Fixup after merge

# Conflicts:
#	client/android/client.go

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -475,6 +475,132 @@ jobs:
           path: dist/
           retention-days: 3
 
+  release_ui_gtk3:
+    # Legacy GTK3/WebKit2GTK 4.1 UI build for distros without WebKitGTK 6.0
+    # (Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, RHEL 9, Fedora <=39). Runs on ubuntu-22.04 so
+    # the binary links against the oldest supported glibc.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    outputs:
+      release_ui_gtk3_artifact_url: ${{ steps.upload_release_ui_gtk3.outputs.artifact-url }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0 # It is required for GoReleaser to work properly
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Parse semver string
+        id: semver_parser
+        uses: netbirdio/shared-actions/actions/parse-semver@be5df6047383da2236e02243cceb857d8567c27e # v0.0.2
+
+      - name: Set snapshot flag
+        if: ${{ !startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v') }}
+        run: |
+          echo "flags=--snapshot" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Set build vars
+        if: ${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v') }}
+        run: |
+          if [[ "x-${{ steps.semver_parser.outputs.prerelease }}" == "x-" && "x-${{ github.repository }}" == "x-netbirdio/netbird" ]]; then
+            echo "x-${{ github.repository }}"
+            echo "x-${{ steps.semver_parser.outputs.prerelease }}"
+            echo "SKIP_PUBLISH=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          else
+            echo "x-${{ github.repository }}"
+            echo "x-${{ steps.semver_parser.outputs.prerelease }}"
+          fi
+
+      - name: Set up Go
+        uses: actions/setup-go@924ae3a1cded613372ab5595356fb5720e22ba16 # v6.5.0
+        with:
+          go-version-file: "go.mod"
+          cache: false
+      - name: Cache Go modules
+        # Restore-only from the release_ui cache written by trusted runs; the
+        # module cache is identical (same go.sum) and stale build-cache
+        # entries just miss.
+        uses: actions/cache/restore@2c8a9bd7457de244a408f35966fab2fb45fda9c8 # v6.0.0
+        with:
+          path: |
+            ~/go/pkg/mod
+            ~/.cache/go-build
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-ui-go-releaser-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            ${{ runner.os }}-ui-go-releaser-
+
+      - name: Install modules
+        run: go mod tidy
+
+      - name: check git status
+        run: git --no-pager diff --exit-code
+
+      - name: Set up Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@49933ea5288caeca8642d1e84afbd3f7d6820020 # v4
+        with:
+          node-version: '22'
+
+      - name: Set up pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@a3252b78c470c02df07e9d59298aecedc3ccdd6d # v3.0.0
+        with:
+          version: 11
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y -q libgtk-3-dev libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev
+
+      - name: Decode GPG signing key
+        if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' || github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository
+        env:
+          GPG_RPM_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.GPG_RPM_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+        run: |
+          echo "$GPG_RPM_PRIVATE_KEY" | base64 -d > /tmp/gpg-rpm-signing-key.asc
+          echo "GPG_RPM_KEY_FILE=/tmp/gpg-rpm-signing-key.asc" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Install wails3 CLI
+        # Version derived from go.mod so the binding generator always matches
+        # the wails runtime the binary links against.
+        # -tags gtk3: the CLI links the wails runtime's cgo packages, and the
+        # default tags request gtk4/webkitgtk-6.0 pkg-config entries that do
+        # not exist on ubuntu-22.04.
+        run: |
+          WAILS_VERSION=$(go list -m -f '{{.Version}}' github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3)
+          go install -tags gtk3 github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/cmd/wails3@$WAILS_VERSION
+
+      - name: Run GoReleaser
+        uses: goreleaser/goreleaser-action@5daf1e915a5f0af01ddbcd89a43b8061ff4f1a89 # v7.2.2
+        with:
+          version: ${{ env.GORELEASER_VER }}
+          args: release --config .goreleaser_ui_gtk3.yaml --clean ${{ env.flags }}
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          UPLOAD_DEBIAN_SECRET: ${{ secrets.PKG_UPLOAD_SECRET }}
+          UPLOAD_YUM_SECRET: ${{ secrets.PKG_UPLOAD_SECRET }}
+          GPG_RPM_KEY_FILE: ${{ env.GPG_RPM_KEY_FILE }}
+          NFPM_NETBIRD_UI_RPM_GTK3_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_RPM_PASSPHRASE }}
+          SKIP_PUBLISH: ${{ env.SKIP_PUBLISH }}
+      - name: Verify RPM signatures
+        run: |
+          docker run --rm -v $(pwd)/dist:/dist fedora:41 bash -c '
+            dnf install -y -q rpm-sign curl >/dev/null 2>&1
+            curl -sSL https://pkgs.netbird.io/yum/repodata/repomd.xml.key -o /tmp/rpm-pub.key
+            rpm --import /tmp/rpm-pub.key
+            echo "=== Verifying RPM signatures ==="
+            for rpm_file in /dist/*.rpm; do
+              [ -f "$rpm_file" ] || continue
+              echo "--- $(basename $rpm_file) ---"
+              rpm -K "$rpm_file"
+            done
+          '
+      - name: Clean up GPG key
+        if: always()
+        run: rm -f /tmp/gpg-rpm-signing-key.asc
+      - name: upload non tags for debug purposes
+        id: upload_release_ui_gtk3
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a #v7.0.1
+        with:
+          name: release-ui-gtk3
+          path: dist/
+          retention-days: 3
+
   release_ui_darwin:
     runs-on: macos-latest
     outputs:
@@ -688,7 +814,7 @@ jobs:
   comment_release_artifacts:
     name: Comment release artifacts
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: [release, release_ui, release_ui_darwin]
+    needs: [release, release_ui, release_ui_gtk3, release_ui_darwin]
     if: ${{ always() && github.event_name == 'pull_request' && github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository }}
     permissions:
       contents: read
@@ -700,12 +826,14 @@ jobs:
         env:
           RELEASE_RESULT: ${{ needs.release.result }}
           RELEASE_UI_RESULT: ${{ needs.release_ui.result }}
+          RELEASE_UI_GTK3_RESULT: ${{ needs.release_ui_gtk3.result }}
           RELEASE_UI_DARWIN_RESULT: ${{ needs.release_ui_darwin.result }}
           RELEASE_ARTIFACT_URL: ${{ needs.release.outputs.release_artifact_url }}
           LINUX_PACKAGES_ARTIFACT_URL: ${{ needs.release.outputs.linux_packages_artifact_url }}
           WINDOWS_PACKAGES_ARTIFACT_URL: ${{ needs.release.outputs.windows_packages_artifact_url }}
           MACOS_PACKAGES_ARTIFACT_URL: ${{ needs.release.outputs.macos_packages_artifact_url }}
           RELEASE_UI_ARTIFACT_URL: ${{ needs.release_ui.outputs.release_ui_artifact_url }}
+          RELEASE_UI_GTK3_ARTIFACT_URL: ${{ needs.release_ui_gtk3.outputs.release_ui_gtk3_artifact_url }}
           RELEASE_UI_DARWIN_ARTIFACT_URL: ${{ needs.release_ui_darwin.outputs.release_ui_darwin_artifact_url }}
           GHCR_IMAGES_MARKDOWN: ${{ needs.release.outputs.ghcr_images }}
         with:
@@ -728,6 +856,7 @@ jobs:
               ['Windows packages', process.env.WINDOWS_PACKAGES_ARTIFACT_URL, process.env.RELEASE_RESULT],
               ['macOS packages', process.env.MACOS_PACKAGES_ARTIFACT_URL, process.env.RELEASE_RESULT],
               ['UI artifacts', process.env.RELEASE_UI_ARTIFACT_URL, process.env.RELEASE_UI_RESULT],
+              ['UI GTK3 artifacts', process.env.RELEASE_UI_GTK3_ARTIFACT_URL, process.env.RELEASE_UI_GTK3_RESULT],
               ['UI macOS artifacts', process.env.RELEASE_UI_DARWIN_ARTIFACT_URL, process.env.RELEASE_UI_DARWIN_RESULT],
             ];
 
@@ -784,7 +913,7 @@ jobs:
 
   trigger_signer:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: [release, release_ui, release_ui_darwin, test_windows_installer]
+    needs: [release, release_ui, release_ui_gtk3, release_ui_darwin, test_windows_installer]
     if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
     steps:
       - name: Trigger binaries sign pipelines

.github/workflows/test-infrastructure-files.yml

@@ -257,6 +257,15 @@ jobs:
         with:
           persist-credentials: false
 
+      - name: Verify fresh-install session cookie key hardening
+        run: |
+          grep -Fxq '  SESSION_COOKIE_ENCRYPTION_KEY=$(openssl rand -base64 32)' infrastructure_files/getting-started.sh
+          grep -Fxq '    sessionCookieEncryptionKey: "$SESSION_COOKIE_ENCRYPTION_KEY"' infrastructure_files/getting-started.sh
+          grep -Fxq '  install -m 600 /dev/null config.yaml' infrastructure_files/getting-started.sh
+          grep -Fxq '  openssl rand -base64 32' infrastructure_files/getting-started-enterprise.sh
+          grep -Fxq '  NETBIRD_SESSION_COOKIE_ENCRYPTION_KEY=$(rand_b64_key)' infrastructure_files/getting-started-enterprise.sh
+          grep -Fxq '    sessionCookieEncryptionKey: "${NETBIRD_SESSION_COOKIE_ENCRYPTION_KEY}"' infrastructure_files/getting-started-enterprise.sh
+
       - name: Verify Dex retirement notice
         run: |
           if infrastructure_files/getting-started-with-dex.sh >stdout.txt 2>stderr.txt; then

