
-
-## Protecting AdminDB with Your Own Application Auth
-
-### Custom Express Middleware (Recommended for Production)
-
-When embedding AdminDB in an existing Express / Next.js backend, turn off built-in auth (`auth: false`) and apply your existing session or JWT middleware:
-
-```ts
-import express from 'express';
-import { createRouter } from 'admindb';
-
-const app = express();
-
-// Your enterprise authentication middleware
-function requireAdminRole(req: express.Request, res: express.Response, next: express.NextFunction) {
-  if (req.user && req.user.role === 'SUPERADMIN') {
-    return next();
-  }
-  res.status(403).send('Forbidden: AdminDB requires SUPERADMIN privileges');
-}
-
-app.use('/admin', requireAdminRole, createRouter({
-  connection: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
-  basePath: '/admin',
-  auth: false, // Turn off built-in login form; rely on requireAdminRole
-}));
-
-app.listen(45531);
-```
-
----
-
-### Reverse Proxy & Gateway Protection (Nginx, Caddy, Cloudflare Zero Trust)
-
-If running AdminDB standalone (`npx admindb`), bind to localhost (`HOST=127.0.0.1`) and put a reverse proxy in front:
-
-```nginx
-# Nginx reverse proxy with IP allowlist and HTTPS termination
-server {
-    listen 443 ssl http2;
-    server_name db.yourcompany.internal;
-
-    ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/app.crt;
-    ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/certs/app.key;
-
-    # Restrict to VPN / Office IP range
-    allow 10.0.0.0/8;
-    allow 192.168.1.0/24;
-    deny all;
-
-    location / {
-        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:45531;
-        proxy_set_header Host $host;
-        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
-        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
-        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
-    }
-}
-```
-
----
-
-## Manager Mode & Filesystem Browsing Security
-
-In Manager Mode, AdminDB provides an interactive filesystem browser to locate and open SQLite databases on the host. Several defensive measures protect host integrity:
-
-### Path Sandboxing (`browseRoot`) & Traversal Prevention
-- **Sandboxed Root (`browseRoot` / `-d <folder>`):** When started with a specific directory or `--browse-root`, browsing is strictly jailed to that folder. Any attempt to navigate upward returns `403 Forbidden`.
-- **Symlink Escape Protection:** All path validations resolve real filesystem symlinks (`realpathSync`), preventing symlink-based jailbreaks.
-- **Null-Byte Injection Blocking:** All inputs containing `\0` null-bytes are rejected immediately.
-
-### Blocked Files & Secret Exclusion
-The file browser automatically ignores and conceals sensitive system folders and secrets:
-- Directories: `node_modules`, `.git`, `.svn`, `.hg`, `.aws`, `.ssh`, `System Volume Information`, `$RECYCLE.BIN`.
-- Secret Files: Hidden dotfiles (`.*`), `.env`, `.env.local`, `.env.production`.
-- File Filter: Only recognized database files (`.db`, `.sqlite`, `.sqlite3`) are displayed for opening.
-
-### Disabling File Browsing Completely
-When AdminDB is started with explicit database files (`--files`, `name.postgres.json`) or in serverless environments, **filesystem browsing is automatically disabled** (`allowBrowse: false`), eliminating any directory traversal attack surface.
-
----
-
-## Remote PostgreSQL Security
-
-### Credential Masking & Memory Sanitation
-- When PostgreSQL connection URIs (`postgresql://user:password@host:5432/db`) are registered, credentials are sanitised across the UI, responses, and log messages (`postgresql://user:****@host:5432/db`).
-- Passwords are encrypted in-memory and are never leaked to client browsers.
-
-### Secure JSON Configuration Files (`name.postgres.json`)
-To avoid leaking passwords in shell history or process tables (`ps aux`), store database connections in a restricted JSON file:
-
-```json
-{
-  "production": "postgresql://postgres:secret@prod.internal:5432/prod_db",
-  "analytics": "postgresql://postgres:secret@analytics.internal:5432/dw_db"
-}
-```
-
-And start AdminDB using the file:
-```bash
-npx admindb name.postgres.json
-```
-
-### Per-Database Read-Only Enforcements
-- AdminDB allows marking any PostgreSQL or SQLite database as **Read-only** directly from the UI or configuration (`[ ] Open as Read-only`).
