Fix API Rate Limit Exhaustion in Nuxt
API Rate Limit Exhaustion in Nuxt/Nitro is a critical DoS vector. Without server-side enforcement, attackers can hammer your endpoints—be it auth, search, or expensive DB queries—leading to resource depletion or upstream provider bans. Throttling must happen at the server level, not the client.
The Vulnerable Pattern
// server/api/expensive-task.ts
export default defineEventHandler(async (event) => {
// VULNERABLE: No protection against automated spam
const body = await readBody(event);
const result = await heavyDatabaseQuery(body.query);
return { result };
});The Secure Implementation
The fix involves integrating a middleware layer within Nitro's event handler. We use 'h3-rate-limit' to track incoming requests by the user's IP address. By setting a 'windowMs' (timeframe) and 'max' (request count), we ensure that any client exceeding the threshold is immediately blocked with a 429 Too Many Requests response. For distributed production environments, replace the default in-memory store with a Redis store to maintain consistent rate limits across multiple server instances.
// server/api/expensive-task.ts import { defineEventHandler, createError } from 'h3'; import { rateLimit } from 'h3-rate-limit';export default defineEventHandler(async (event) => { // SECURE: Implement server-side rate limiting try { await rateLimit(event, { max: 10, // Max 10 requests windowMs: 60 * 1000, // Per 1 minute keyGenerator: (event) => getRequestIP(event) || ‘anonymous’, }); } catch (err) { throw createError({ statusCode: 429, statusMessage: ‘Too Many Requests’, }); }
const body = await readBody(event); const result = await heavyDatabaseQuery(body.query); return { result }; });
Your Nuxt API
might be exposed to API Rate Limit Exhaustion
74% of Nuxt apps fail this check. Hackers use automated scanners to find this specific flaw. Check your codebase before they do.
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