.goreleaser_ui_gtk3.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+version: 2
+env:
+  - SKIP_PUBLISH={{ if index .Env "SKIP_PUBLISH" }}{{ .Env.SKIP_PUBLISH }}{{ else }}true{{ end }}
+project_name: netbird-ui
+
+before:
+  hooks:
+    # Bindings are gitignored; regenerate before the frontend build so
+    # the @wailsio/runtime Vite plugin can resolve them (vite refuses to
+    # build without them).
+    # -f '-tags gtk3': the generator type-checks client/ui, whose cgo imports
+    # would otherwise resolve gtk4/webkitgtk-6.0 pkg-config entries that do
+    # not exist on ubuntu-22.04.
+    - sh -c 'cd client/ui && wails3 generate bindings -clean=true -ts -f "-tags gtk3"'
+    - sh -c 'cd client/ui/frontend && pnpm install --frozen-lockfile && pnpm build'
+
+builds:
+  # Legacy GTK3 / WebKit2GTK 4.1 build for distros without WebKitGTK 6.0
+  # (Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, RHEL 9, Fedora <=39). The gtk3 tag flips the
+  # Wails Linux backend to the GTK3 stack and swaps our GTK4-only XEmbed
+  # tray host for the pure-Go stub (client/ui/xembed_host_gtk3_linux.go).
+  # Must be built on the oldest supported glibc (ubuntu-22.04 runner).
+  - id: netbird-ui-gtk3
+    dir: client/ui
+    binary: netbird-ui
+    env:
+      - CGO_ENABLED=1
+    goos:
+      - linux
+    goarch:
+      - amd64
+    ldflags:
+      - -s -w -X github.com/netbirdio/netbird/version.version={{.Version}} -X main.commit={{.Commit}} -X main.date={{.CommitDate}} -X main.builtBy=goreleaser
+    mod_timestamp: "{{ .CommitTimestamp }}"
+    tags:
+      - production
+      - gtk3
+
+archives:
+  - id: linux-gtk3-arch
+    name_template: "{{ .ProjectName }}-linux-gtk3_{{ .Version }}_{{ .Os }}_{{ .Arch }}"
+    builds:
+      - netbird-ui-gtk3
+
+nfpms:
+  # Same package_name as the GTK4 packages -- the two are mutually-exclusive
+  # alternatives served from separate repo paths (see uploads below); a given
+  # distro points at exactly one of them. The file names must still differ:
+  # the Debian pool is shared storage keyed by file name, so a default-named
+  # gtk3 .deb would overwrite the stable one.
+  - maintainer: Netbird <dev@netbird.io>
+    description: Netbird client UI.
+    homepage: https://netbird.io/
+    license: BSD-3-Clause
+    vendor: NetBird
+    id: netbird_ui_deb_gtk3
+    package_name: netbird-ui
+    file_name_template: "{{ .PackageName }}-gtk3_{{ .Version }}_{{ .Os }}_{{ .Arch }}"
+    builds:
+      - netbird-ui-gtk3
+    formats:
+      - deb
+    scripts:
+      postinstall: "release_files/ui-post-install.sh"
+    contents:
+      - src: client/ui/build/linux/netbird.desktop
+        dst: /usr/share/applications/org.wails.netbird.desktop
+      - src: client/ui/build/appicon.png
+        dst: /usr/share/pixmaps/netbird.png
+    dependencies:
+      - netbird (>= 0.75.0)
+      - libgtk-3-0
+      - libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0
+
+  - maintainer: Netbird <dev@netbird.io>
+    description: Netbird client UI.
+    homepage: https://netbird.io/
+    license: BSD-3-Clause
+    vendor: NetBird
+    id: netbird_ui_rpm_gtk3
+    package_name: netbird-ui
+    file_name_template: "{{ .PackageName }}-gtk3_{{ .Version }}_{{ .Os }}_{{ .Arch }}"
+    builds:
+      - netbird-ui-gtk3
+    formats:
+      - rpm
+    scripts:
+      postinstall: "release_files/ui-post-install.sh"
+    contents:
+      - src: client/ui/build/linux/netbird.desktop
+        dst: /usr/share/applications/org.wails.netbird.desktop
+      - src: client/ui/build/appicon.png
+        dst: /usr/share/pixmaps/netbird.png
+    dependencies:
+      - netbird >= 0.75.0
+      - (gtk3 or libgtk-3-0)
+      - (webkit2gtk4.1 or libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0)
+
+    rpm:
+      signature:
+        key_file: '{{ if index .Env "GPG_RPM_KEY_FILE" }}{{ .Env.GPG_RPM_KEY_FILE }}{{ end }}'
+
+# The GTK4 UI job shares project_name, so the default checksum file name would
+# collide with it on the shared GitHub release.
+checksum:
+  name_template: "{{ .ProjectName }}_gtk3_checksums.txt"
+
+changelog:
+  disable: true
+
+uploads:
+  # The gtk3 packages reuse the netbird-ui package name, so they live in
+  # dedicated repo paths (deb distribution `gtk3`, yum path `yum-gtk3`) that
+  # legacy distros point their repo config at.
+  - name: debian-gtk3
+    skip: "{{ .Env.SKIP_PUBLISH }}"
+    ids:
+      - netbird_ui_deb_gtk3
+    mode: archive
+    target: https://pkgs.wiretrustee.com/debian/pool/{{ .ArtifactName }};deb.distribution=gtk3;deb.component=main;deb.architecture={{ if .Arm }}armhf{{ else }}{{ .Arch }}{{ end }};deb.package=
+    username: dev@wiretrustee.com
+    method: PUT
+
+  - name: yum-gtk3
+    skip: "{{ .Env.SKIP_PUBLISH }}"
+    ids:
+      - netbird_ui_rpm_gtk3
+    mode: archive
+    target: https://pkgs.wiretrustee.com/yum-gtk3/{{ .Arch }}{{ if .Arm }}{{ .Arm }}{{ end }}
+    username: dev@wiretrustee.com
+    method: PUT

AGENTS.md

@@ -14,20 +14,22 @@ in this file, not duplicated there.
 
 ## Contents
 
-- [NetBird Agent Guidelines](#netbird-agent-guidelines)
-  - [Contents](#contents)
-  - [STOP and ask the user before](#stop-and-ask-the-user-before)
-  - [Quick reference](#quick-reference)
-  - [Structure](#structure)
-  - [Where to look](#where-to-look)
-  - [Repo-wide principles](#repo-wide-principles)
-  - [Error handling](#error-handling)
-  - [Comments](#comments)
-  - [Testing](#testing)
-  - [Pitfalls](#pitfalls)
-  - [Commits, PRs, releases](#commits-prs-releases)
-  - [After you push: CI and review bots](#after-you-push-ci-and-review-bots)
-  - [Discussion and support](#discussion-and-support)
+- [STOP and ask the user before](#stop-and-ask-the-user-before)
+- [Quick reference](#quick-reference)
+- [Structure](#structure)
+- [Where to look](#where-to-look)
+- [Security](#security)
+- [Agent conventions](#agent-conventions)
+- [Repo-wide principles](#repo-wide-principles)
+- [Type safety](#type-safety)
+- [Concurrency and lifecycle](#concurrency-and-lifecycle)
+- [Error handling](#error-handling)
+- [Comments](#comments)
+- [Testing](#testing)
+- [Pitfalls](#pitfalls)
+- [Commits, PRs, releases](#commits-prs-releases)
+- [After you push: CI and review bots](#after-you-push-ci-and-review-bots)
+- [Discussion and support](#discussion-and-support)
 
 ## STOP and ask the user before
 
@@ -157,11 +159,125 @@ netbird/
 | LLM routing / Agent Network | `proxy/internal/llm/`, `agent-network/`                      |
 | End-to-end tests            | `e2e/`                                                       |
 