-- In read-only mode, all write statements (`INSERT`, `UPDATE`, `DELETE`, `DROP`, `ALTER`, `CREATE`) and data-mutating APIs are blocked at the engine layer.
-
----
-
-## Production Security Checklist
-
-- [ ] **Custom Credentials:** Replaced default `admin/admin` with a salted `scrypt` hash (`npm run generatehash`).
-- [ ] **Fixed Session Secret:** Configured `ADMINDB_SECRET` to prevent session invalidation on restart.
-- [ ] **Private Interface:** Bound to `HOST=127.0.0.1` or private subnet.
-- [ ] **HTTPS / TLS:** Terminated SSL via reverse proxy or load balancer.
-- [ ] **Custom Auth Wrapper:** Placed behind application auth middleware when embedded in Express.
-- [ ] **Least Privilege DB Users:** Connected PostgreSQL using dedicated user roles with appropriate table grants.
-- [ ] **Read-Only Where Applicable:** Enabled `--readonly` for auditing and data-viewer personas.
-- [ ] **Jailed Browsing:** Specified `-d /path/to/dbs` or disabled browsing with explicit files.
-
----
-
-## SQL Safety & Injection Protections
-
-1. **Identifier Quoting:** Identifiers (table names, columns, indexes) are safely double-quoted (`"table_name"`).
-2. **Parameterized Queries:** Queries use native driver parameter placeholders (`?` for SQLite, `$1, $2, ...` for PostgreSQL).
-3. **Safe Preview Modes:** Preview endpoints return raw generated SQL strings for visual inspection without executing against the database.
-4. **Internal Table Protection:** Internal AdminDB state tables (`_saved_queries`) are protected from being dropped, renamed, or mutated.
-
----
-
-## Universal Destructive Action Safeguards
-
-1. **Interactive Confirmation Barriers (`UI.confirm`):** Prompts with primary key details and impact assessments before single/bulk deletions.
-2. **Type-to-Confirm Input Verification:** Dropping tables and deleting database files requires typing the exact name of the item.
-3. **Transactional Isolation:** Bulk operations and CSV imports run in atomic transactions (`BEGIN ... COMMIT/ROLLBACK`), ensuring zero partial corruption on errors.
+# AdminDB Security, Authentication & Protection Guide
+
+> Comprehensive guide to AdminDB's security architecture, shared responsibility model, native authentication system, filesystem browsing sandboxing, remote PostgreSQL protection, and production deployment safeguards.
+
+---
+
+## 📑 Table of Contents
+
+- [🛡️ Security Responsibility Model (Crucial)](#️-security-responsibility-model-crucial)
+- [Native Authentication System](#native-authentication-system)
+  - [Default Credentials & Alerts](#default-credentials--alerts)
+  - [Cryptographic Password Hashing (`npm run generatehash`)](#cryptographic-password-hashing-npm-run-generatehash)
+  - [Configuring Credentials](#configuring-credentials)
+  - [Session Tokens & Cookie Security](#session-tokens--cookie-security)
+- [Protecting AdminDB with Your Own Application Auth](#protecting-admindb-with-your-own-application-auth)
+  - [Custom Express Middleware (Recommended for Production)](#custom-express-middleware-recommended-for-production)
+  - [Reverse Proxy & Gateway Protection (Nginx, Caddy, Cloudflare Zero Trust)](#reverse-proxy--gateway-protection-nginx-caddy-cloudflare-zero-trust)
+- [Manager Mode & Filesystem Browsing Security](#manager-mode--filesystem-browsing-security)
+  - [Path Sandboxing (`browseRoot`) & Traversal Prevention](#path-sandboxing-browseroot--traversal-prevention)
+  - [Blocked Files & Secret Exclusion](#blocked-files--secret-exclusion)
+  - [Disabling File Browsing Completely](#disabling-file-browsing-completely)
+- [Remote PostgreSQL Security](#remote-postgresql-security)
+  - [Credential Masking & Memory Sanitation](#credential-masking--memory-sanitation)
+  - [Secure JSON Configuration Files (`name.postgres.json`)](#secure-json-configuration-files-namepostgresjson)
+  - [Per-Database Read-Only Enforcements](#per-database-read-only-enforcements)
+- [Production Security Checklist](#production-security-checklist)
+- [SQL Safety & Injection Protections](#sql-safety--injection-protections)
+- [Universal Destructive Action Safeguards](#universal-destructive-action-safeguards)
+
+---
+
+## 🛡️ Security Responsibility Model (Crucial)
+
+> [!WARNING]
+> **IMPORTANT: Native Authentication is Basic Security.**
+> AdminDB's built-in single-user login screen and HTTP basic authentication are intended as **convenience access controls** for local development, trusted private intranets, or single-operator setups.
