insecurerequestwarning: unverified https request is being made to host

Guri Bee

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22-10-2024

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InsecureRequestWarning: Unverified HTTPS Request - Understanding and Fixing the Warning

The InsecureRequestWarning in Python, specifically "Unverified HTTPS request is being made to host", is a common warning that pops up when you're working with HTTPS requests in your code. This warning signifies a potential security risk and is crucial to address.

What is InsecureRequestWarning?

This warning is a safety net built into Python's urllib3 library, which is used for handling HTTP requests. It essentially tells you that your code is attempting to connect to an HTTPS server without verifying the server's identity through a valid SSL/TLS certificate. This lack of verification could leave your data vulnerable to attacks like:

• Man-in-the-Middle attacks: A malicious actor could intercept your communication and impersonate the server, potentially stealing sensitive information.
• Data tampering: An attacker could modify the data you send or receive, potentially leading to unwanted consequences.

Why is it a Warning and Not an Error?

Python doesn't immediately stop your code execution upon encountering this warning because sometimes you might deliberately want to connect to a server without verification. This could be for specific scenarios like testing, working with internal servers, or connecting to servers with self-signed certificates.

Understanding the Issue

Let's break down the code snippet that typically triggers this warning:

import requests

response = requests.get('https://example.com') 

In this example, the code tries to fetch data from https://example.com using the requests library. If the server doesn't have a valid SSL/TLS certificate, or if the certificate is not trusted by your system, the InsecureRequestWarning will be issued.

Resolving the Warning

Here's how to handle the warning and ensure secure communication:

1. Verify the Certificate:

• The Recommended Approach: The safest solution is to ensure the server you are connecting to has a valid, trusted SSL/TLS certificate. This can be done by:
  • Obtaining a Certificate: If the server doesn't have one, consider obtaining a certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA).
  • Checking Certificate Details: You can use tools like openssl s_client or online certificate checkers to examine the certificate's validity and details.
• Using verify=True: The requests library provides the verify parameter to explicitly enable certificate verification. Setting it to True (the default) ensures that the server's certificate is verified.

Example with verify=True:

import requests

response = requests.get('https://example.com', verify=True)

2. Disable Certificate Verification (Use with Extreme Caution):

• If you absolutely cannot verify the certificate, you can temporarily disable verification for testing or specific scenarios.
• Warning: Disabling verification significantly increases the risk of security vulnerabilities and should only be done when absolutely necessary.

Example with verify=False:

import requests

response = requests.get('https://example.com', verify=False)

3. Adding Exceptions:

• Using requests.exceptions.InsecureRequestWarning: You can suppress the warning by catching it as an exception. This approach, however, should only be used as a temporary workaround.

Example Catching the Exception:

import requests
from requests.exceptions import InsecureRequestWarning

requests.packages.urllib3.disable_warnings(InsecureRequestWarning)

response = requests.get('https://example.com', verify=False) 

Key Takeaways:

• Prioritize Certificate Verification: Always strive to verify the server's certificate for secure communication.
• Use verify=True: This ensures the safest connection and prevents the warning.
• Understand the Risks: Only disable verification if absolutely necessary and only for temporary testing or specific scenarios.
• Stay informed: Regularly update your libraries and tools to ensure you have the latest security patches.

Remember: Handling the InsecureRequestWarning is crucial for protecting your data and maintaining secure communication. Always prioritize verification and exercise caution when disabling it.

Source:

• This article was inspired by discussions and code examples from various GitHub repositories, including: https://github.com/requests/requests, https://github.com/urllib3/urllib3, and various user forums.

Additional Information:

• SSL/TLS Certificate Validation: For a deeper understanding of how SSL/TLS certificates work, you can refer to resources like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_Layer_Security.
• Certificate Authorities: Learn more about trusted CAs and how they validate certificates: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_authority.

This article is intended for educational purposes and should not be considered a substitute for professional security advice. Always consult with cybersecurity experts for specific security concerns and vulnerabilities.