Stop using the session to persist the referer during login

app/controllers/concerns/session_methods.rb

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def successful_login(user, referer = nil)
     session[:fingerprint] = user.fingerprint
     session_expires_after 28.days if session[:remember_me]
 
-    target = referer || session[:referer] || url_for(:controller => :site, :action => :index)
+    target = referer || url_for(:controller => :site, :action => :index)
 
     # The user is logged in, so decide where to send them:
     #
@@ -56,31 +56,28 @@ def successful_login(user, referer = nil)
     end
 
     session.delete(:remember_me)
-    session.delete(:referer)
   end
 
   ##
   # process a failed login
-  def failed_login(message, username = nil)
+  def failed_login(message, username, referer = nil)
     flash[:error] = message
 
-    redirect_to :controller => "sessions", :action => "new", :referer => session[:referer],
+    redirect_to :controller => "sessions", :action => "new", :referer => referer,
                 :username => username, :remember_me => session[:remember_me]
 
     session.delete(:remember_me)
-    session.delete(:referer)
   end
 
   ##
   #
-  def unconfirmed_login(user)
+  def unconfirmed_login(user, referer = nil)
     session[:pending_user] = user.id
 
     redirect_to :controller => "confirmations", :action => "confirm",
-                :display_name => user.display_name, :referer => session[:referer]
+                :display_name => user.display_name, :referer => referer
 
     session.delete(:remember_me)
-    session.delete(:referer)
   end
 
   ##

app/controllers/sessions_controller.rb

@@ -14,15 +14,17 @@ class SessionsController < ApplicationController
   def new
     override_content_security_policy_directives(:form_action => []) if Settings.csp_enforce || Settings.key?(:csp_report_url)
 
-    session[:referer] = safe_referer(params[:referer]) if params[:referer]
+    referer = safe_referer(params[:referer]) if params[:referer]
 
-    parse_oauth_referer session[:referer]
+    parse_oauth_referer referer
   end
 
   def create
     session[:remember_me] ||= params[:remember_me]
-    session[:referer] = safe_referer(params[:referer]) if params[:referer]
-    password_authentication(params[:username].strip, params[:password])
+
+    referer = safe_referer(params[:referer]) if params[:referer]
+
+    password_authentication(params[:username].strip, params[:password], referer)
   end
 
   def destroy
@@ -43,15 +45,15 @@ def destroy
 
   ##
   # handle password authentication
-  def password_authentication(username, password)
+  def password_authentication(username, password, referer = nil)
     if (user = User.authenticate(:username => username, :password => password))
-      successful_login(user)
+      successful_login(user, referer)
     elsif (user = User.authenticate(:username => username, :password => password, :pending => true))
-      unconfirmed_login(user)
+      unconfirmed_login(user, referer)
     elsif User.authenticate(:username => username, :password => password, :suspended => true)
-      failed_login({ :partial => "sessions/suspended_flash" }, username)
+      failed_login({ :partial => "sessions/suspended_flash" }, username, referer)
     else
-      failed_login t("sessions.new.auth failure"), username
+      failed_login(t("sessions.new.auth failure"), username, referer)
     end
   end
 end

app/controllers/users_controller.rb

@@ -54,11 +54,7 @@ def show
 
   def new
     @title = t ".title"
-    @referer = if params[:referer]
-                 safe_referer(params[:referer])
-               else
-                 session[:referer]
-               end
+    @referer = safe_referer(params[:referer])
 
     parse_oauth_referer @referer
 
@@ -94,10 +90,6 @@ def create
     self.current_user = User.new(user_params)
 
