feature: vre opens files from the Router Manager's shell in the editor of its Shell page.

ADR.md

@@ -1230,3 +1230,26 @@ the addresses setup records for the web service.
 Consequences: Clients resolve the listed domains through the tunnel and everything else with their
 own resolvers. Clients that ignore attribute 25 keep the scoped behaviour; the Apple profile
 covers Apple devices. A changed list reaches an Apple device with a newly installed profile.
+
+## ADR-46: vre opens files in the Shell page's editor over a socket checked by the peer's uid
+
+Status: Accepted
+
+Context: Administrators edit the router's files from the Router Manager's Shell page, in an editor
+of the page rather than a terminal editor. The command that names a file runs in the shell, as the
+console account. The web service runs as root, sandboxed with `ProtectHome=yes`, so it cannot see
+the accounts' home folders. Reading and writing as root would also bypass the account's
+permissions.
+
+Decision: Each shell has a random session in `VPN_ROUTER_SHELL`. `vpn-router-editor` (`vre`) sends
+the session and an absolute path to the web service on `/run/vpn-router/editor.sock`, which anyone
+may connect to. The web service accepts a request only when the peer's uid (`SO_PEERCRED`) is the
+uid of the session's console account. It then tells the shell's client over the shell's WebSocket,
+and the page reads and saves the file through `/shell/editor/<session>/<id>`. Files are read and
+written by `editor-file`, run with `systemd-run --uid=<account> --pipe` outside the sandbox, as the
+shell is. A save carries the SHA-256 of the content it replaces and is refused when the file
+changed since. Files open only while their shell lives.
+
+Consequences: The editor edits only what the console account may; a file only root may write is
+edited in the terminal. `vre` run under sudo is refused, as its uid is not the console account's.
+Each read and save starts a transient unit. Files are limited to 1 MiB of UTF-8 text.

README.md

@@ -1099,6 +1099,34 @@ off or the TOTP enrolment removed; the router then sends a close frame with the
 journal of `vpn-router-web` records who opened each shell, from which address, in which unit,
 when it ended and why, and each refused ticket or shell with the reason.
 
+#### The editor of the shell
+
+In the shell, `vpn-router-editor FILE...`, or its short name `vre`, opens files in the editor of
+the Router Manager's Shell page and returns at once:
+
+```sh
+vre /etc/vpn-router/vpn-router.json ~/notes.txt
+```
+
+- **How the files reach the page:** each shell has its session in `VPN_ROUTER_SHELL`. `vre`
+  names each file, as an absolute path, with that session on the socket
+  `/run/vpn-router/editor.sock`. The web service accepts it only from a process that runs as the
+  shell's console account, and sends the page a text message `{"editor": "open", "session", "id", "path"}`
+  over the shell's WebSocket.
+- **Reading and saving:** the page uses the routes below, which need the user's access token. The
+  file is read and written as the console account by `/usr/lib/vpn-router/editor-file`, run with
+  `systemd-run --uid --pipe`, so the account's permissions apply. A save writes the file in place,
+  keeping its owner and mode, and creates a file that does not exist.
+- **Limits:** only regular files of UTF-8 text up to 1 MiB, and at most 20 open files per shell.
+- **Lifetime:** the files are open while the shell lives. `vre` outside the Router Manager's shell
+  exits with status 2.
+
+| Request | Body | Answer |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `GET /shell/editor/<session>/<id>` | | `{"path", "content", "version"}`, `version` the SHA-256 of the content |
+| `PUT /shell/editor/<session>/<id>` | `{"content", "version"}` | `{"path", "version"}`; 409 when the file no longer has `version` |
+| `DELETE /shell/editor/<session>/<id>` | | `{"path", "closed": true}` |
+
 ### The /config page
 
 `/config` shows what `/` and `/status` leave out, for a client such as manage-ui:

debian-package/debian/changelog

@@ -1,3 +1,18 @@
+vpn-router (0.35.0-1) unstable; urgency=medium
+
+  feature: vre opens files from the Router Manager's shell in the editor of its Shell page.
+
+  * vpn-router-editor FILE..., or vre, in the shell of the Router Manager
+    opens the files in the editor of the Shell page and returns at once;
+    outside that shell it exits with status 2.
+  * GET, PUT and DELETE /shell/editor/<session>/<id> read, save and close
+    a file opened so, as the shell's console account; a save is refused
+    with 409 when the file changed since it was read.
+  * The editor takes regular files of UTF-8 text up to 1 MiB, at most 20
+    per shell, while the shell lives.
+
+ -- Slawomir Koszewski <slawek@koszewscy.waw.pl>  Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:02:27 +0100
+
 vpn-router (0.34.0-1) unstable; urgency=medium
 
   feature: the web service shows and changes the settings of the metrics service at /metrics/settings, and OpenVPN starts on a new router, as setup installs CRLs that revoke nothing.