+## Security
+
+### Never fail open
+
+When a security check — access control, an IP restriction, an auth decision —
+hits an error such as an unparseable value, an unavailable lookup, or a state it
+does not recognize, it must **deny**. Never skip the check or allow the request
+through because the check itself failed, and make the `default` and unknown cases
+of a security-related `switch` deny rather than fall through.
+
+### Daemon RPC input is untrusted
+
+The agent runs as root (LocalSystem on Windows), so a daemon RPC crosses a
+privilege boundary: treat every field as untrusted input rather than as something
+the UI or CLI validated on the way in.
+
+When you add or change an RPC, ask what the handler does with caller input while
+running as root. If the answer touches a filesystem path, a URL or host, or a
+privileged state change, it needs a gate **in the handler** — a check in the client
+that normally calls it is not a check at all.
+
+- **A caller-supplied path the daemon opens.** Never `os.Open` it as root.
+  Constrain it, then open it *as the caller* with `ipcauth.OpenOwnedFile`, which
+  opens `O_NOFOLLOW`, requires a regular file, and refuses a file the caller does
+  not own — so a symlink or hardlink aimed at a root-only file is rejected.
+- **A caller-supplied URL or host the daemon fetches.** Restrict the scheme and
+  allow only known hosts for unprivileged callers. Prefer a lexical host
+  allowlist plus TLS verification over "resolve the host, then reject private
+  IPs": the resolve-then-trust pattern has a DNS-rebinding race (public IP at
+  check time, attacker IP at connect time), while a name allowlist has no IP
+  check to race. Never accept `http://` where `https://` is expected.
+- **A privileged state change** (SSH root login, management URL, deregistration)
+  gates on the caller identity from `ipcauth.CallerIdentity(ctx)`.
+
+Caller identity comes from the kernel — `SO_PEERCRED`, `LOCAL_PEERCRED`, or the
+named-pipe client token — and never from an RPC field. When
+`ipcauth.CallerIdentity` reports that it could not determine an identity, **deny**;
+do not fall back to treating the caller as the transport peer.
+
+## Agent conventions
+
+### Three networking modes
+
+Where packets actually flow depends on the mode the agent is running in. The
+three are not interchangeable, so establish which one a change applies to — and
+what it should do in the other two — before you write it.
+
+- **kernel mode** (Linux only): in-kernel WireGuard®. The kernel handles both
+  peer-to-peer and routed traffic, and ACLs are iptables or nftables rules. The
+  client programs kernel facilities but never sees the traffic itself.
+- **userspace mode** (wireguard-go with a TUN): wireguard-go runs in-process. The
+  kernel handles peer-to-peer traffic once it leaves the TUN, while routed traffic
+  — exit nodes and network routes — goes through the userspace forwarder, which
+  terminates the connection and re-establishes it over OS sockets. Used on
+  platforms without kernel WireGuard® or when the user opts out.
+- **netstack mode**: wireguard-go in-process with no TUN and no kernel
+  networking. The forwarder does all routing by stitching userspace sockets, and
+  listeners such as the embedded SSH and DNS servers bind on a gVisor netstack.
+  Used where the process cannot create a TUN device, such as the embedded client
+  (`client/embed/`) and the WASM build.
+
+### The overlay interface is not "WireGuard"
+
+Do not put "WireGuard" in identifiers or comments unless the code is genuinely
+coupled to WireGuard® specifically — a wireguard-go call, a handshake field, a
+kernel WireGuard® netlink attribute. For the interface, the host, peers, or
+traffic in general, say "the NetBird interface", "the interface", or "the overlay".
+Most firewall, routing, and DNS code is transport-agnostic, so a WireGuard®
+reference there is simply inaccurate and rots as the transports change.
+
+### IPv6 is a soft feature
+
+The IPv6 overlay is opt-in dual-stack, and capability can change at runtime. Treat
+it as soft rather than a requirement:
+
+- Gate local v6 paths on the interface accessor (`wgIface.Address().HasIPv6()`),
+  not on raw state fields, and skip the v6 path when the host has no v6 rather
+  than returning an error.
+- Treat an empty or unparseable peer v6 address as "no v6 for that peer" and skip
+  it, keeping the v4 path working.
+- Never let a missing v6 break v4. Fail-closed is for security checks; a
+  capability mismatch skips the v6 work and carries on.
+
+### Environment variables
+
+Name the variable in a constant and parse booleans with `strconv.ParseBool` rather
+than comparing strings inline, so an unexpected value is logged instead of
+silently meaning false:
+
+```go
+const EnvDisableFeature = "NB_DISABLE_FEATURE"
+
+func isDisabledByEnv() bool {
+    val := os.Getenv(EnvDisableFeature)
+    if val == "" {
+        return false
+    }
+    disabled, err := strconv.ParseBool(val)
+    if err != nil {
+        log.Warnf("failed to parse %s: %v", EnvDisableFeature, err)
+        return false
+    }
+    return disabled
+}
+```
+
+### Validating against protocol specs
+
+When a change depends on what a protocol actually mandates, read the specification
+text from the [IETF datatracker](https://datatracker.ietf.org/) rather than a
+summary, and check that you have the current RFC — the widely cited one for a
+protocol is often superseded. Cite the section, not just the document, so a
+reviewer can jump straight to the rule.
+
 ## Repo-wide principles
 
 1. **Run `go fmt` on every modified Go file.** Formatting is not optional.
-2. **Zero unaddressed diagnostics.** Fix IDE and linter warnings on code you
-   touch, and delete imports, helpers, and parameters your refactor orphaned.
+2. **Zero unaddressed linter warnings.** Fix what `golangci-lint` reports on code
+   you touch, and delete imports, helpers, and parameters your refactor orphaned.
    Exception: unused parameters in shared code may be consumed by builds outside
    this repository — do not remove them, ask instead.
 3. **Function comments are mandatory for exported functions**, written as full
@@ -175,9 +291,12 @@ netbird/
 7. **Avoid LLM-slop tells:** em dashes, hedging narration, restating the diff in
    prose, trailing summaries. Defaults, not absolute bans. Applies to code,
    comments, commit messages, and PR descriptions alike.
-8. **Concurrency: do a two-pass race analysis after every change** that adds
-   shared state. Guard maps and slices with a mutex, keep critical sections
-   short, and run `go test -race` on the touched packages.
+8. **Concurrency: do a two-pass race analysis after every change** that touches
+   shared state, including reads of existing maps and slices. Guard them with a
+   mutex (or an atomic or channel where that fits better), keep critical
+   sections short, and run `go test -race` on the touched packages. See
+   [Concurrency and lifecycle](#concurrency-and-lifecycle) for the failure modes
+   to check for.
 9. **Cross-platform builds must keep working.** The agent targets Linux, macOS,
    Windows, FreeBSD, Android, and iOS. When you add a platform-specific file,
    add the counterpart or a build-tagged fallback for the others.
@@ -185,6 +304,93 @@ netbird/
 11. **Never log secrets** — private keys, setup keys, tokens, PAT values — and
     keep peer IPs and hostnames out of logs above debug level.
 
+## Type safety
+
+**No bare primitives for domain concepts.** A `string` parameter for an account
+ID next to a `string` parameter for a peer ID is two bugs waiting to happen,
+because the compiler cannot catch the swap. Declare the type once and use it
+throughout, converting only at the boundaries where data enters or leaves —
+protobuf, gRPC, HTTP, an external library.
+
+```go
+type ServiceID string
+type AccountID string
+
+// Internal: typed all the way through
+func (r *Router) RemoveRoute(host SNIHost, svcID ServiceID) { ... }
+
+// Proto boundary: convert once, on the way in and on the way out
+svcID := ServiceID(mapping.GetId())
+req.ServiceId = string(svcID)
+```
+
+- **IP addresses are `netip.Addr`**, not `string` and not `net.IP`. Parse at the
+  boundary and pass the typed value inward.
+- **Always `Unmap()`** after parsing an address, after converting from `net.IP`,
+  and after extracting one from `RemoteAddr()`. This normalizes a v4-mapped v6
+  address (`::ffff:10.1.2.3`) to plain v4 so IPv4 rules match it. A stored or
+  compared mapped address silently fails to match those rules.
+- **Ports are `uint16`** internally; use `int` only where a library forces it and
+  convert immediately.
+- **Enums are a typed string with constants**, so the valid set is discoverable
+  and a typo fails to compile.
+- **Map keys follow the same rule**, and must be a real type (`type ServiceID
+  string`) rather than an alias (`type serviceID = string`) — an alias silently
+  accepts bare strings.
+
+## Concurrency and lifecycle
+
+Beyond the mutex hygiene in the principles above, check for these failure
+modes.
+
+- **Never read a struct field inside a goroutine** when another goroutine may nil
+  or reassign it. Pass the value as a parameter, or capture it into a local before
+  launching. This matters most when `Stop()` nils a field without waiting for the
+  goroutine to finish.
+
+  ```go
+  go func(ifaceName string) {   // good: passed in, cannot be nilled underneath
+      m.Start(ctx, ifaceName)
+  }(iface.Name())
+  ```
+
+- **Never wait on a channel while holding a lock the sender needs.** Copy what you
+  need out from under the lock, release it, then wait.
+
+  ```go
+  func (m *Manager) Stop() {
+      m.mu.Lock()
+      cancel, done := m.cancel, m.done
+      m.mu.Unlock()
+      if cancel != nil {
+          cancel()
+          <-done
+      }
+  }
+  ```
+
+- **`Stop`/`Close` must be idempotent** — guard on an already-stopped flag or a
+  nil cancel — and must release the state they guarded. Clear maps and caches;
+  a cancelled goroutine holding a live map still pins that memory. Note that a
+  nil map only panics on writes; reads and iteration behave like an empty map,
+  so where post-close use must be rejected, check the stopped flag explicitly.
+- **Publish coupled state only after every fallible step succeeds.** When several
+  fields form an invariant, build them into locals and assign them to the receiver
+  at the end. Assigning as you go leaves the object half-initialized when a later
+  step fails, so a readiness predicate reports ready while a coupled field is nil.
+  If an earlier step already had an external side effect — a created chain, an
+  opened handle, an inserted rule — roll it back before returning the error.
+- **Clean up what you own on constructor error paths.** Once a constructor has
+  started something, every later error path must undo it: cancel a goroutine and
+  wait for it to exit, stop a ticker, close a watcher. The object is never
+  returned, so its `Close` will never run.
+- **A failed `Start` must undo everything it started.** When a component brings up
+  several subsystems in sequence — connection manager, watchers, routing, DNS,
+  flow, persisted state — a failure partway through has to tear down the ones
+  already running, not just close the handle the error came from. Put the
+  already-started guard *before* that teardown path, so a rejected second `Start`
+  cannot dismantle the one that is running.
+
 ## Error handling
 
 Use single-assignment form when the error is only needed inside the `if`:
@@ -248,6 +454,45 @@ Log the errors you choose not to act on:
 - Close errors may be ignored for read-only operations; log them at debug for
   writes.
 