+> 
+> **It is the user's sole responsibility to fully protect AdminDB** when exposing it to untrusted networks, shared environments, or the public internet.
+
+For production or team usage, you should **always**:
+1. **Wrap AdminDB with your application's own authentication**: If embedding via Express/Node.js (`createRouter`), apply your organization's robust authentication middleware (e.g. NextAuth, Passport.js, OAuth2/OIDC, JWT verification, or session guards) before the AdminDB router, and disable native auth (`auth: false`).
+2. **Place behind a secure reverse proxy or VPN**: Terminate TLS/HTTPS and enforce IP allowlisting, Cloudflare Zero Trust / Cloudflare Access, AWS Cognito, or Tailscale/WireGuard.
+3. **Use granular database credentials**: Create dedicated database users with least-privilege permissions instead of root `postgres` superuser accounts.
+
+---
+
+## Native Authentication System
+
+### Default Credentials & Alerts
+
+Out of the box, AdminDB includes default credentials to ensure a newly launched server is never exposed completely open:
+
+* **Default Username:** `admin`
+* **Default Password:** `admin` *(stored internally via a salted `scrypt` hash)*
+
+> [!CAUTION]
+> When running with default credentials, AdminDB displays a prominent warning in your terminal on startup and an alert badge in the web UI. Always generate a custom password for anything beyond local testing.
+
+---
+
+### Cryptographic Password Hashing (`npm run generatehash`)
+
+AdminDB uses Node.js's built-in cryptographic `scrypt` algorithm with a unique 16-byte random salt per hash. To generate a secure hash for your custom password:
+
+```bash
+npm run generatehash
+```
+
+The interactive script prompts:
+```text
+Enter password to hash: [your-strong-password]
+```
+
+And outputs a formatted hash:
+```text
+⚡ AdminDB Password Hash Generated
+
+➜  Hash: scrypt:8011bcda719a32dd307cbcbad899e963:854657965139a68b14ffb30f6a64a18d8b10197046e720dbf6e2e26fee2c5dcc2b6a8b8aed514c1a2be7d73279481bf780c4cf381b68eea40d4e2a7b58dd24f8
+```
+
+You can also pass the password as a command-line argument:
+```bash
+node scripts/generate-hash.mjs "my_strong_password_123"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Configuring Credentials
+
+You can supply the generated hash (or plain-text password) through any of the following methods:
+
+#### 1. Environment Variables (`.env`)
+```bash
+export ADMINDB_USERNAME="ops_admin"
+export ADMINDB_PASSWORD="scrypt:8011bcda719a32dd307cbcbad899e963:854657965139a68b14ffb30f6a64a18d8b10197046e720dbf6e2e26fee2c5dcc2b6a8b8aed514c1a2be7d73279481bf780c4cf381b68eea40d4e2a7b58dd24f8"
+export ADMINDB_SECRET="a7f8e92c4b1d6e3f8a0b5c7d9e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8"
+
+npx admindb
+```
+
+#### 2. CLI Flags
+```bash
+admindb -u ops_admin -P "scrypt:8011bcda719a32dd307cbcbad899e963:854657965139a68b14ffb30f6a64a18d8b10197046e720dbf6e2e26fee2c5dcc2b6a8b8aed514c1a2be7d73279481bf780c4cf381b68eea40d4e2a7b58dd24f8"
+```
+
+#### 3. JSON Configuration File (`name.postgres.json`)
+```json
+{
+  "production": "postgresql://postgres:secret@localhost:5432/mydb",
+  "auth": {
+    "username": "ops_admin",
+    "password": "scrypt:8011bcda719a32dd307cbcbad899e963:854657965139a68b14ffb30f6a64a18d8b10197046e720dbf6e2e26fee2c5dcc2b6a8b8aed514c1a2be7d73279481bf780c4cf381b68eea40d4e2a7b58dd24f8"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+---
+
+### Session Tokens & Cookie Security
+
+When a user logs in through the web UI:
+1. **Token Generation:** A cryptographic timestamped token is created and signed using `HMAC-SHA256` with your configured `ADMINDB_SECRET`.