debian-package/debian/install

@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ src/usr/lib/vpn-router/install-packages               usr/lib/vpn-router/
 src/usr/lib/vpn-router/webdav-auth                    usr/lib/vpn-router/
 src/usr/lib/vpn-router/openvpn-same-user              usr/lib/vpn-router/
 src/usr/lib/vpn-router/openvpn-issuer                 usr/lib/vpn-router/
+src/usr/lib/vpn-router/editor-file                    usr/lib/vpn-router/
+src/usr/bin/vpn-router-editor                         usr/bin/
 src/usr/sbin/vpn-router-user                          usr/sbin/
 src/usr/sbin/vpn-router-group                         usr/sbin/
 src/usr/sbin/vpn-router-token                         usr/sbin/

debian-package/debian/links

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+usr/bin/vpn-router-editor usr/bin/vre

debian-package/src/usr/bin/vpn-router-editor

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+"""Open files in the editor of the Router Manager's Shell page, from the shell of that page; vre is its short name.
+
+Each file is named to the router's web service over SOCKET with the shell's session,
+$VPN_ROUTER_SHELL, which the web service sets in the shells it starts; the Shell page then shows
+the file in a tab of its editor, where it is read and saved. The command returns at once. A
+relative path is taken from the current directory, and a file that does not exist is created when
+it is saved. The exit status is 0 when every file was opened, 1 when the web service refused one,
+with its reason, and 2 outside the Router Manager's shell or for an invalid request. -h or --help
+shows the usage.
+
+  vre FILE...
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import os
+import socket
+import sys
+
+#: The socket of the router's web service that opens files in the editor of a shell.
+SOCKET = '/run/vpn-router/editor.sock'
+
+#: Seconds to wait for the web service's answer.
+TIMEOUT = 10
+
+
+class Parser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
+    """An argument parser whose errors end with status 2."""
+
+    def error(self, message):
+        print(f'{self.prog}: {message}; see {self.prog} --help', file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(2)
+
+
+def opened(session, path):
+    """Ask the web service to open the file in the editor of the session; None, or the reason it refused."""
+    with socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as connection:
+        connection.settimeout(TIMEOUT)
+        connection.connect(SOCKET)
+        connection.sendall(json.dumps({'session': session, 'path': path}).encode() + b'\n')
+        answer = json.loads(connection.makefile('rb').readline() or b'{}')
+    return None if answer.get('ok') is True else str(answer.get('error', 'no answer'))
+
+
+def main(argv):
+    prog = os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])
+    parser = Parser(prog=prog, description="Open files in the editor of the Router Manager's Shell page.")
+    parser.add_argument('files', nargs='+', metavar='FILE', help='a file to open')
+    options = parser.parse_args(argv)
+    session = os.environ.get('VPN_ROUTER_SHELL', '')
+    if not session:
+        print(f'{prog}: {prog} works only in the shell of the Router Manager', file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    status = 0
+    for name in options.files:
+        path = os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(name))
+        try:
+            reason = opened(session, path)
+        except (OSError, ValueError) as exc:
+            reason = f'the web service cannot be reached: {exc}'
+        if reason:
+            print(f'{prog}: {path}: {reason}', file=sys.stderr)
+            status = 1
+        else:
+            print(f'Opened {path} in the editor of the Shell page.')
+    return status
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    sys.exit(main(sys.argv[1:]))