+**Do not log and return the same error.** It gets reported twice, from two places,
+and the second reader cannot tell whether it happened once or twice. Return it and
+let the caller decide. The exception is an API handler that has already written a
+response. Internal helpers return errors rather than logging and swallowing them.
+
+**Never return a typed nil as an error.** A nil `*MyError` stored in an `error`
+interface is not nil, so `err != nil` is true and callers take the failure path on
+success. Return the error only where it is actually set:
+
+```go
+if _, err := conn.Write(buf); err != nil {   // good
+    return err
+}
+return nil
+```
+
+**Accumulate with `multierror` when an operation should continue past individual
+failures** — teardown, cleanup, or setup where partial success is acceptable.
+`client/errors.FormatErrorOrNil` returns nil for an empty accumulator, so callers
+still see a plain nil on full success:
+
+```go
+func (m *Manager) Cleanup() error {
+    var merr *multierror.Error
+    for _, r := range m.resources {
+        if err := r.Close(); err != nil {
+            merr = multierror.Append(merr, fmt.Errorf("close %s: %w", r.Name, err))
+        }
+    }
+    return nberrors.FormatErrorOrNil(merr)
+}
+```
+
+| Scenario              | Approach              | Why                                       |
+| --------------------- | --------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
+| Cleanup / teardown    | Accumulate            | Clean up as much as possible              |
+| Setup with rollback   | Abort on first error  | Partial state is invalid; undo what stuck |
+| Setup with partial OK | Accumulate            | Degraded operation is still useful        |
+
 ## Comments
 
 Comment the **why**, never the **what**. Default to no comment, and add one only
@@ -269,10 +514,14 @@ checksum = updateChecksum(checksum, oldPort, newPort)
 
 ### Length budget
 
-- **90 characters per line.** Wrap the comment, do not run past it.
-- **250 characters per comment**, roughly three wrapped lines. Doc comments on
-  exported identifiers may exceed it when the API genuinely needs the
-  explanation; inline comments inside a function body may not.
+Neither of these is linter-enforced, so they are conventions the surrounding code
+mostly follows rather than hard limits:
+
+- **Around 90 characters per line.** Wrap the comment rather than running well past
+  it.
+- **Roughly 250 characters per comment**, about three wrapped lines. Doc comments
+  on exported identifiers may exceed it when the API genuinely needs the
+  explanation; inline comments inside a function body rarely should.
 
