Install BookStack on Fedora 27

JaredBusch

I have been looking for a documentation solution for our company for a while and have been testing a number of Wiki projects. I really liked the git backed concept of Wiki.js, but the project is lacking a solid WYSIWYG editor that I require for the less technical users to actually enter data into any system.

BookStack lacks backing to a git repository but contains a very good WYSIWYg editor.

This guide is changed up a bit. I am making use of session variables in bash. This means once you start, you cannot close your SSH session until you are done or things will not work right.

So first things, edit these bits as noted.

#Setup some session variables
######################################################
############## EDIT THESE APPROPRIATELY ##############
############### BEFORE YOU COPY/PASTE ################
######################################################
# Root password for MariaDB
export DB_ROOT_PASS='somesecurepassword'
# Database name to use for application
export DB_NAME='bookstack'
# Database user to use for application
export DB_USER='bs_user'
# The domain name you have setup for the application
# Note 1: if you use a proxy in front to handle the SSL
# or if you setup SSL directly, this needs to be https
# Note 2: You must escape the // hence \/\/
export APP_FQDN='http:\/\/wiki.domain.com'
# Folder to install application into
export APP_DIR='/var/www/html/bookstack'

Now, no more editing as you go. See how much better this is for a guide?
A couple more variables and then install all the dependencies.

######################################################
######### DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING BELOW HERE ##########
######################################################
#SELinux RW label for Apache
export HTTPDRW='httpd_sys_rw_content_t'

# Generate a random password for the bookstack database user
export DB_PASS="$(head /dev/urandom | tr -dc A-Za-z0-9 | head -c 13)"

### Begin the setup process
# Required packages + nano
dnf install -y composer git mariadb mariadb-server mcrypt nano php php-cli php-curl php-fpm php-gd php-json php-mbstring php-mysqlnd php-openssl php-pdo php-tidy php-tokenizer php-xml php-zip policycoreutils policycoreutils-python policycoreutils-python-utils

This is a basic guide and will not touch on SSL. Open the firewall and start the services. If you want SSL on this box, then use certbot later.

# Allow HTTP through the firewall default zone
firewall-cmd --add-port=http/tcp --permanent
firewall-cmd --reload

# Start and enable mariadb
systemctl start mariadb
systemctl enable mariadb

# Start and enable apache
systemctl start httpd
systemctl enable httpd

Create the app database and secure MariaDB

# Create Database and user with a random password for Bookstack
mysql -e "CREATE DATABASE $DB_NAME;"
mysql -e "CREATE USER '$DB_USER'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '$DB_PASS';"
mysql -e "GRANT ALL ON $DB_NAME.* TO '$DB_USER'@'localhost';"
mysql -e "FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"

# Secure MariaDB (this does what mysql_secure_installation performs without interaction)
mysql -e "UPDATE mysql.user SET Password=PASSWORD('$DB_ROOT_PASS') WHERE User='root';"
mysql -e "DELETE FROM mysql.user WHERE User='root' AND Host NOT IN ('localhost', '127.0.0.1', '::1');"
mysql -e "DELETE FROM mysql.user WHERE User='';"
mysql -e "DROP DATABASE test;"
mysql -e "FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"

Download BookStack and then run the composer install. Composer will generate a ton of spammy recommendations to the screen for other packages, ignore it.

# Download BookStack
git clone https://github.com/ssddanbrown/BookStack.git --branch release --single-branch $APP_DIR

# Install BookStack composer dependencies
cd $APP_DIR
composer install

The BookStack guide stated these directories needed to be writable.
They are already 755, so setup SELinux to allow them to be written to by Apache. I also setup Apache to be able to send mail as there is an advanced email setting in the configuration file.

# Setup SELinux permissions
setsebool -P httpd_can_sendmail 1
setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect 1
semanage fcontext -a -t ${HTTPDRW} "${APP_DIR}/storage(/.*)?"
restorecon -R -F ${APP_DIR}/storage
semanage fcontext -a -t ${HTTPDRW} "${APP_DIR}/bootstrap/cache(/.*)?"
restorecon -R -F ${APP_DIR}/bootstrap/cache
semanage fcontext -a -t ${HTTPDRW} "${APP_DIR}/public/uploads(/.*)?"
restorecon -R -F ${APP_DIR}/public/uploads

Setup the BookStack .env file, create the application key, and populate the database.