+2. **Cookie Security Flags:** The session cookie (`admindb_session`) is set with:
+   - `HttpOnly: true` (prevents client JavaScript access & XSS token theft)
+   - `SameSite: Lax` (protects against Cross-Site Request Forgery)
+   - `Path: /` (or your configured `basePath`)
+3. **Constant-Time Verification:** Password matching and token signature verification use constant-time comparisons (`crypto.timingSafeEqual`) to protect against timing attacks.
+
+---
+
+## Protecting AdminDB with Your Own Application Auth
+
+### Custom Express Middleware (Recommended for Production)
+
+When embedding AdminDB in an existing Express / Next.js backend, turn off built-in auth (`auth: false`) and apply your existing session or JWT middleware:
+
+```ts
+import express from 'express';
+import { createRouter } from 'admindb';
+
+const app = express();
+
+// Your enterprise authentication middleware
+function requireAdminRole(req: express.Request, res: express.Response, next: express.NextFunction) {
+  if (req.user && req.user.role === 'SUPERADMIN') {
+    return next();
+  }
+  res.status(403).send('Forbidden: AdminDB requires SUPERADMIN privileges');
+}
+
+app.use('/admin', requireAdminRole, createRouter({
+  connection: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
+  basePath: '/admin',
+  auth: false, // Turn off built-in login form; rely on requireAdminRole
+}));
+
+app.listen(45531);
+```
+
+---
+
+### Reverse Proxy & Gateway Protection (Nginx, Caddy, Cloudflare Zero Trust)
+
+If running AdminDB standalone (`npx admindb`), bind to localhost (`HOST=127.0.0.1`) and put a reverse proxy in front:
+
+```nginx
+# Nginx reverse proxy with IP allowlist and HTTPS termination
+server {
+    listen 443 ssl http2;
+    server_name db.yourcompany.internal;
+
+    ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/app.crt;
+    ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/certs/app.key;
+
+    # Restrict to VPN / Office IP range
+    allow 10.0.0.0/8;
+    allow 192.168.1.0/24;
+    deny all;
+
+    location / {
+        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:45531;
+        proxy_set_header Host $host;
+        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
+        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
+        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
+    }
+}
+```
+
+---
+
+## Manager Mode & Filesystem Browsing Security
+
+In Manager Mode, AdminDB provides an interactive filesystem browser to locate and open SQLite databases on the host. Several defensive measures protect host integrity:
+
+### Path Sandboxing (`browseRoot`) & Traversal Prevention
+- **Sandboxed Root (`browseRoot` / `-d <folder>`):** When started with a specific directory or `--browse-root`, browsing is strictly jailed to that folder. Any attempt to navigate upward returns `403 Forbidden`.
+- **Symlink Escape Protection:** All path validations resolve real filesystem symlinks (`realpathSync`), preventing symlink-based jailbreaks.
+- **Null-Byte Injection Blocking:** All inputs containing `\0` null-bytes are rejected immediately.
