Nginx config for running a public, read-only, multi-user, account-less Plex instance

plex.conf

# Goals:
# - Allow access without having to deal with Plex accounts
# - Only allow read-only access (no changing tags, fixing matches, etc)
# - Don't leak information between users (what has been watched, play progress, etc)
# - Prevent users from claiming the server, changing settings, or acessing internal information
# - Allow administration of the server for people with SSH access to it

# Basic setup instructions:
# - Install Nginx on the same server as Plex and load this config file (usually just a matter of
#   dropping it into `/etc/nginx/conf.d`)
# - Configure Plex to accept auth-less access from localhost (through the UI or by setting
#   `allowedNetworks` in the server settings)
# - Block access to Plex for anything except localhost using `iptables` (make sure the rules
#   persist across reboots!):
#   ```
#   iptables -A INPUT ! -i lo -p tcp --dport 32400 -j DROP
#   ip6tables -A INPUT ! -i lo -p tcp --dport 32400 -j DROP
#   ```
# - Visit `http://yourserver` to confirm everything works (also confirm that
#   `http://yourserver:32400` _doesn't_ work)
# - Deploy it to your users (add HTTPS, some sort of access control, forward ports, etc)

# Administration
# - Forward local port `32400` to the server using SSH
#   (`ssh -L 127.0.0.1:32400:127.0.0.1:32400 yourserver`)
# - Load `http://127.0.0.1:32400` in a browser and administrate away

# Should work for all recent versions of the Plex server (API doesn't seem to change much)
# Latest confirmed working version: 1.41.2.9200


upstream plex {
    server 127.0.0.1:32400;
}

server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;

    # Make Plex think everything is coming from localhost
    # This bypasses IP/domain checks and login redirection
    proxy_set_header Host "127.0.0.1";
    proxy_set_header Referer "http://127.0.0.1";
    proxy_set_header Origin "http://127.0.0.1";
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP "127.0.0.1";
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For "127.0.0.1";

    # Prevent Plex from responding to requests with compressed data as this would prevent the
    # inline modifications to the responses from working.
    proxy_set_header Accept-Encoding "";
    
    # Use a CSP to prevent the browser from loading any external content (*.plex.tv, analytics, etc.)
    add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline' data: blob:";

    # Default to only allowing GET requests to Plex.
    # (prevents the majority of ways of changing the server's state)
    location / {
        if ($request_method != "GET") {
            return 403;
        }

        # Rewrite the bare domain to the web interface (unless it's an API call)
        set $rewrite 1;
        if ($arg_X-Plex-Client-Identifier != '') {
                set $rewrite 0;
        }
        if ($http_x_plex_client_identifier != '') {
                set $rewrite 0;
        }
        if ($rewrite = 1){
                rewrite ^/$ $scheme://$http_host/web/index.html redirect;
        }

        # Rewrite the "myPlexSigninState" key of API responses to tell the frontend that the
        # server is claimed, preventing the "server is unclaimed and not secure" warning
        # from showing up. This key is returned in requests to both `/` and
        # `/media/providers`
        sub_filter_types application/json text/xml;
        sub_filter_last_modified off;
        sub_filter_once on;
        sub_filter '"myPlexSigninState":"none"' '"myPlexSigninState":"ok"';  # JSON
        sub_filter 'myPlexSigninState="none"' 'myPlexSigninState="ok"';  # XML

        proxy_pass http://plex;
    }

    # Allow GET/POST/PUT/DELETE requests to the playQueues endpoint.
    # This allows users full control over their individual play queues.
    location /playQueues {
        proxy_pass http://plex;
    }

    # Allowing PUT requests to the /library/parts endpoint allows enabling
    # subtitles. Unfortunately this setting is persisted different sessions
    # so one user changing the setting affects others. It is therefore
    # disabled by default.
    #location /library/parts/ {
    #    proxy_pass http://plex;
    #}

    #####
    # Disable a bunch of endpoints that use GET requests to modify things or return sensitive
    # information
    #####
    
    # Prevent all websocket traffic as it's not required and can return data like server logs
    location /:/websockets/ {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable claiming the server or changing the settings
    location /myplex {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable access to server/library preferences
    location ~* ^/(.+/)?prefs {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable marking media as played
    location ~* ^/:/(un)?scrobble {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable saving of progress in stream
    location ~* ^/:/(timeline|progress) {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable emptying the trash or starting a manual rescan
    location ~* ^/library/sections/.+/(refresh|emptyTrash) {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable access to the file browser
    location /services/browse {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable access to currently-running activities
    location /activities {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable access to account information
    location /accounts {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable access to device information
    location /devices {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable access to client information
    location /clients {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable access to server status
    location /status {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable access to update information
    location /updater {
        return 403;
    }

    # Disable generating access tokens for the server
    location /security {
        return 403;
    }
}