debian-package/src/usr/lib/vpn-router/editor-file

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+"""Read or write a file of the editor of the Router Manager's Shell page, as the user it runs as.
+
+The web service runs it with systemd-run --uid=<console account> --pipe, outside its sandbox, so the
+file is read and written with the rights of the shell's user. The version of a content is the
+hexadecimal SHA-256 of its bytes; a missing file has the version of the empty content.
+
+  editor-file read PATH             print the content of the file; nothing for a missing file
+  editor-file write PATH VERSION    replace the content with standard input when the file still has
+                                    VERSION, writing in place, so its owner, mode and links stay;
+                                    a missing file is created
+
+Only regular files of at most MAX_BYTES bytes of UTF-8 text are read and written. The exit status
+is 0 on success, 2 for a file that is refused, with the reason on standard error, 3 when the file
+does not have VERSION any more, and 1 for any other failure.
+"""
+
+import hashlib
+import os
+import sys
+
+#: The largest file the editor opens, in bytes.
+MAX_BYTES = 1024 * 1024
+
+
+class Refused(Exception):
+    """A file the editor does not open or write; status is the exit status."""
+
+    def __init__(self, message, status=2):
+        super().__init__(message)
+        self.status = status
+
+
+def text(data, path):
+    """The bytes when they are UTF-8 text of at most MAX_BYTES; Refused otherwise."""
+    if len(data) > MAX_BYTES:
+        raise Refused(f'{path} is larger than {MAX_BYTES // 1024} KiB')
+    try:
+        data.decode('utf-8')
+    except UnicodeDecodeError:
+        raise Refused(f'{path} is not UTF-8 text')
+    return data
+
+
+def current(path):
+    """The content of the file, b'' when it does not exist; Refused for a file that is not a regular one."""
+    if not os.path.lexists(path):
+        return b''
+    if not os.path.isfile(path):
+        raise Refused(f'{path} is not a regular file')
+    with open(path, 'rb') as handle:
+        return text(handle.read(MAX_BYTES + 1), path)
+
+
+def main(argv):
+    if len(argv) < 2 or (argv[0], len(argv)) not in (('read', 2), ('write', 3)):
+        print('usage: editor-file read PATH | editor-file write PATH VERSION', file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    path = argv[1]
+    try:
+        if argv[0] == 'read':
+            sys.stdout.buffer.write(current(path))
+            return 0
+        content = text(sys.stdin.buffer.read(MAX_BYTES + 1), path)
+        if hashlib.sha256(current(path)).hexdigest() != argv[2]:
+            raise Refused(f'{path} changed since it was read', 3)
+        with open(path, 'r+b' if os.path.lexists(path) else 'xb') as handle:
+            handle.write(content)
+            handle.truncate()
+            handle.flush()
+            os.fsync(handle.fileno())
+    except Refused as refused:
+        print(refused, file=sys.stderr)
+        return refused.status
+    except OSError as exc:
+        print(f'{exc.filename or path}: {exc.strerror}', file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    sys.exit(main(sys.argv[1:]))

debian-package/src/usr/lib/vpn-router/web

@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ Pages:
            a member of admins whose console login is on and who has a TOTP token: POST signs the user in again, unless
            the user used a shell within web.shell_auth_timeout minutes, for a one-time ticket
            (see shell_ticket()), GET with it is a WebSocket
-           that carries the terminal (see Handler.shell())
+           that carries the terminal (see Handler.shell()); /shell/editor/<session>/<id> reads, saves and
+           closes a file the shell opened with vpn-router-editor (vre) over EDITOR_SOCKET (see
+           shell_editor() and editor_request())
   /auth   sign-in with a user's password and TOTP code or with a passkey, refresh and sign-out
            (see auth())
   /metrics/history
@@ -217,6 +219,23 @@ SHELL_CHECK_SECONDS = 60
 #: The largest WebSocket message accepted from a client, in bytes.
 MESSAGE_LIMIT = 65536
 
+#: The socket vpn-router-editor (vre) names files on to open them in the editor of a shell (see editor_listen()).
+EDITOR_SOCKET = '/run/vpn-router/editor.sock'
+
+#: The helper that reads and writes a file of the editor as the shell's user.
+EDITOR_FILE = '/usr/lib/vpn-router/editor-file'
+
+#: The largest file the editor opens, in bytes, as editor-file allows; a body of PUT /shell/editor/... may hold its
+#: content escaped in JSON.
+EDITOR_MAX_BYTES = MIB
+EDITOR_BODY_LIMIT = 2 * EDITOR_MAX_BYTES + BODY_LIMIT
+
+#: The most files a shell has open in its editor at once.
+EDITOR_FILES_MAX = 20
+
+#: Seconds a reader of the editor socket and a run of editor-file may take.
+EDITOR_TIMEOUT = 30
+
 #: The GUID of RFC 6455 that the Sec-WebSocket-Accept of a handshake is made with.
 WEBSOCKET_GUID = '258EAFA5-E914-47DA-95CA-C5AB0DC85B11'
 
