HTTPS reverse proxy using apache

Question

I am using this apache configuration to set up a reverse proxy to a process running on the same machine, on port 8443,

<Directory "/var/www/html">
   Options +FollowSymLinks
   RewriteEngine On
   RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off 
   RewriteRule ^(.*) https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1
</Directory>

<IfModule mod_proxy.c>

ProxyRequests Off

<Proxy *>
   Order deny,allow
   Allow from all
</Proxy>

SSLProxyEngine On
ProxyPass / https://127.0.0.1:8443/
ProxyPassReverse / https://127.0.0.1:8443/

</IfModule>

The process running on 8443 already has HTTPS / SSL certificate set up. Is this a valid / good configuration or can I do it better?

I noticed that currently even http:// will proxy to https:// without the rewrite kicking in. I think this might compromise SSL? I'd rather have only 443 proxy to 8443 and just use a URL rewrite to rewrite the http:// requests to https:// requests. Is that possible using apache?

Thanks.

EDIT - Here is the virtual host information as requested,

VirtualHost Configuration: 
wildcard NameVirtualHosts and _default_ servers:
_default_:443       127.0.0.1 (/etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf:74)
Syntax OK

Solution

To get the HTTP requests to redirect instead of proxying, you should do two things:

1. Move your proxying config (SSLProxyEngine through ProxyPassReverse into the SSL virtual host in /etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf, so that it'll only apply there

2. Create an HTTP virtual host which will redirect - probably in a new .conf file in /etc/httpd/conf.d:

   <VirtualHost *:80>
     ServerName redirect
     RewriteEngine On
     RewriteRule ^(.*) https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1
   </VirtualHost>
   

Comments

[ravi yarlagadda]

Sounds like this is just in the global config and not in a <VirtualHost> block, right? Can you add the output from apachectl -S to your question?

[Sean Thoman]

See my edit. This is global configuration in httpd.conf.