# Create .env file and update variables
cp $APP_DIR/.env.example $APP_DIR/.env
sed -i "s/DB_DATABASE=.*\$/DB_DATABASE=$DB_NAME/" $APP_DIR/.env
sed -i "s/DB_USERNAME=.*\$/DB_USERNAME=$DB_USER/" $APP_DIR/.env
sed -i "s/DB_PASSWORD=.*\$/DB_PASSWORD=$DB_PASS/" $APP_DIR/.env
sed -i "s/# APP_URL=.*\$/APP_URL=$APP_FQDN/" $APP_DIR/.env

# Generate the application key
php artisan key:generate --no-interaction --force
# Migrate the databases
php artisan migrate --no-interaction --force

Give Apache ownership of the app directory and create a virtual host file.

# Ensure ownership of the application directory is set to the web user (apache)
chown apache:apache -R $APP_DIR

# Create tha Apache virtual host file
cat > /etc/httpd/conf.d/bookstack.conf <<EOF
<VirtualHost *:80>
    <Directory $APP_DIR/public>
        Require all granted
        AllowOverride All
        #Options +Indexes
    </Directory>
    DocumentRoot $APP_DIR/public
    ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/bookstack.error.log
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/access_log combined
</VirtualHost>
EOF

Finally, restart Apache.

# Restart httpd
systemctl restart httpd

Navigate to your FQDN and login with the default credentials.

FQDN: http://wiki.domain.com
Username: admin@admin.com
Password: password

Change the default login and enjoy your BookStack Wiki.

JaredBusch

There are more advanced features and functions available if you read the documentation.
https://www.bookstackapp.com/docs/

JaredBusch

Because I have a hypervisor in a colo that I run most of my services on, I have an instance running Nginx as a reverse proxy in front of any web services.

It handles my SSL certififcates and connects without SSL to the servers behind it. Nothing is ever on a network bus to be intercepted.

If you are in a similar situation with a proxy handling everything, then you only need to make a single change on your BookStack instance.

Open up the .env file

nano /var/www/html/bookstack/.env

Edit the APP_URL to be https instead of http

APP_URL=https://wiki.domain.com

JaredBusch

If you want to use SSL directly on the instance, then I recommend that you use certbot.

JaredBusch

The forced structure (Book - Chapter - Page) and the WSYIWYG editor make this the best Wiki I have ever used from the ease of use perspective.

And trust me, ease of use is the primary factor. Because if it is not easy to use it will not get used.

NashBrydges

@jaredbusch I'm really enjoying the layout and functionality.

AdamF

Well, looks like I have a new wiki to test.

JaredBusch

@fuznutz04 said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

Well, looks like I have a new wiki to test.

I really liked Wiki.js technically. But functionality wins.

AdamF

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@fuznutz04 said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

Well, looks like I have a new wiki to test.

I really liked Wiki.js technically. But functionality wins.

Agreed. I liked the look and layout, but it has to be easy for most people to use. Also, it has to have good progress being made.

JaredBusch

Pull request made to update their documentation to include this guide.
https://github.com/BookStackApp/website/pull/20

Obsolesce

I'll use Bookstack as a wiki when they improve dev...

https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2017-1000462/
https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack/issues/575

This has been open since October.

JaredBusch

@tim_g said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

I'll use Bookstack as a wiki when they improve dev...

https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2017-1000462/
https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack/issues/575

This has been open since October.

Unless you have untrusted users in the wiki, this is not a serious issue.

Sure, it needs handled, but you have to be able to author/edit a page in the first place in order to exploit this.

Obsolesce

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@tim_g said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

I'll use Bookstack as a wiki when they improve dev...

https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2017-1000462/
https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack/issues/575

This has been open since October.

Unless you have untrusted users in the wiki, this is not a serious issue.

Sure, it needs handled, but you have to be able to author/edit a page in the first place in order to exploit this.

It's not the severity of it, it's that it's still open. It's that there's not enough development work on it that has me concerned. What's next?

I know WP has a lot of vulnerabilities listed, but they are all patch, and they are quickly patched.

It's a shame because Bookstack looks like a winner other than that.

JaredBusch

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@tim_g said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

I'll use Bookstack as a wiki when they improve dev...

https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2017-1000462/
https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack/issues/575

This has been open since October.

Unless you have untrusted users in the wiki, this is not a serious issue.

Sure, it needs handled, but you have to be able to author/edit a page in the first place in order to exploit this.