@@ -237,6 +256,10 @@ _shell_lock = threading.Lock()
 #: The last use of a shell of each user, a sign-in of POST /shell or a keystroke: user -> monotonic time.
 _shell_used = {}
 
+#: The open shells by their session, which each shell has in VPN_ROUTER_SHELL: session -> {"user", "account", "uid",
+#: "send", the function that sends a WebSocket frame to its client, "files": {file id: path}}.
+_shell_sessions = {}
+
 
 def read_json(path):
     """The object in a JSON file, or {} when the file is missing or holds no object."""
@@ -1539,15 +1562,134 @@ def take_ticket(name, ticket):
     return holder == name and expires > time.monotonic()
 
 
-def shell_command(account, unit):
+def shell_command(account, unit, session):
-    """The command that runs the login shell of the system user account in the transient unit, on its terminal.
+    """The command that runs the login shell of the system user account in the transient unit, on its terminal, with
+    the shell's session in VPN_ROUTER_SHELL for vpn-router-editor.
 
     setsid makes the terminal the controlling one of systemd-run, which passes the window size on; systemd-run starts
     the shell outside the web service's sandbox, in a PAM login session of the user.
     """
     return ['setsid', '--ctty', 'systemd-run', '--quiet', '--collect', '--pty', '--send-sighup', f'--unit={unit}',
             f'--uid={account.pw_name}', '--property=PAMName=login', f'--working-directory={account.pw_dir}',
-            '--setenv=TERM=xterm-256color', account.pw_shell or '/bin/sh', '-l']
+            '--setenv=TERM=xterm-256color', f'--setenv=VPN_ROUTER_SHELL={session}', account.pw_shell or '/bin/sh', '-l']
+
+
+def editor_file(account, action, path, content=b'', version=''):
+    """Run editor-file as the system user account outside the sandbox: read the file, or write content to it when it
+    still has version. The exit status of editor-file and its output, or its message on failure."""
+    command = ['systemd-run', '--quiet', '--collect', '--pipe', f'--uid={account}', EDITOR_FILE, action, path]
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(command + ([version] if action == 'write' else []), input=content, capture_output=True,
+                                timeout=EDITOR_TIMEOUT)
+    except (OSError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired) as exc:
+        return 1, f'editor-file cannot be run: {exc}'.encode()
+    return result.returncode, result.stdout if result.returncode == 0 else result.stderr.strip() or \
+        f'editor-file ended with status {result.returncode}'.encode()
+
+
+def shell_editor(name, method, parts, body):
+    """Answer a request of a file open in the editor of one of the user's shells: the HTTP status and the JSON document.
+
+      GET    /shell/editor/<session>/<id>   {"path", "content", "version"}, version the SHA-256 of the content
+      PUT    /shell/editor/<session>/<id>   {"content", "version"} writes the content when the file still has version,
+                                            else 409; answers {"path", "version"}
+      DELETE /shell/editor/<session>/<id>   closes the file
+
+    The file is read and written as the shell's console account (editor_file). 404 for a session that is not a shell of
+    the user or a file it does not have open.
+    """
+    if len(parts) != 4:
+        return 404, {'error': f'no route {method} /{"/".join(parts)}'}
+    with _shell_lock:
+        session = _shell_sessions.get(parts[2])
+        path = session['files'].get(parts[3]) if session and session['user'] == name else None
+        account = session['account'] if path else None
+    if path is None:
+        return 404, {'error': 'no such file is open in a shell of yours'}
+    if method == 'DELETE':
+        with _shell_lock:
+            session['files'].pop(parts[3], None)
+        return 200, {'path': path, 'closed': True}
+    if method == 'GET':
+        status, output = editor_file(account, 'read', path)
+        if status != 0:
+            return (400 if status == 2 else 500), {'error': output.decode(errors='replace')}
+        return 200, {'path': path, 'content': output.decode(), 'version': hashlib.sha256(output).hexdigest()}