+
+### Blocked Files & Secret Exclusion
+The file browser automatically ignores and conceals sensitive system folders and secrets:
+- Directories: `node_modules`, `.git`, `.svn`, `.hg`, `.aws`, `.ssh`, `System Volume Information`, `$RECYCLE.BIN`.
+- Secret Files: Hidden dotfiles (`.*`), `.env`, `.env.local`, `.env.production`.
+- File Filter: Only recognized database files (`.db`, `.sqlite`, `.sqlite3`) are displayed for opening.
+
+### Disabling File Browsing Completely
+When AdminDB is started with explicit database files (`--files`, `name.postgres.json`) or in serverless environments, **filesystem browsing is automatically disabled** (`allowBrowse: false`), eliminating any directory traversal attack surface.
+
+---
+
+## Remote PostgreSQL Security
+
+### Credential Masking & Memory Sanitation
+- When PostgreSQL connection URIs (`postgresql://user:password@host:5432/db`) are registered, credentials are sanitised across the UI, responses, and log messages (`postgresql://user:****@host:5432/db`).
+- Passwords are encrypted in-memory and are never leaked to client browsers.
+
+### Secure JSON Configuration Files (`name.postgres.json`)
+To avoid leaking passwords in shell history or process tables (`ps aux`), store database connections in a restricted JSON file:
+
+```json
+{
+  "production": "postgresql://postgres:secret@prod.internal:5432/prod_db",
+  "analytics": "postgresql://postgres:secret@analytics.internal:5432/dw_db"
+}
+```
+
+And start AdminDB using the file:
+```bash
+npx admindb name.postgres.json
+```
+
+### Per-Database Read-Only Enforcements
+- AdminDB allows marking any PostgreSQL or SQLite database as **Read-only** directly from the UI or configuration (`[ ] Open as Read-only`).
+- In read-only mode, all write statements (`INSERT`, `UPDATE`, `DELETE`, `DROP`, `ALTER`, `CREATE`) and data-mutating APIs are blocked at the engine layer.
+
+---
+
+## Production Security Checklist
+
+- [ ] **Custom Credentials:** Replaced default `admin/admin` with a salted `scrypt` hash (`npm run generatehash`).
+- [ ] **Fixed Session Secret:** Configured `ADMINDB_SECRET` to prevent session invalidation on restart.
+- [ ] **Private Interface:** Bound to `HOST=127.0.0.1` or private subnet.
+- [ ] **HTTPS / TLS:** Terminated SSL via reverse proxy or load balancer.
+- [ ] **Custom Auth Wrapper:** Placed behind application auth middleware when embedded in Express.
+- [ ] **Least Privilege DB Users:** Connected PostgreSQL using dedicated user roles with appropriate table grants.
+- [ ] **Read-Only Where Applicable:** Enabled `--readonly` for auditing and data-viewer personas.
+- [ ] **Jailed Browsing:** Specified `-d /path/to/dbs` or disabled browsing with explicit files.
+
+---
+
+## SQL Safety & Injection Protections
+
+1. **Identifier Quoting:** Identifiers (table names, columns, indexes) are safely double-quoted (`"table_name"`).
+2. **Parameterized Queries:** Queries use native driver parameter placeholders (`?` for SQLite, `$1, $2, ...` for PostgreSQL).
+3. **Safe Preview Modes:** Preview endpoints return raw generated SQL strings for visual inspection without executing against the database.
+4. **Internal Table Protection:** Internal AdminDB state tables (`_saved_queries`) are protected from being dropped, renamed, or mutated.
+
+---
+
+## Universal Destructive Action Safeguards
+
+1. **Interactive Confirmation Barriers (`UI.confirm`):** Prompts with primary key details and impact assessments before single/bulk deletions.
+2. **Type-to-Confirm Input Verification:** Dropping tables and deleting database files requires typing the exact name of the item.
+3. **Transactional Isolation:** Bulk operations and CSV imports run in atomic transactions (`BEGIN ... COMMIT/ROLLBACK`), ensuring zero partial corruption on errors.