Filter Sensitive Data

Note: this config option is also available as define_cassette_placeholder to reflect the fact that it is useful for more than just sensitive data.

The filter_sensitive_data configuration option can be used to prevent sensitive data from being written to your cassette files. This may be important if you commit your cassettes files to source control and do not want your sensitive data exposed. Pass the following arguments to filter_sensitive_data:

  • A substitution string. This is the string that will be written to

    the cassettte file as a placeholder. It should be unique and you

    may want to wrap it in special characters like { } or < >.

  • A symbol specifying a tag (optional). If a tag is given, the

    filtering will only be applied to cassettes with the given tag.

  • A block. The block should return the sensitive text that you want replaced with the substitution string. If your block accepts an argument, the HTTP interaction will be yielded so that you can dynamically specify the sensitive text based on the interaction (see the last scenario for an example of this).

    When the interactions are replayed, the sensitive text will replace the substitution string so that the interaction will be identical to what was originally recorded.

    You can specify as many filterings as you want.

Multiple filterings

Given a file named "filtering.rb" with:

if ARGV.include?('--with-server')
  $server = start_sinatra_app do
    get('/') { "Hello World" }
  end
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  c.filter_sensitive_data('<GREETING>') { 'Hello' }
  c.filter_sensitive_data('<LOCATION>') { 'World' }
end

VCR.use_cassette('filtering') do
  response = Net::HTTP.get_response('localhost', '/', $server ? $server.port : 0)
  puts "Response: #{response.body}"
end

When I run ruby filtering.rb --with-server

Then the output should contain "Response: Hello World"

And the file "cassettes/filtering.yml" should contain " "

And the file "cassettes/filtering.yml" should not contain "Hello"

And the file "cassettes/filtering.yml" should not contain "World"

When I run ruby filtering.rb

Then the output should contain "Hello World".

Filter tagged cassettes

Given a file named "tagged_filtering.rb" with:

if ARGV.include?('--with-server')
  response_count = 0
  $server = start_sinatra_app do
    get('/') { "Hello World #{response_count += 1 }" }
  end
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  c.filter_sensitive_data('<LOCATION>', :my_tag) { 'World' }
end

VCR.use_cassette('tagged', :tag => :my_tag) do
  response = Net::HTTP.get_response('localhost', '/', $server ? $server.port : 0)
  puts "Tagged Response: #{response.body}"
end

VCR.use_cassette('untagged', :record => :new_episodes) do
  response = Net::HTTP.get_response('localhost', '/', $server ? $server.port : 0)
  puts "Untagged Response: #{response.body}"
end

When I run ruby tagged_filtering.rb --with-server

Then the output should contain each of the following:

| Tagged Response: Hello World 1 | | Untagged Response: Hello World 2 |

And the file "cassettes/tagged.yml" should contain "Hello 1"

And the file "cassettes/untagged.yml" should contain "Hello World 2"

When I run ruby tagged_filtering.rb

Then the output should contain each of the following:

| Tagged Response: Hello World 1 | | Untagged Response: Hello World 2 |

Filter dynamic data based on yielded HTTP interaction

Given a file named "dynamic_filtering.rb" with:

include_http_adapter_for('net/http')

if ARGV.include?('--with-server')
  $server = start_sinatra_app do
    helpers do
      def request_header_for(header_key_fragment)
        key = env.keys.find { |k| k =~ /#{header_key_fragment}/i }
        env[key]
      end
    end

    get('/') { "#{request_header_for('username')}/#{request_header_for('password')}" }
  end
end

require 'vcr'

USER_PASSWORDS = {
  'john.doe' => 'monkey',
  'jane.doe' => 'cheetah'
}

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  c.filter_sensitive_data('<PASSWORD>') do |interaction|
    USER_PASSWORDS[interaction.request.headers['X-Http-Username'].first]
  end
end

VCR.use_cassette('example', :match_requests_on => [:method, :uri, :headers]) do
  port = $server ? $server.port : 0
  puts "Response: " + response_body_for(
    :get, "http://localhost:#{port}/", nil,
    'X-Http-Username' => 'john.doe',
    'X-Http-Password' => USER_PASSWORDS['john.doe']
  )
end

When I run ruby dynamic_filtering.rb --with-server

Then the output should contain "john.doe/monkey"

And the file "cassettes/example.yml" should contain "john.doe/"

And the file "cassettes/example.yml" should contain a YAML fragment like:

X-Http-Password:
- <PASSWORD>

When I run ruby dynamic_filtering.rb

Then the output should contain "john.doe/monkey".

Last updated