+    if method != 'PUT':
+        return 405, {'error': f'{method} is not allowed on a file of the editor'}
+    if not isinstance(body, dict) or not isinstance(body.get('content'), str) or not isinstance(body.get('version'), str):
+        return 400, {'error': 'the body must be {"content", "version"}'}
+    content = body['content'].encode()
+    if len(content) > EDITOR_MAX_BYTES:
+        return 413, {'error': f'the content is larger than {EDITOR_MAX_BYTES // 1024} KiB'}
+    status, output = editor_file(account, 'write', path, content, body['version'])
+    if status != 0:
+        return {2: 400, 3: 409}.get(status, 500), {'error': output.decode(errors='replace')}
+    log(f'editor of {name} saved {path} as {account}')
+    return 200, {'path': path, 'version': hashlib.sha256(content).hexdigest()}
+
+
+def editor_request(connection):
+    """Answer one request of vpn-router-editor on the editor socket: {"session", "path"} on a line opens the file in the
+    editor of the shell of the session, whose client is sent {"editor": "open", "session", "id", "path"} as a text
+    message.
+
+    The peer must run as the shell's console account and the path must be absolute. The answer is {"ok": true} or
+    {"error"} on a line.
+    """
+    try:
+        connection.settimeout(EDITOR_TIMEOUT)
+        _, uid, _ = struct.unpack('iII', connection.getsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_PEERCRED,
+                                                                struct.calcsize('iII')))
+        request = json.loads(connection.makefile('rb').readline(4096) or b'null')
+        if not isinstance(request, dict) or not isinstance(request.get('session'), str) or \
+                not isinstance(request.get('path'), str):
+            answer = {'error': 'the request must be {"session", "path"}'}
+        elif not os.path.isabs(request['path']):
+            answer = {'error': 'the path must be absolute'}
+        else:
+            with _shell_lock:
+                session = _shell_sessions.get(request['session'])
+                if session is None or session['uid'] != uid:
+                    answer = {'error': 'no shell of the Router Manager has this session; vre works only in its shell'}
+                elif len(session['files']) >= EDITOR_FILES_MAX:
+                    answer = {'error': f'the editor has {EDITOR_FILES_MAX} files open; close one first'}
+                else:
+                    file_id = secrets.token_urlsafe(8)
+                    session['files'][file_id] = request['path']
+                    answer = None
+            if answer is None:
+                session['send'](TEXT, json.dumps({'editor': 'open', 'session': request['session'], 'id': file_id,
+                                                  'path': request['path']}).encode())
+                log(f'editor of {session["user"]} opened {request["path"]}')
+                answer = {'ok': True}
+        connection.sendall(json.dumps(answer).encode() + b'\n')
+    except (OSError, ValueError, struct.error):
+        pass
+    finally:
+        connection.close()
+
+
+def editor_listen():
+    """Listen on EDITOR_SOCKET, which any local user may connect to, answering each connection in a thread with
+    editor_request; the socket of an earlier run is replaced. Does not return; a failure to listen is logged and the
+    editor stays closed."""
+    try:
+        if os.path.lexists(EDITOR_SOCKET):
+            os.unlink(EDITOR_SOCKET)
+        listener = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        listener.bind(EDITOR_SOCKET)
+        os.chmod(EDITOR_SOCKET, 0o666)
+        listener.listen(16)
+    except OSError as exc:
+        log(f'the editor socket {EDITOR_SOCKET} cannot be opened: {exc}')
+        return
+    while True:
+        try:
+            connection, _ = listener.accept()
+        except OSError:
+            continue
+        threading.Thread(target=editor_request, args=(connection,), name='editor request', daemon=True).start()
 
 
 def frame(opcode, payload):
@@ -1712,8 +1854,10 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
 