Also, I cannot replicate, I tried.

JaredBusch

Looks like a misleading report.
0_1519173031871_6c80a49a-c03f-4a74-9002-68696be105e5-image.png

Obsolesce

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@tim_g said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

I'll use Bookstack as a wiki when they improve dev...

https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2017-1000462/
https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack/issues/575

This has been open since October.

Unless you have untrusted users in the wiki, this is not a serious issue.

Sure, it needs handled, but you have to be able to author/edit a page in the first place in order to exploit this.

Also, I cannot replicate, I tried.

Still, I see it as a high-risk software. It's not widely used, the devs are slow, and I doubt big vulnerabilities are will be dealt with appropriately.

If it's on a VPS for example, there can be a greater potential for server-wide compromising. When it becomes more popular (which I'm sure it will because it seems great), the vulnerabilities will be discovered... and they WILL be taken advantage of.

I just don't trust putting software on a public server that isn't very widely used, active, and developed. I'd rather wait.

JaredBusch

@tim_g said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@tim_g said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

I'll use Bookstack as a wiki when they improve dev...

https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2017-1000462/
https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack/issues/575

This has been open since October.

Unless you have untrusted users in the wiki, this is not a serious issue.

Sure, it needs handled, but you have to be able to author/edit a page in the first place in order to exploit this.

Also, I cannot replicate, I tried.

Still, I see it as a high-risk software. It's not widely used, the devs are slow, and I doubt big vulnerabilities are will be dealt with appropriately.

If it's on a VPS for example, there can be a greater potential for server-wide compromising. When it becomes more popular (which I'm sure it will because it seems great), the vulnerabilities will be discovered... and they WILL be taken advantage of.

I just don't trust putting software on a public server that isn't very widely used, active, and developed. I'd rather wait.

That is a bullshit answer.
Your pet issue has been disproved.

Obsolesce

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@tim_g said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@jaredbusch said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

@tim_g said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

I'll use Bookstack as a wiki when they improve dev...

https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2017-1000462/
https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack/issues/575

This has been open since October.

Unless you have untrusted users in the wiki, this is not a serious issue.

Sure, it needs handled, but you have to be able to author/edit a page in the first place in order to exploit this.

Also, I cannot replicate, I tried.

Still, I see it as a high-risk software. It's not widely used, the devs are slow, and I doubt big vulnerabilities are will be dealt with appropriately.

If it's on a VPS for example, there can be a greater potential for server-wide compromising. When it becomes more popular (which I'm sure it will because it seems great), the vulnerabilities will be discovered... and they WILL be taken advantage of.

I just don't trust putting software on a public server that isn't very widely used, active, and developed. I'd rather wait.

That is a bullshit answer.
Your pet issue has been disproved.

Not pet issue, just a CVE that I seen... which I did not test. I just assumed vulnerabilities on that site were legit. I guess not.

Now I have to question the credibility of every single security vulnerability on that website.

I don't have time to test every CVE out there to verify them.

Who knows, maybe Bookstack is completely secure with no possibility of a vulnerability. If that's the case, I'll definitly hop on board.

i3

Thank you @JaredBusch for the excellent write up. I followed your instructions (copy and paste after editing the first section only) and did not receive any errors, however when I navigate to fqdn, it directs me to a page cannot be found page. Looking at the url it looks like is is appending the url twice.

For example:
I enter wiki.example.com
and it navigates me to wiki.example.com/http:/wiki.example.com/login

If I manually go to wiki.example.com/login I get a login page that is missing images.

0_1519247086672_65e63e4c-d9c5-49bd-b0d3-87c79893b894-image.png

Any thoughts?

JaredBusch

@i3 said in Install BookStack on Fedora 27:

Thank you @JaredBusch for the excellent write up. I followed your instructions (copy and paste after editing the first section only) and did not receive any errors, however when I navigate to fqdn, it directs me to a page cannot be found page. Looking at the url it looks like is is appending the url twice.

For example:
I enter wiki.example.com
and it navigates me to wiki.example.com/http:/wiki.example.com/login

If I manually go to wiki.example.com/login I get a login page that is missing images.

Any thoughts?

Check the APP_URL in your .env file.

grep APP_URL /var/www/html/bookstack/.env

You should see something like this
0_1519247534365_6b542851-7a0a-47c5-b781-b4363796142c-image.png