 The budget is a smell detector, not a rule to game. Do not compress a needed
 explanation into cryptic shorthand to fit — if a block of code needs more than
@@ -329,6 +578,19 @@ up, and the 250-character budget does not apply to them.
   otherwise.
 - **Message guidance:** optional for `NoError`/`Error`; always give context for
   comparison, boolean, and collection assertions.
+- **Reproduce a bug before fixing it.** Write the test, watch it fail *for the
+  reason you expect* — a test that fails for an unrelated reason proves nothing —
+  then apply the fix and confirm it passes. Add the thin surrounding cases while
+  you are there.
+- **Use `t.Setenv`** rather than `os.Setenv` so the previous value is restored on
+  cleanup. To test the unset case, call `t.Setenv` first to register the restore,
+  then `os.Unsetenv`.
+- **Prefer `t.Cleanup` over `defer`** in any test with parallel subtests: the
+  parent function returns, running its `defer`s, while parallel subtests are
+  still suspended. Sequential subtests finish inside `t.Run`, so `defer` is safe
+  there, but `t.Cleanup` works in both cases.
+- **Explanatory comments in tests are welcome.** Describe the scenario being set
+  up; the comment budget below does not apply to them.
 
 ```go
 server, err := StartTestServer()
@@ -380,7 +642,8 @@ assert.Equal(t, expectedResult, result, "Result should match expected")
   than replacing it with your own summary: describe the change, link the issue,
   tick the checklist honestly (including "ran locally" and "single purpose"),
   and complete the documentation section. Do not tick a box you have not
-  verified, and do not delete rows that do not apply.
+  verified, and do not delete rows that do not apply — the docs gate in CI reads
+  that section and fails when it is missing.
 
 - **Keep the PR description short.** Under 1000 words on top of the template's
   own text, and usually far less — a few paragraphs. Reviewers read the diff;
@@ -439,6 +702,12 @@ assert.Equal(t, expectedResult, result, "Result should match expected")
   on their own. Propose that split to the user rather than opening one large PR
   and hoping.
 
+  Prefer GitHub's stacked pull requests for such a sequence, rather than
+  hand-managing base branches: open each PR against the branch below it instead of
+  `main`, so every PR's diff shows only its own change. Merging a layer retargets
+  the PRs above it, and branch protections and required checks on the base branch
+  still apply to each one.
+
 - **User-facing changes need a docs PR** in
   [netbirdio/docs](https://github.com/netbirdio/docs), linked from the PR
   description.

client/android/client.go

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/routemanager"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/stdnet"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/net"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/system"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/formatter"
@@ -82,6 +83,14 @@ type Client struct {
 	connectClient *internal.ConnectClient
 	config        *profilemanager.Config
 	cacheDir      string
+
+	// mdmLoader holds the per-Client MDM policy source. Set by
+	// SetMDMPolicyFetcher (called from the Kotlin side). Each Run
+	// passes this loader to the resolved Config so applyMDMPolicy
+	// picks up the active overlay. Nil means "MDM enforcement off
+	// for this Client".
+	mdmLoader *mdm.Loader
+
 	// Identifies the running profile for the SSO login hint; see profile_state.go.
 	cfgPath string
 
@@ -167,6 +176,7 @@ func (c *Client) Run(platformFiles PlatformFiles, urlOpener URLOpener, isAndroid
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 	c.recorder.UpdateManagementAddress(cfg.ManagementURL.String())
 	c.recorder.UpdateRosenpass(cfg.RosenpassEnabled, cfg.RosenpassPermissive)
 
@@ -216,6 +226,7 @@ func (c *Client) RunWithoutLogin(platformFiles PlatformFiles, dns *DNSList, dnsR
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 	c.recorder.UpdateManagementAddress(cfg.ManagementURL.String())
 	c.recorder.UpdateRosenpass(cfg.RosenpassEnabled, cfg.RosenpassPermissive)
 
@@ -291,6 +302,7 @@ func (c *Client) DebugBundle(platformFiles PlatformFiles, anonymize bool) (strin
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", fmt.Errorf("load config: %w", err)
 		}
+		c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 		cacheDir = platformFiles.CacheDir()
 	}
 

client/android/mdm.go

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+//go:build android
+
+package android
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
+)
+
+// PolicyFetcher is the mobile-side bridge for the MDM managed-config
+// snapshot. The native layer (Kotlin) implements this and registers
+// the instance per Client via Client.SetMDMPolicyFetcher. Every
+// invocation of fetchJSON must read the current RestrictionsManager
+// state and return the result as a JSON-encoded map[string]any string.
+//
+// JSON is used because gomobile does not support map[string]any
+// crossing the JNI boundary — the adapter on the Go side parses the
+// string back into the map[string]any expected by mdm.Loader.
+//
+// Return value contract:
+//   - "" (empty)         : interpreted as "no MDM source / no managed keys"
+//   - "{}"               : managed config explicitly empty
+//   - "{...}"            : JSON object with key/value pairs
+//   - malformed JSON     : logged and treated as empty
+type PolicyFetcher interface {
+	FetchJSON() string
+}
+
+// jsonFetcherAdapter wraps a gomobile-exposed PolicyFetcher into the
+// internal mdm.PolicyFetcher interface, taking care of JSON decoding
+// on every Fetch.
+type jsonFetcherAdapter struct {
+	inner PolicyFetcher
+}
+
+func (a *jsonFetcherAdapter) Fetch() map[string]any {
+	raw := a.inner.FetchJSON()
+	if raw == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	var out map[string]any
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(raw), &out); err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("MDM mobile fetcher: invalid JSON payload from native: %v", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+// SetMDMPolicyFetcher registers the native-provided MDM policy fetcher
+// on this Client. Call once from the gomobile-init code (Kotlin
+// Application.onCreate or Service onCreate) before invoking Run /
+// RunWithoutLogin. Passing nil disables MDM enforcement on this
+// Client.
+//
+// The fetcher is held as a *mdm.Loader instance on the Client (no
+// package-level state) — multiple Clients in the same process get
+// independent Loaders, and tests can inject fakes per Client.
+func (c *Client) SetMDMPolicyFetcher(p PolicyFetcher) {
+	if p == nil {
+		c.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(nil)
+		return
+	}
+	c.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(&jsonFetcherAdapter{inner: p})
+}
+
+// applyMDMOverlay applies the Client-held MDM Loader's current policy
+// on top of the just-read Config. Called immediately after every
+// UpdateOrCreateConfig — profilemanager's apply() initialises the
+// policy to empty and leaves overlay responsibility to the lifecycle
+// owner. No-op when no fetcher was registered.
+func (c *Client) applyMDMOverlay(cfg *profilemanager.Config) {
+	if cfg == nil || c.mdmLoader == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	cfg.ApplyMDMPolicy(c.mdmLoader.Load())
+}

client/cmd/login.go

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/auth"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 	nbnet "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/net"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/proto"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/server"
@@ -332,6 +333,11 @@ func doForegroundLogin(ctx context.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, setupKey string,
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("read config file %s: %v", configFilePath, err)
 	}
+	// CLI standalone login: profilemanager no longer auto-applies MDM,
+	// so layer in the OS-native policy here. Desktop builds construct
+	// a Loader with no fetcher — the build-tagged loadPlatform reads
+	// the registry/plist directly.
+	config.ApplyMDMPolicy(mdm.NewLoader(nil).Load())
 
 	// Mirror runInForegroundMode: recover residual state (DNS, firewall,
 	// ssh config, legacy routing) from a previous unclean shutdown and

client/cmd/up.go

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/peer"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/proto"
 	nbnet "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/net"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/server"
@@ -228,6 +229,10 @@ func runInForegroundMode(ctx context.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, activeProf *pr
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("get config file: %v", err)
 	}
+	// CLI foreground path runs without the daemon Server: layer in the
+	// active MDM policy explicitly so a forced ManagementURL / PSK /
+	// other managed key actually takes effect on this run.
+	config.ApplyMDMPolicy(mdm.NewLoader(nil).Load())
 
 	_, _ = profilemanager.UpdateOldManagementURL(ctx, config, configFilePath)
 
@@ -421,12 +426,6 @@ func setupSetConfigReq(customDNSAddressConverted []byte, cmd *cobra.Command, pro
 	if cmd.Flag(serverSSHAllowedFlag).Changed {
 		req.ServerSSHAllowed = &serverSSHAllowed
 	}
-	if cmd.Flag(serverVNCAllowedFlag).Changed {
-		req.ServerVNCAllowed = &serverVNCAllowed
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(disableVNCApprovalFlag).Changed {
-		req.DisableVNCApproval = &disableVNCApproval
-	}
 	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRootFlag).Changed {
 		req.EnableSSHRoot = &enableSSHRoot
 	}
@@ -529,14 +528,30 @@ func setupConfig(customDNSAddressConverted []byte, cmd *cobra.Command, configFil
 	if cmd.Flag(serverSSHAllowedFlag).Changed {
 		ic.ServerSSHAllowed = &serverSSHAllowed
 	}
-	if cmd.Flag(serverVNCAllowedFlag).Changed {
-		ic.ServerVNCAllowed = &serverVNCAllowed
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(disableVNCApprovalFlag).Changed {
-		ic.DisableVNCApproval = &disableVNCApproval
+
+	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRootFlag).Changed {
+		ic.EnableSSHRoot = &enableSSHRoot
 	}
 
-	applySSHFlagsToConfig(cmd, &ic)
+	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHSFTPFlag).Changed {
+		ic.EnableSSHSFTP = &enableSSHSFTP
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHLocalPortForwardFlag).Changed {
+		ic.EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding = &enableSSHLocalPortForward
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRemotePortForwardFlag).Changed {
+		ic.EnableSSHRemotePortForwarding = &enableSSHRemotePortForward
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Flag(disableSSHAuthFlag).Changed {
+		ic.DisableSSHAuth = &disableSSHAuth
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Flag(sshJWTCacheTTLFlag).Changed {
+		ic.SSHJWTCacheTTL = &sshJWTCacheTTL
+	}
 
 	if cmd.Flag(interfaceNameFlag).Changed {
 		if err := parseInterfaceName(interfaceName); err != nil {
@@ -609,49 +624,6 @@ func setupConfig(customDNSAddressConverted []byte, cmd *cobra.Command, configFil
 	return &ic, nil
 }
 
-func applySSHFlagsToConfig(cmd *cobra.Command, ic *profilemanager.ConfigInput) {
-	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRootFlag).Changed {
-		ic.EnableSSHRoot = &enableSSHRoot
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHSFTPFlag).Changed {
-		ic.EnableSSHSFTP = &enableSSHSFTP
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHLocalPortForwardFlag).Changed {
-		ic.EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding = &enableSSHLocalPortForward
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRemotePortForwardFlag).Changed {
-		ic.EnableSSHRemotePortForwarding = &enableSSHRemotePortForward