         The ticket must come from POST /shell for the user named by the token. Binary messages of the client are its
         keystrokes, a text message {"cols", "rows"} sets the window size, and binary messages of the server are the
-        terminal's output. The shell ends after web.shell_idle_minutes without a keystroke, when it exits, when the
+        terminal's output; a text message of the server {"editor": "open", "session", "id", "path"} opens a file the
-        client closes the connection, or when a check of the user (SHELL_CHECK_SECONDS) finds its console login off or
+        shell named with vpn-router-editor (editor_request), which the client reads and saves with
+        /shell/editor/<session>/<id> (shell_editor) while the shell lives. The shell ends after web.shell_idle_minutes
+        without a keystroke, when it exits, when the client closes the connection, or when a check of the user (SHELL_CHECK_SECONDS) finds its console login off or
         its TOTP token gone; the server then closes it with the reason. Each opening, end and refusal is logged
         with its reason.
         """
@@ -1750,9 +1894,10 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         except KeyError:
             return refuse(500, f'the system does not know the account {login}; is nslcd running?')
         unit = f'vpn-router-shell-{secrets.token_hex(4)}'
+        session = secrets.token_urlsafe(24)
         master, terminal = os.openpty()
         try:
-            process = subprocess.Popen(shell_command(account, unit), stdin=terminal, stdout=terminal, stderr=terminal,
+            process = subprocess.Popen(shell_command(account, unit, session), stdin=terminal, stdout=terminal, stderr=terminal,
                                        env={'PATH': '/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin'})
         except OSError as exc:
             os.close(master)
@@ -1775,6 +1920,10 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             with lock:
                 self.wfile.write(frame(opcode, payload))
 
+        with _shell_lock:
+            _shell_sessions[session] = {'user': name, 'account': account.pw_name, 'uid': account.pw_uid, 'send': send,
+                                        'files': {}}
+
         def receive():
             """Pass the client's keystrokes and window sizes to the terminal until it closes the connection."""
             try:
@@ -1827,6 +1976,8 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                 reason = 'the client closed the connection'
         except OSError:
             reason = 'the connection failed'
+        with _shell_lock:
+            _shell_sessions.pop(session, None)
         run('systemctl', 'stop', unit)
         try:
             send(CLOSE, (1000).to_bytes(2, 'big') + reason.encode()[:120])
@@ -1865,8 +2016,9 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         state = current() if protected or signing else {}
         claims = self.claims(state['key']) if protected and state['key'] else None
         # The body of a file upload is read as a stream, after the request is allowed.
-        payload = self.request_body() if (protected or signing) and self.command not in ('GET', 'HEAD') and \
+        payload = self.request_body(EDITOR_BODY_LIMIT if path.startswith('/shell/editor/') else BODY_LIMIT) \
-            not (files and self.command == 'PUT') else None
+            if (protected or signing) and self.command not in ('GET', 'HEAD') and not (files and self.command == 'PUT') \
+            else None
         if claims is not None:
             self.principal = 'admin' if claims.get('admin') is True else claims.get('sub')
         if (protected or signing) and not state['key']:
@@ -1903,6 +2055,9 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             body, kind = json.dumps(document, indent=2).encode() + b'\n', 'application/json'
         elif directory == 'shell' and (path, self.command) == ('/shell', 'GET'):
             return self.shell(claims.get('sub'))
+        elif directory == 'shell' and path.startswith('/shell/editor/'):
+            code, document = shell_editor(claims.get('sub'), self.command, path.strip('/').split('/'), payload)
+            body, kind = json.dumps(document).encode() + b'\n', 'application/json'
         elif directory == 'shell':
             code, document = shell_ticket(claims.get('sub'), payload) if (path, self.command) == ('/shell', 'POST') \
                 else (404, {'error': f'no route {self.command} {path}'})
@@ -1989,14 +2144,15 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             return b''
         return self.rfile.read(size) if 0 < size <= BODY_LIMIT else b''
 
-    def request_body(self):
+    def request_body(self, limit=BODY_LIMIT):
-        """The request body as JSON, None when there is none, or the string 'invalid'."""
+        """The request body as JSON, None when there is none, or the string 'invalid', also when it is larger than
+        limit bytes."""
         length = self.headers.get('Content-Length')
         if not length:
             return None
         try:
             size = int(length)
-            if not 0 <= size <= BODY_LIMIT:
+            if not 0 <= size <= limit:
                 return 'invalid'
             return json.loads(self.rfile.read(size) or b'null')
         except ValueError:
@@ -2062,6 +2218,7 @@ def initialize():
 def main():
     signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, lambda *_: sys.exit(0))
     initialize()
+    threading.Thread(target=editor_listen, name='editor socket', daemon=True).start()
     try:
         vpnrouter_serve.serve(lambda: vpnrouter_net.web_listen(read_json(CONFIG_FILE), DEFAULT_PORT), Handler, log,
                               DISCOVERY_SECONDS)