StandalonePasswordChange/python-flask/smeserver-password-app/DEPLOYMENT.md

SME Server Password Change Application - Deployment Guide

Overview

This Python Flask application provides a web interface for changing user passwords on SME Server systems. It interfaces with the smeserver configuration database and uses signal-event password-update to properly apply password changes.

Features

• ✅ Web interface matching the original SME Server design
• ✅ Integration with SME Server configuration database
• ✅ Password strength validation
• ✅ Current password verification
• ✅ Uses signal-event password-update for proper password updates
• ✅ Responsive design for mobile and desktop
• ✅ Error handling and security measures
• ✅ Demo mode for testing

System Requirements

• SME Server 10 or 11
• Python 3.6 or higher
• Flask and Flask-CORS Python packages
• Root access for installation

Installation Methods

Method 1: Automated Installation (Recommended)

1. Copy the entire application directory to your SME Server
2. Run the installation script as root:

   sudo ./install.sh
   

3. The script will:
   • Install Python dependencies
   • Create a systemd service
   • Start the application automatically
   • Configure it to start on boot

Method 2: Manual Installation

1. Install Python dependencies:

   pip3 install Flask==2.3.3 Flask-CORS==4.0.0
   

2. Copy application files to /opt/smeserver-password-app/

3. Create systemd service file at /etc/systemd/system/smeserver-password-web.service:

   [Unit]
   Description=SME Server Password Change Web Application
   After=network.target
   
   [Service]
   Type=simple
   User=root
   WorkingDirectory=/opt/smeserver-password-app
   Environment=FLASK_ENV=production
   ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 /opt/smeserver-password-app/app.py
   Restart=always
   RestartSec=10
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target
   

4. Enable and start the service:

   systemctl daemon-reload
   systemctl enable smeserver-password-web
   systemctl start smeserver-password-web
   

Configuration

Port Configuration

By default, the application runs on port 5000. To change the port:

1. Edit app.py and modify the port in the last line
2. Restart the service: systemctl restart smeserver-password-web

Security Configuration

• The application runs as root to access SME Server system commands
• Change the secret key in production by setting the SECRET_KEY environment variable
• Consider using a reverse proxy (nginx/apache) for SSL termination

Firewall Configuration

Open the application port in the SME Server firewall:

# For port 5000
db configuration setprop httpd-admin TCPPort 5000
signal-event remoteaccess-update

Usage

Accessing the Application

• Open a web browser and navigate to: http://your-server-ip:5000
• Fill in the form with:
  • Your account username
  • Current password
  • New password (twice for verification)
• Click "Change Password"

Password Requirements

• Minimum 7 characters
• Maximum 127 characters
• Must contain at least one letter and one number
• Cannot contain certain special characters (: ; | & ! \ " ')

Testing

Demo Mode

For testing without SME Server tools, use the demo mode:

python3 demo_mode.py

Demo users available:

• Username: testuser, Password: oldpassword123
• Username: admin, Password: adminpass456
• Username: john, Password: johnpass789

Production Testing

1. Verify the service is running: systemctl status smeserver-password-web
2. Check logs: journalctl -u smeserver-password-web -f
3. Test with a non-critical user account first

Troubleshooting

Service Won't Start

• Check logs: journalctl -u smeserver-password-web
• Verify Python dependencies are installed
• Ensure port is not in use by another service

Password Changes Fail

• Verify the user account exists in the SME Server accounts database
• Check that signal-event command is available
• Ensure the application has root privileges

Permission Errors

• The application must run as root to access system commands
• Verify file permissions in the application directory

Security Considerations

• This application requires root privileges to function properly
• Use HTTPS in production environments
• Consider implementing rate limiting for password change attempts
• Monitor logs for suspicious activity
• Keep the application updated

File Structure

smeserver-password-app/
├── app.py                    # Main Flask application
├── smeserver_utils.py        # SME Server integration utilities
├── demo_mode.py             # Demo version for testing
├── requirements.txt         # Python dependencies
├── install.sh              # Automated installation script
├── templates/
│   └── password_change.html # Web interface template
├── static/
│   └── css/
│       └── style.css       # Styling to match SME Server design
├── README.md               # Project documentation
└── DEPLOYMENT.md          # This deployment guide

Support

For issues or questions:

1. Check the application logs
2. Verify SME Server system status
3. Test with demo mode to isolate issues
4. Review the source code for customization needs