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(disableSSHAuthFlag).Changed {
-		ic.DisableSSHAuth = &disableSSHAuth
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(sshJWTCacheTTLFlag).Changed {
-		ic.SSHJWTCacheTTL = &sshJWTCacheTTL
-	}
-}
-
-func applySSHFlagsToLogin(cmd *cobra.Command, req *proto.LoginRequest) {
-	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRootFlag).Changed {
-		req.EnableSSHRoot = &enableSSHRoot
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHSFTPFlag).Changed {
-		req.EnableSSHSFTP = &enableSSHSFTP
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHLocalPortForwardFlag).Changed {
-		req.EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding = &enableSSHLocalPortForward
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRemotePortForwardFlag).Changed {
-		req.EnableSSHRemotePortForwarding = &enableSSHRemotePortForward
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(disableSSHAuthFlag).Changed {
-		req.DisableSSHAuth = &disableSSHAuth
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(sshJWTCacheTTLFlag).Changed {
-		ttl := int32(sshJWTCacheTTL)
-		req.SshJWTCacheTTL = &ttl
-	}
-}
-
 func setupLoginRequest(providedSetupKey string, customDNSAddressConverted []byte, cmd *cobra.Command) (*proto.LoginRequest, error) {
 	loginRequest := proto.LoginRequest{
 		SetupKey:            providedSetupKey,
@@ -681,14 +653,31 @@ func setupLoginRequest(providedSetupKey string, customDNSAddressConverted []byte
 	if cmd.Flag(serverSSHAllowedFlag).Changed {
 		loginRequest.ServerSSHAllowed = &serverSSHAllowed
 	}
-	if cmd.Flag(serverVNCAllowedFlag).Changed {
-		loginRequest.ServerVNCAllowed = &serverVNCAllowed
-	}
-	if cmd.Flag(disableVNCApprovalFlag).Changed {
-		loginRequest.DisableVNCApproval = &disableVNCApproval
+
+	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRootFlag).Changed {
+		loginRequest.EnableSSHRoot = &enableSSHRoot
 	}
 
-	applySSHFlagsToLogin(cmd, &loginRequest)
+	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHSFTPFlag).Changed {
+		loginRequest.EnableSSHSFTP = &enableSSHSFTP
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHLocalPortForwardFlag).Changed {
+		loginRequest.EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding = &enableSSHLocalPortForward
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Flag(enableSSHRemotePortForwardFlag).Changed {
+		loginRequest.EnableSSHRemotePortForwarding = &enableSSHRemotePortForward
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Flag(disableSSHAuthFlag).Changed {
+		loginRequest.DisableSSHAuth = &disableSSHAuth
+	}
+
+	if cmd.Flag(sshJWTCacheTTLFlag).Changed {
+		sshJWTCacheTTL32 := int32(sshJWTCacheTTL)
+		loginRequest.SshJWTCacheTTL = &sshJWTCacheTTL32
+	}
 
 	if cmd.Flag(disableAutoConnectFlag).Changed {
 		loginRequest.DisableAutoConnect = &autoConnectDisabled

client/cmd/vnc_agent.go

@@ -1,102 +0,0 @@
-//go:build windows || (darwin && !ios)
-
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"net"
-	"net/netip"
-	"os"
-
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-
-	vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-)
-
-var (
-	vncAgentSocket    string
-	vncAgentTargetUID uint32
-)
-
-func init() {
-	vncAgentCmd.Flags().StringVar(&vncAgentSocket, "socket", "", "Unix-domain socket path the agent listens on (required)")
-	vncAgentCmd.Flags().Uint32Var(&vncAgentTargetUID, "target-uid", 0, "uid the agent should drop privileges to before listening (darwin only; 0 = stay as current uid)")
-	rootCmd.AddCommand(vncAgentCmd)
-}
-
-// vncAgentCmd runs a VNC server inside the user's interactive session,
-// listening on a Unix-domain socket. The NetBird service spawns it: on
-// Windows via CreateProcessAsUser into the console session, on macOS via
-// launchctl asuser into the Aqua session.
-var vncAgentCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:    "vnc-agent",
-	Short:  "Run VNC capture agent (internal, spawned by service)",
-	Hidden: true,
-	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-		log.SetReportCaller(true)
-		log.SetFormatter(&log.JSONFormatter{})
-		log.SetOutput(os.Stderr)
-
-		if vncAgentSocket == "" {
-			return fmt.Errorf("--socket is required")
-		}
-
-		token := os.Getenv("NB_VNC_AGENT_TOKEN")
-		if token == "" {
-			return fmt.Errorf("NB_VNC_AGENT_TOKEN not set; agent requires a token from the service")
-		}
-		// Purge the token from env so it doesn't leak via /proc/<pid>/environ.
-		if err := os.Unsetenv("NB_VNC_AGENT_TOKEN"); err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("unset NB_VNC_AGENT_TOKEN: %v", err)
-		}
-
-		// Drop root privileges to the target console user BEFORE creating
-		// the listening socket: keeps a post-auth bug in the encoder /
-		// input / capture paths confined to the user's own privileges
-		// rather than escalating to host root, and makes the daemon's
-		// LOCAL_PEERCRED check see the right uid. No-op on Windows
-		// (both processes run as SYSTEM) and when --target-uid is 0.
-		if vncAgentTargetUID != 0 {
-			if err := dropAgentPrivileges(vncAgentTargetUID); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("drop privileges to uid %d: %w", vncAgentTargetUID, err)
-			}
-		}
-
-		if err := os.Remove(vncAgentSocket); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			log.Debugf("remove stale socket %s: %v", vncAgentSocket, err)
-		}
-		ln, err := net.Listen("unix", vncAgentSocket)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("listen on %s: %w", vncAgentSocket, err)
-		}
-		if err := os.Chmod(vncAgentSocket, 0o600); err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("chmod %s: %v", vncAgentSocket, err)
-		}
-
-		ctx := cmd.Context()
-
-		capturer, injector, err := newAgentResources()
-		if err != nil {
-			_ = ln.Close()
-			return err
-		}
-		srv := vncserver.New(vncserver.Config{
-			Capturer:      capturer,
-			Injector:      injector,
-			DisableAuth:   true,
-			AgentTokenHex: token,
-			Listener:      ln,
-		})
-
-		if err := srv.Start(ctx, netip.AddrPort{}, netip.Prefix{}); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("start vnc server: %w", err)
-		}
-		log.Infof("vnc-agent listening on %s, ready", vncAgentSocket)
-
-		<-ctx.Done()
-		log.Info("vnc-agent context cancelled, shutting down")
-		return srv.Stop()
-	},
-	SilenceUsage: true,
-}

client/cmd/vnc_agent_darwin.go

@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-//go:build darwin && !ios
-
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-
-	vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-)
-
-func newAgentResources() (vncserver.ScreenCapturer, vncserver.InputInjector, error) {
-	// Ask for Screen Recording here and nowhere else. This process runs as the
-	// console user, which TCC requires for a user-scope service, and it is fresh
-	// per connection, which is what makes the dialog appear at all: TCC shows it
-	// once per process. The request blocks until the user answers, so it also
-	// keeps the Accessibility ask that follows the first input out of its way.
-	vncserver.RequestScreenRecording()
-
-	capturer := vncserver.NewMacPoller()
-	injector, err := vncserver.NewMacInputInjector()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("macOS input injector: %w", err)
-	}
-	return capturer, injector, nil
-}

client/cmd/vnc_agent_dropprivs_darwin.go

@@ -1,77 +0,0 @@
-//go:build darwin && !ios
-
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
-	"os/user"
-	"strconv"
-	"syscall"
-)
-
-// dropAgentPrivileges drops the vnc-agent process from root (its
-// launchctl-asuser-inherited starting uid) to the target console user
-// before any other initialisation runs. Without this the agent runs as
-// root for the lifetime of the session; any post-auth memory-safety
-// issue in the capture/input/encode paths would then be a root-level
-// RCE on the host instead of a user-level one. Also makes the daemon's
-// LOCAL_PEERCRED check correctly identify the agent as the console user,
-// not as root.
-//
-// Returns an error when the agent is running as a non-root uid that
-// differs from targetUID: non-root can only setuid to itself, so a
-// mismatch here means the spawn went to the wrong session.
-func dropAgentPrivileges(targetUID uint32) error {
-	if targetUID == 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("refusing to keep agent running as root (target uid 0)")
-	}
-	cur := uint32(os.Getuid())
-	if cur == targetUID {
-		return nil
-	}
-	if cur != 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("agent uid %d does not match expected %d and we lack root to fix it", cur, targetUID)
-	}
-	// Resolve the target user's real primary group rather than reusing
-	// targetUID as the gid: a user's primary group on macOS is typically
-	// staff(20), not gid==uid. Fail closed if the lookup fails.
-	targetGID, err := primaryGroupID(targetUID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	// Drop supplementary groups first: setgid alone doesn't touch the
-	// auxiliary group list, leaving root's groups attached would let the
-	// dropped process write to root-only group-writable files.
-	if err := syscall.Setgroups([]int{}); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("setgroups([]): %w", err)
-	}
-	if err := syscall.Setgid(targetGID); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("setgid(%d): %w", targetGID, err)
-	}
-	if os.Getgid() != targetGID || os.Getegid() != targetGID {
-		return fmt.Errorf("setgid verification: gid=%d egid=%d, expected %d", os.Getgid(), os.Getegid(), targetGID)
-	}
-	if err := syscall.Setuid(int(targetUID)); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("setuid(%d): %w", targetUID, err)
-	}
-	if uint32(os.Getuid()) != targetUID || uint32(os.Geteuid()) != targetUID {
-		return fmt.Errorf("setuid verification: uid=%d euid=%d, expected %d", os.Getuid(), os.Geteuid(), targetUID)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-// primaryGroupID resolves the real primary group id of the user with the
-// given uid. Fails closed: a lookup or parse error returns an error so the
-// caller never falls back to using uid as the gid.
-func primaryGroupID(targetUID uint32) (int, error) {
-	u, err := user.LookupId(strconv.Itoa(int(targetUID)))
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("look up uid %d: %w", targetUID, err)
-	}
-	gid, err := strconv.Atoi(u.Gid)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("parse gid %q for uid %d: %w", u.Gid, targetUID, err)
-	}
-	return gid, nil
-}

client/cmd/vnc_agent_dropprivs_darwin_test.go

@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-//go:build darwin && !ios
-
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	"strings"
-	"testing"
-)
-
-// TestDropAgentPrivileges_RefusesRootTarget locks in the contract that
-// dropAgentPrivileges must never be a no-op when asked to keep the
-// agent as root (target uid 0). A future caller that passes 0 by
-// mistake would otherwise leave the post-auth attack surface running
-// with full root privileges.
-func TestDropAgentPrivileges_RefusesRootTarget(t *testing.T) {
-	err := dropAgentPrivileges(0)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("expected refusal for target uid 0, got nil")
-	}
-	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "root") {
-		t.Fatalf("error should mention root, got: %v", err)
-	}
-}
-
-// TestDropAgentPrivileges_NoOpWhenAlreadyTarget covers the dev path
-// where the agent is launched by hand as the target user (no root
-// available, no setuid needed). The helper must succeed silently
-// instead of trying (and failing) a setuid to its current uid.
-func TestDropAgentPrivileges_NoOpWhenAlreadyTarget(t *testing.T) {
-	// Skip when running as root: the early-return path we want to
-	// cover only fires when current uid == target uid.
-	uid := currentUIDForTest()
-	if uid == 0 {