     if check_signup_allowed(current_user.email)
-      session[:referer] = safe_referer(params[:referer]) if params[:referer]
-
-      Rails.logger.info "create: #{session[:referer]}"
-
       if current_user.auth_uid.present?
         # We are creating an account with external authentication and
         # no password was specified so create a random one
@@ -115,7 +107,7 @@ def create
       else
         # Save the user record
         session[:new_user] = current_user.slice("email", "display_name", "pass_crypt", "pass_crypt_confirmation")
-        save_new_user params[:email_hmac]
+        save_new_user params[:email_hmac], params[:referer]
       end
     end
   end
@@ -200,6 +192,7 @@ def set_status
   ##
   # omniauth success callback
   def auth_success
+    referer = request.env["omniauth.params"]["referer"]
     auth_info = request.env["omniauth.auth"]
 
     provider = auth_info[:provider]
@@ -233,7 +226,7 @@ def auth_success
       session[:new_user]["auth_uid"] = uid
 
       email_hmac = UsersController.message_hmac(email) if email_verified && email
-      save_new_user email_hmac
+      save_new_user email_hmac, referer
     else
       user = User.find_by(:auth_provider => provider, :auth_uid => uid)
 
@@ -246,13 +239,13 @@ def auth_success
       if user
         case user.status
         when "pending"
-          unconfirmed_login(user)
+          unconfirmed_login(user, referer)
         when "active", "confirmed"
-          successful_login(user, request.env["omniauth.params"]["referer"])
+          successful_login(user, referer)
         when "suspended"
-          failed_login({ :partial => "sessions/suspended_flash" })
+          failed_login({ :partial => "sessions/suspended_flash" }, user.display_name, referer)
         else
-          failed_login t("sessions.new.auth failure")
+          failed_login(t("sessions.new.auth failure"), user.display_name, referer)
         end
       else
         email_hmac = UsersController.message_hmac(email) if email_verified && email
@@ -281,7 +274,7 @@ def self.message_hmac(text)
 
   private
 
-  def save_new_user(email_hmac)
+  def save_new_user(email_hmac, referer = nil)
     new_user = session.delete(:new_user)
     self.current_user = User.new(new_user)
     if check_signup_allowed(current_user.email)
@@ -306,11 +299,10 @@ def save_new_user(email_hmac)
 
         flash[:matomo_goal] = Settings.matomo["goals"]["signup"] if defined?(Settings.matomo)
 
-        referer = welcome_path(welcome_options)
+        referer = welcome_path(welcome_options(referer))
 
         if current_user.status == "active"
-          session[:referer] = referer
-          successful_login(current_user)
+          successful_login(current_user, referer)
         else
           session[:pending_user] = current_user.id
           UserMailer.signup_confirm(current_user, current_user.generate_token_for(:new_user), referer).deliver_later
@@ -322,8 +314,8 @@ def save_new_user(email_hmac)
     end
   end
 
-  def welcome_options
-    uri = URI(session[:referer]) if session[:referer].present?
+  def welcome_options(referer = nil)
+    uri = URI(referer) if referer.present?
 
     return { "oauth_return_url" => uri&.to_s } if uri&.path == oauth_authorization_path
 

app/views/sessions/new.html.erb

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
         <%= link_to t("sessions.new.tab_title"), "#", :class => "nav-link active" %>
       </li>
       <li class="nav-item">
-        <%= link_to t("users.new.tab_title"), url_for(:action => :new, :controller => :users), :class => "nav-link" %>
+        <%= link_to t("users.new.tab_title"), url_for(:action => :new, :controller => :users, :referer => params[:referer]), :class => "nav-link" %>
       </li>
     </ul>
   </div>

app/views/users/new.html.erb

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   <div class="header-illustration new-user-main auth-container mx-auto">
     <ul class="nav nav-tabs position-absolute bottom-0 px-3 fs-6 w-100">
       <li class="nav-item">
-        <%= link_to t("sessions.new.tab_title"), url_for(:action => :new, :controller => :sessions), :class => "nav-link" %>
+        <%= link_to t("sessions.new.tab_title"), url_for(:action => :new, :controller => :sessions, :referer => @referer), :class => "nav-link" %>
       </li>
       <li class="nav-item">
         <%= link_to t("users.new.tab_title"), "#", :class => "nav-link active" %>