Troubleshooting HTTPS connections with mitmproxy
Programming Snapshot – mitmproxy
© Lead Image © sergwsq and robert hyrons, 123RF.com
Finding the data zipping back and forth between the browser and server is not only interesting for snooping spies, but also for debugging developers. Mike Schilli gets you started with mitmproxy and shows how to customize it using Python scripts.
If things just don't work when you are developing a web application, the question immediately arises as to what data the browser and web server are actually exchanging. Tools for snooping on the network such as Wireshark (as well as proxies that sit between the client and the server) leave both requests and responses untouched, while logging them for inspection.
mitmproxy, which stands for man in the middle (MITM) proxy, is the king of the hill in this category; it makes the impossible possible by logging encrypted HTTPS requests. But first, let's look at the simplest, unencrypted case, for which my aging website perlmeister.com that still uses plain old unencrypted HTTP is a great choice.
Figure 1 shows how the browser retrieves the requested page's HTML text, along with some images and JavaScript snippets from the server. The mitmproxy tool, which is available for download as binary from [1], sports a terminal user interface (UI), which displays a double arrow to the left of the current request, called Flow in mitmproxy parlance. When you press the Enter key, the detailed request data come up, as shown in Figure 2.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Mint 22.3 Now Available with New Tools
Linux Mint 22.3 has been released with a pair of new tools for system admins and some pretty cool new features.
-
New Linux Malware Targets Cloud-Based Linux Installations
VoidLink, a new Linux malware, should be of real concern because of its stealth and customization.
-
Say Goodbye to Middle-Mouse Paste
Both Gnome and Firefox have proposed getting rid of a long-time favorite Linux feature.
-
Manjaro 26.0 Primary Desktop Environments Default to Wayland
If you want to stick with X.Org, you'll be limited to the desktop environments you can choose.
-
Mozilla Plans to AI-ify Firefox
With a new CEO in control, Mozilla is doubling down on a strategy of trust, all the while leaning into AI.
-
Gnome Says No to AI-Generated Extensions
If you're a developer wanting to create a new Gnome extension, you'd best set aside that AI code generator, because the extension team will have none of that.
-
Parrot OS Switches to KDE Plasma Desktop
Yet another distro is making the move to the KDE Plasma desktop.
-
TUXEDO Announces Gemini 17
TUXEDO Computers has released the fourth generation of its Gemini laptop with plenty of updates.
-
Two New Distros Adopt Enlightenment
MX Moksha and AV Linux 25 join ranks with Bodhi Linux and embrace the Enlightenment desktop.
-
Solus Linux 4.8 Removes Python 2
Solus Linux 4.8 has been released with the latest Linux kernel, updated desktops, and a key removal.