-		t.Skip("test must not run as root; cannot exercise the no-op early-return")
-	}
-	if err := dropAgentPrivileges(uid); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("expected no-op when current uid == target, got: %v", err)
-	}
-}
-
-// TestDropAgentPrivileges_RefusesMismatchedNonRoot guards the "non-root
-// caller tries to setuid to a different uid" path: setuid would fail
-// with EPERM anyway, but the helper should surface a clear error
-// before issuing the syscall so a misconfigured spawn (wrong --target-uid
-// flag) is debuggable.
-func TestDropAgentPrivileges_RefusesMismatchedNonRoot(t *testing.T) {
-	uid := currentUIDForTest()
-	if uid == 0 {
-		t.Skip("test must not run as root; covered case requires non-root caller")
-	}
-	err := dropAgentPrivileges(uid + 1)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("expected refusal when non-root caller asks to setuid elsewhere")
-	}
-}

client/cmd/vnc_agent_dropprivs_testhelpers_darwin.go

@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-//go:build darwin && !ios
-
-package cmd
-
-import "os"
-
-// currentUIDForTest exposes os.Getuid for the darwin dropprivs tests
-// without leaking an os import into the test file itself.
-func currentUIDForTest() uint32 {
-	return uint32(os.Getuid())
-}

client/cmd/vnc_agent_dropprivs_windows.go

@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-//go:build windows
-
-package cmd
-
-// dropAgentPrivileges is a no-op on Windows: the agent and the daemon
-// both run as SYSTEM (the daemon spawns the agent into the interactive
-// session via CreateProcessAsUser with an impersonation token, but the
-// resulting process still runs under SYSTEM, not under the user's
-// account). The Windows path relies on the DACL-restricted socket
-// directory, the unpredictable per-spawn socket name, the listen-readiness
-// gate, and the per-spawn token for integrity instead.
-func dropAgentPrivileges(_ uint32) error {
-	return nil
-}

client/cmd/vnc_agent_windows.go

@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-//go:build windows
-
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
-	vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-)
-
-func newAgentResources() (vncserver.ScreenCapturer, vncserver.InputInjector, error) {
-	sessionID := vncserver.GetCurrentSessionID()
-	log.Infof("VNC agent running in Windows session %d", sessionID)
-	return vncserver.NewDesktopCapturer(), vncserver.NewWindowsInputInjector(), nil
-}

client/cmd/vnc_flags.go

@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-package cmd
-
-const (
-	serverVNCAllowedFlag   = "allow-server-vnc"
-	disableVNCApprovalFlag = "disable-vnc-approval"
-)
-
-var (
-	serverVNCAllowed   bool
-	disableVNCApproval bool
-)
-
-func init() {
-	upCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&serverVNCAllowed, serverVNCAllowedFlag, false, "Allow embedded VNC server on peer")
-	upCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&disableVNCApproval, disableVNCApprovalFlag, false, "Disable per-connection user approval prompts for the embedded VNC server")
-}

client/configs/configs.go

@@ -11,30 +11,19 @@ import (
 // bundle collector all share one definition.
 const UILogFile = "gui-client.log"
 
-var (
-	// StateDir holds persistent state (config, profiles, install metadata).
-	StateDir string
-	// RuntimeDir holds ephemeral artifacts that should not survive reboot,
-	// such as Unix sockets for daemon and per-session IPC. Empty on
-	// platforms without a conventional /var/run-style location.
-	RuntimeDir string
-)
+var StateDir string
 
 func init() {
+	StateDir = os.Getenv("NB_STATE_DIR")
+	if StateDir != "" {
+		return
+	}
 	switch runtime.GOOS {
 	case "windows":
 		StateDir = filepath.Join(os.Getenv("PROGRAMDATA"), "Netbird")
 	case "darwin", "linux":
 		StateDir = "/var/lib/netbird"
-		RuntimeDir = "/var/run/netbird"
 	case "freebsd", "openbsd", "netbsd", "dragonfly":
 		StateDir = "/var/db/netbird"
-		RuntimeDir = "/var/run/netbird"
-	}
-	if v := os.Getenv("NB_STATE_DIR"); v != "" {
-		StateDir = v
-	}
-	if v := os.Getenv("NB_RUNTIME_DIR"); v != "" {
-		RuntimeDir = v
 	}
 }

client/embed/embed.go

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/auth"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/peer"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 	sshcommon "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/system"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/management/domain"
@@ -215,6 +216,10 @@ func New(opts Options) (*Client, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("create config: %w", err)
 	}
+	// Embedded path runs without the daemon Server: apply the active
+	// MDM policy explicitly so a forced ManagementURL / PSK / other
+	// managed key takes effect on this embedded engine instance.
+	config.ApplyMDMPolicy(mdm.NewLoader(nil).Load())
 
 	if opts.PrivateKey != "" {
 		config.PrivateKey = opts.PrivateKey

client/firewall/firewalld/firewalld.go

@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 // its wg interface into firewalld's "trusted" zone. This is required because
 // firewalld's nftables chains are created with NFT_CHAIN_OWNER on recent
 // versions, which returns EPERM to any other process that tries to insert
-// rules into them. The workaround mirrors what Tailscale does: let firewalld
-// itself add the accept rules to its own chains by trusting the interface.
+// rules into them. Trusting the interface makes firewalld itself add the
+// accept rules to its own chains instead.
 package firewalld
 
 // TrustedZone is the firewalld zone name used for interfaces whose traffic

client/internal/approval/broker.go

@@ -1,219 +0,0 @@
-// Package approval brokers per-attempt user-accept prompts for inbound
-// remote access (VNC today, SSH and others in the future). A caller pushes
-// a Prompt; the broker emits a SystemEvent on the daemon→UI stream and
-// blocks until the UI calls the daemon's RespondApproval RPC, the per-
-// request timeout fires, or no subscriber is connected. The latter case
-// fails closed so a backgrounded UI cannot silently bypass the gate.
-package approval
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"errors"
-	"fmt"
-	"sync"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/proto"
-)
-
-// Metadata keys the broker reserves on the emitted SystemEvent. Callers
-// should not set these themselves; values in Prompt.Metadata that collide
-// are overwritten by the broker.
-const (
-	MetaRequestID = "request_id"
-	MetaKind      = "kind"
-	MetaExpiresAt = "expires_at"
-)
-
-// ShortKeyFingerprint formats a hex-encoded Noise_IK static pubkey as a
-// short, eyeball-able fingerprint to display in the approval dialog.
-// The dashboard-supplied display name attached to a SessionPubKey isn't
-// cryptographically asserted by the connecting client, so the prompt
-// must also show something that IS: the key fingerprint, a hash of
-// the static public key the client just proved possession of during the
-// Noise handshake. Returns the empty string when the input is too short
-// to plausibly be a hex pubkey, so the row is omitted rather than
-// rendered as a misleading partial.
-//
-// Output format: 16 hex chars grouped as XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX (64 bits of
-// fingerprint, resistant to random-prefix collisions and easy for a human
-// to compare with an out-of-band reference).
-func ShortKeyFingerprint(hexKey string) string {
-	if len(hexKey) < 8 {
-		return ""
-	}
-	src := hexKey
-	if len(src) > 16 {
-		src = src[:16]
-	}
-	var out []byte
-	for i, c := range src {
-		if i > 0 && i%4 == 0 {
-			out = append(out, '-')
-		}
-		out = append(out, byte(c))
-	}
-	return string(out)
-}
-
-// Kind values for the well-known prompt subjects. New subsystems should
-// add a constant here so the UI can dispatch on a known string.
-const (
-	KindVNC = "vnc"
-	KindSSH = "ssh"
-)
-
-// DefaultTimeout is the wall-clock window the user has to accept or deny a
-// pending approval before the broker fails closed and returns ErrTimeout.
-// Kept well under typical VNC client and dashboard connection timeouts so
-// the RFB rejection actually reaches the browser instead of racing the
-// browser's own "connection timed out" message.
-const DefaultTimeout = 15 * time.Second
-
-// timeoutValue returns the active timeout. It's a var so tests in this
-// package can shorten the wait without exposing a setter on the public
-// API. Production code always sees DefaultTimeout.
-var timeoutValue = func() time.Duration { return DefaultTimeout }
-
-// ErrNoSubscriber indicates no UI is connected to consume the prompt.
-// The caller must reject the underlying connection (fail-closed).
-var ErrNoSubscriber = errors.New("no UI subscriber connected for approval")
-
-// ErrTimeout indicates the user did not respond within DefaultTimeout.
-var ErrTimeout = errors.New("approval timed out")
-
-// ErrDenied indicates the user explicitly denied the connection.
-var ErrDenied = errors.New("approval denied")
-
-// EventPublisher is the subset of peer.Status used to emit prompts.
-type EventPublisher interface {
-	PublishEvent(
-		severity proto.SystemEvent_Severity,
-		category proto.SystemEvent_Category,
-		msg string,
-		userMsg string,
-		metadata map[string]string,
-	)
-	HasEventSubscribers() bool
-}
-
-// Prompt describes the pending request shown to the user. Kind selects
-// the UI dispatch path (e.g. "vnc", "ssh"). Subject is the human-readable
-// one-liner the UI may show as a title or notification body. Metadata is
-// passed through verbatim and is the subsystem-specific payload (peer
-// name, source IP, mode, etc.).
-type Prompt struct {
-	Kind     string
-	Subject  string
-	Metadata map[string]string
-}
-
-// Decision carries the user's response to an approval prompt. ViewOnly is
-// only meaningful when Accept is true; it lets the host grant the
-// connection but signal the requester that input control is withheld.
-type Decision struct {
-	Accept   bool
-	ViewOnly bool
-}
-
-// Broker holds in-flight approval requests keyed by request ID.
-type Broker struct {
-	pub EventPublisher
-
-	mu      sync.Mutex
-	pending map[string]chan Decision
-}
-
-// New returns a broker that publishes prompts via pub.
-func New(pub EventPublisher) *Broker {
-	return &Broker{
-		pub:     pub,
-		pending: make(map[string]chan Decision),
-	}
-}
-
-// Request emits a SystemEvent for p and blocks until the UI calls Respond,
-// ctx is cancelled, or DefaultTimeout elapses. Returns a Decision when
-// the user replied; ErrDenied / ErrTimeout / ErrNoSubscriber / ctx.Err
-// otherwise. Callers must treat any non-nil error as a deny.
-func (b *Broker) Request(ctx context.Context, p Prompt) (Decision, error) {
-	var zero Decision
-	if b == nil || b.pub == nil {
-		return zero, fmt.Errorf("approval broker not configured")
-	}
-	if !b.pub.HasEventSubscribers() {
-		return zero, ErrNoSubscriber
-	}
-
-	id := uuid.NewString()
-	resp := make(chan Decision, 1)
-
-	b.mu.Lock()
-	b.pending[id] = resp
-	b.mu.Unlock()
-
-	defer b.dropPending(id)
-
-	timeout := timeoutValue()
-	expiresAt := time.Now().Add(timeout)
-	meta := make(map[string]string, len(p.Metadata)+3)
-	for k, v := range p.Metadata {
-		meta[k] = v
-	}
-	meta[MetaRequestID] = id
-	meta[MetaKind] = p.Kind
-	meta[MetaExpiresAt] = expiresAt.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
-
-	subject := p.Subject
-	if subject == "" {
-		subject = fmt.Sprintf("%s connection requires approval", p.Kind)
-	}
-	b.pub.PublishEvent(proto.SystemEvent_INFO, proto.SystemEvent_APPROVAL, subject, subject, meta)
-	log.Debugf("approval request %s (%s) emitted: %s", id, p.Kind, subject)
-
-	timer := time.NewTimer(timeout)
-	defer timer.Stop()
-
-	select {
-	case d := <-resp:
-		if !d.Accept {
-			return zero, ErrDenied
-		}
-		return d, nil
