fix(security): read the password-complexity key the settings UI writes (stable) (#844)

* fix(security): read the password-complexity key the settings UI writes

The settings UI saves the admin's complexity choice as
security_password_complexity (useSettingsState.ts prefixes security_ to
password_complexity), but getPasswordComplexitySettings() queried
security_password_complexity_level — written by nothing — so the setting
was silently ignored and password validation always used the 'moderate'
default. Spotted in the filpgame fork (their main, 2026-07-14).

* fix(security): accept the Postgres json-column shape of the complexity value (codex review of #843)

On SQLite the TEXT column returns the JSON-stringified value
('"very_strong"'), but on Postgres (production default) setting_value
is a json column and arrives already decoded ('very_strong') — the bare
JSON.parse threw and the outer catch silently fell back to 'moderate'
again. Parse with fallback, mirroring getAppSetting's documented
pattern; test now covers both driver shapes + the empty-value default.

backend/__tests__/utils/passwordValidation.complexityKey.test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/**
+ * Regression tests for the password-complexity setting read path.
+ *
+ * Bug 1 (key mismatch): the settings UI saves the admin's choice as
+ * `security_password_complexity` (useSettingsState.ts prefixes every
+ * security field with `security_`), but getPasswordComplexitySettings()
+ * queried `security_password_complexity_level` — a key nothing writes —
+ * so the configured level was silently ignored.
+ *
+ * Bug 2 (driver shape, codex review of #843): on SQLite the TEXT column
+ * returns the JSON-stringified value ('"very_strong"'), but on Postgres
+ * (production default) `setting_value` is a json column and comes back
+ * already decoded ('very_strong'). A bare JSON.parse throws on the
+ * decoded shape and the outer catch fell back to 'moderate' — the
+ * setting stayed unenforced on Postgres even with the right key.
+ */
+
+const mockQueriedKeys = [];
+let mockStoredValue;
+
+jest.mock('../../src/database/db', () => ({
+  db: () => ({
+    where(_col, key) {
+      mockQueriedKeys.push(key);
+      return this;
+    },
+    first() {
+      return Promise.resolve(
+        mockQueriedKeys[mockQueriedKeys.length - 1] === 'security_password_complexity'
+          ? { setting_key: 'security_password_complexity', setting_value: mockStoredValue }
+          : undefined
+      );
+    },
+  }),
+  withRetry: (fn) => fn(),
+}));
+
+const { getPasswordComplexitySettings } = require('../../src/utils/passwordValidation');
+
+describe('getPasswordComplexitySettings', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => { mockQueriedKeys.length = 0; });
+
+  it('reads the key the settings UI actually writes (SQLite shape: JSON-stringified)', async () => {
+    mockStoredValue = JSON.stringify('very_strong'); // '"very_strong"'
+    const level = await getPasswordComplexitySettings();
+    expect(mockQueriedKeys).toContain('security_password_complexity');
+    expect(level).toBe('very_strong');
+  });
+
+  it('accepts the Postgres json-column shape (already decoded, no quotes)', async () => {
+    mockStoredValue = 'very_strong'; // pg driver auto-parses the json column
+    const level = await getPasswordComplexitySettings();
+    expect(level).toBe('very_strong');
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to moderate on an empty value', async () => {
+    mockStoredValue = '';
+    const level = await getPasswordComplexitySettings();
+    expect(level).toBe('moderate');
+  });
+});

backend/src/utils/passwordValidation.js

@@ -123,20 +123,32 @@ async function getPasswordComplexitySettings() {
     
     // Use retry wrapper to handle connection failures
     const settings = await withRetry(async () => {
+      // Key must match what the settings UI writes: `security_` prefix +
+      // `password_complexity` (useSettingsState.ts saveSecurityMutation).
+      // The old `security_password_complexity_level` key is written by
+      // nothing, so the admin's choice was silently ignored.
       return await db('app_settings')
-        .where('setting_key', 'security_password_complexity_level')
+        .where('setting_key', 'security_password_complexity')
         .first();
     });
     
     if (!settings || !settings.setting_value) {
       return 'moderate'; // Default
     }
-    
+
-    const value = typeof settings.setting_value === 'string' 
+    // Parse with fallback, mirroring getAppSetting: on SQLite the TEXT
-      ? JSON.parse(settings.setting_value)
+    // column returns the JSON-stringified value ('"very_strong"'), but on
-      : settings.setting_value;
+    // Postgres the json column comes back already decoded ('very_strong')
-    
+    // — a bare JSON.parse would throw there and the outer catch would
-    return value;
+    // silently fall back to 'moderate' again.
+    let value = settings.setting_value;
+    if (typeof value === 'string') {
+      try {
+        value = JSON.parse(value);
+      } catch (_) { /* already-decoded plain string — keep as-is */ }
+    }
+
+    return value || 'moderate';
   } catch (error) {
     logger.error('Failed to get password complexity settings:', error);
     return 'moderate'; // Default on error - ensures app continues working