Is this hack safe?

[Randomlove]

Hi,
I'm new to this so take it easy everyone

Most of my users come from behind a proxy. In order to record the right IP when they register I did the following with register.php (vB 2.2.5, I won't upgrade until 2.3.0 becomes stable ).

Line 450 is the one that actually inserts a new user into the DB. It says:

  $DB_site->query("INSERT INTO user (userid,username,password,email,".$newstylefield."parentemail,coppauser,homepage,icq,ai$

I did this BEFORE that line:

  $ipaddress=iif(getenv("REMOTE_ADDR")!="",getenv("REMOTE_ADDR"),$HTTP_HOST);
  $ipaddress=iif(getenv("HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR")!="",getenv("HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR"),$ipaddress);

First line will record the regular IP, the second checks if there is a fowarded IP. REMOTE_ADDR might hold the proxy IP not the real IP.

My question is, will this affect $ipaddress somewhere else? Are the two lines safe and will cause a security problem?

Thanks.
Take care,

R.L.

[Randomlove]

Hmmm, is my question that difficult? Or is it very stupid?

[Issvar]

Someone could just add the x_forwarded header to the output of his browser, and so fake his ip. You should also record the real ip.

Also someone using multiple chained proxies that set x_forwarded wouldn't have his/her real IP recorded.

[Randomlove]

Well, most of my users are IT-challenged , so I don't think they can do such tricks. Secondly, I can't do what you suggested because I don't get in trouble once I decide to upgrade to 2.3.0

Thanks for the comment, but you didn't say whether there is any bad side-effect for the the two lines up there.

Take care,
R.L.