-	case <-timer.C:
-		return zero, ErrTimeout
-	case <-ctx.Done():
-		return zero, ctx.Err()
-	}
-}
-
-// Respond delivers the user's decision for id. Returns true when a pending
-// request matched and was woken, false when id was unknown or already done.
-func (b *Broker) Respond(id string, d Decision) bool {
-	if b == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	b.mu.Lock()
-	ch, ok := b.pending[id]
-	if ok {
-		delete(b.pending, id)
-	}
-	b.mu.Unlock()
-	if !ok {
-		return false
-	}
-	select {
-	case ch <- d:
-	default:
-	}
-	return true
-}
-
-func (b *Broker) dropPending(id string) {
-	b.mu.Lock()
-	delete(b.pending, id)
-	b.mu.Unlock()
-}

client/internal/approval/broker_test.go

@@ -1,434 +0,0 @@
-package approval
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"sync"
-	"sync/atomic"
-	"testing"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/proto"
-)
-
-// fakePublisher records published events and reports whether subscribers
-// are connected. The subscribers flag is the security-critical signal:
-// when false the broker must refuse to emit and the gate must fail closed.
-type fakePublisher struct {
-	mu          sync.Mutex
-	subscribers bool
-	events      []*proto.SystemEvent
-}
-
-func (p *fakePublisher) PublishEvent(
-	severity proto.SystemEvent_Severity,
-	category proto.SystemEvent_Category,
-	msg string,
-	userMsg string,
-	metadata map[string]string,
-) {
-	p.mu.Lock()
-	p.events = append(p.events, &proto.SystemEvent{
-		Severity:    severity,
-		Category:    category,
-		Message:     msg,
-		UserMessage: userMsg,
-		Metadata:    metadata,
-	})
-	p.mu.Unlock()
-}
-
-func (p *fakePublisher) HasEventSubscribers() bool {
-	p.mu.Lock()
-	defer p.mu.Unlock()
-	return p.subscribers
-}
-
-func (p *fakePublisher) lastEvent(t *testing.T) *proto.SystemEvent {
-	t.Helper()
-	p.mu.Lock()
-	defer p.mu.Unlock()
-	require.NotEmpty(t, p.events, "publisher saw no events")
-	return p.events[len(p.events)-1]
-}
-
-func (p *fakePublisher) eventCount() int {
-	p.mu.Lock()
-	defer p.mu.Unlock()
-	return len(p.events)
-}
-
-// TestRequestNoSubscriberFailsClosed is the core fail-closed invariant:
-// when the UI is not subscribed, the broker must refuse without emitting
-// an event or arming a waiter. A regression here is a silent bypass.
-func TestRequestNoSubscriberFailsClosed(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: false}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	_, err := b.Request(context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC, Subject: "test"})
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrNoSubscriber)
-	assert.Equal(t, 0, pub.eventCount(), "no event must be emitted when fail-closed")
-
-	b.mu.Lock()
-	pending := len(b.pending)
-	b.mu.Unlock()
-	assert.Equal(t, 0, pending, "no waiter must be registered on fail-closed")
-}
-
-// TestRequestTimeoutDenies verifies that a request without a UI response
-// returns ErrTimeout (deny) rather than nil (silent accept). Uses a short
-// per-test broker timeout via Respond after the fact to keep the test fast.
-func TestRequestTimeoutDenies(t *testing.T) {
-	// Replace DefaultTimeout for the lifetime of this test.
-	orig := DefaultTimeout
-	defaultTimeout(t, 60*time.Millisecond)
-	defer defaultTimeout(t, orig)
-
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	start := time.Now()
-	_, err := b.Request(context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC, Subject: "test"})
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrTimeout, "missing user response must yield ErrTimeout, not nil")
-	assert.GreaterOrEqual(t, time.Since(start), 50*time.Millisecond, "timeout fired prematurely")
-}
-
-// TestRequestDenied returns ErrDenied when the UI responds with false.
-func TestRequestDenied(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	var requestID string
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		done <- requestErr(b, context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC, Subject: "test"})
-	}()
-
-	requestID = waitForRequestID(t, pub)
-	require.True(t, b.Respond(requestID, Decision{Accept: false}))
-
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrDenied)
-	case <-time.After(time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("Request did not return after Respond(false)")
-	}
-}
-
-// TestRequestAccepted is the happy path. Failure here doesn't bypass the
-// gate but breaks the feature.
-func TestRequestAccepted(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		done <- requestErr(b, context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC, Subject: "test"})
-	}()
-
-	id := waitForRequestID(t, pub)
-	require.True(t, b.Respond(id, Decision{Accept: true}))
-
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		assert.NoError(t, err)
-	case <-time.After(time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("Request did not return after Respond(true)")
-	}
-}
-
-// TestRequestCtxCancelDenies verifies that an upstream cancel (e.g. the
-// engine shutting down mid-prompt) returns the cancel error rather than
-// nil. A nil here would be a silent bypass on shutdown races.
-func TestRequestCtxCancelDenies(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		done <- requestErr(b, ctx, Prompt{Kind: KindVNC, Subject: "test"})
-	}()
-
-	// Wait until the prompt is in flight so cancel races a live waiter.
-	_ = waitForRequestID(t, pub)
-	cancel()
-
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		assert.ErrorIs(t, err, context.Canceled)
-	case <-time.After(time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("Request did not return after ctx cancel")
-	}
-}
-
-// TestRespondUnknownIsNoop ensures a stray RespondApproval RPC cannot
-// affect or accidentally accept any in-flight request whose id it doesn't
-// match. Also confirms it doesn't panic.
-func TestRespondUnknownIsNoop(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	// No in-flight prompts: Respond returns false.
-	assert.False(t, b.Respond("does-not-exist", Decision{Accept: true}))
-
-	// With an in-flight prompt, a wrong id still returns false and the
-	// prompt remains armed (eventually timing out as a deny).
-	defaultTimeout(t, 60*time.Millisecond)
-	defer defaultTimeout(t, DefaultTimeout)
-
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		done <- requestErr(b, context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC})
-	}()
-	realID := waitForRequestID(t, pub)
-	assert.False(t, b.Respond("totally-bogus", Decision{Accept: true}), "unknown id must not match")
-	assert.NotEqual(t, "totally-bogus", realID)
-
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrTimeout, "armed prompt must still time out, not accept")
-	case <-time.After(time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("prompt did not resolve")
-	}
-}
-
-// TestRespondAfterTimeoutNoop confirms a late accept response can't
-// retroactively flip a denied (timed-out) request. The dropPending defer
-// in Request must have removed the entry by the time Respond races in.
-func TestRespondAfterTimeoutNoop(t *testing.T) {
-	defaultTimeout(t, 30*time.Millisecond)
-	defer defaultTimeout(t, DefaultTimeout)
-
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		done <- requestErr(b, context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC})
-	}()
-	id := waitForRequestID(t, pub)
-
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrTimeout)
-	case <-time.After(time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("prompt did not time out")
-	}
-
-	assert.False(t, b.Respond(id, Decision{Accept: true}), "late respond must be no-op")
-}
-
-// TestRespondDoubleNoop ensures a duplicate ack from the UI doesn't leak
-// past the matched waiter or panic on a closed/full channel.
-func TestRespondDoubleNoop(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		done <- requestErr(b, context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC})
-	}()
-	id := waitForRequestID(t, pub)
-	require.True(t, b.Respond(id, Decision{Accept: true}))
-	assert.False(t, b.Respond(id, Decision{Accept: false}), "second response must be no-op")
-
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		assert.NoError(t, err)
-	case <-time.After(time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("prompt did not resolve")
-	}
-}
-
-// TestNilBrokerRequestErrors guards the engine pre-init path where the
-// broker may not yet exist (or its publisher is nil): Request must
-// error, never silently accept.
-func TestNilBrokerRequestErrors(t *testing.T) {
-	var b *Broker
-	_, err := b.Request(context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC})
-	assert.Error(t, err, "nil broker must error, never silently accept")
-
-	b2 := New(nil)
-	_, err = b2.Request(context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC})
-	assert.Error(t, err, "broker with nil publisher must error, never silently accept")
-}
-
-// TestPromptMetadataInjected confirms the broker stamps request_id, kind,
-// and expires_at on the emitted event. The UI relies on these keys; if
-// they are dropped, the user cannot route the prompt and the response
-// path breaks (which fails closed via timeout).
-func TestPromptMetadataInjected(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		done <- requestErr(b, context.Background(), Prompt{
-			Kind:     KindVNC,
-			Subject:  "VNC connection from peerA",
-			Metadata: map[string]string{"peer_name": "peerA"},
-		})
-	}()
-
-	id := waitForRequestID(t, pub)
-	ev := pub.lastEvent(t)
-
-	assert.Equal(t, proto.SystemEvent_APPROVAL, ev.Category)
-	assert.Equal(t, KindVNC, ev.Metadata[MetaKind])
-	assert.Equal(t, id, ev.Metadata[MetaRequestID])
-	assert.NotEmpty(t, ev.Metadata[MetaExpiresAt])
-	assert.Equal(t, "peerA", ev.Metadata["peer_name"], "caller metadata must pass through")
-
-	require.True(t, b.Respond(id, Decision{Accept: true}))
-	<-done
-}
-
-// TestConcurrentRequests verifies that two concurrent prompts are tracked
-// independently. A bug that aliases ids would let one Respond unblock
-// the wrong waiter (a silent accept across prompts).
-func TestConcurrentRequests(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	const n = 20
-	results := make(chan error, n)
-	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-		go func() {
-			results <- requestErr(b, context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC})
-		}()
-	}
-
-	ids := waitForNRequestIDs(t, pub, n)
-	require.Len(t, ids, n)
-
-	// Deny exactly half, accept the rest. Track outcome per id so we can
-	// match each Request's return value against the response we sent.
-	denySet := make(map[string]bool, n)
-	for i, id := range ids {
-		deny := i%2 == 0
-		denySet[id] = deny
-		require.True(t, b.Respond(id, Decision{Accept: !deny}))
-	}
-
-	// Collect all returns and check no nil errors slipped past a deny.
-	var accepted, denied atomic.Int32
-	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-		select {
-		case err := <-results:
-			if err == nil {
-				accepted.Add(1)
-			} else {
-				assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrDenied)
-				denied.Add(1)
-			}
-		case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
-			t.Fatalf("only got %d/%d responses", i, n)
-		}
-	}
-	assert.Equal(t, int32(n/2), denied.Load())
-	assert.Equal(t, int32(n/2), accepted.Load())
-}
-
-// waitForRequestID blocks until the publisher sees its next event and
-// returns the request_id stamped on it.
-func waitForRequestID(t *testing.T, pub *fakePublisher) string {
-	t.Helper()
-	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
-	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
-		pub.mu.Lock()
-		count := len(pub.events)
-		var id string
-		if count > 0 {
-			id = pub.events[count-1].Metadata[MetaRequestID]
-		}
-		pub.mu.Unlock()
-		if id != "" {
-			return id
-		}
-		time.Sleep(2 * time.Millisecond)
-	}
-	t.Fatal("timeout waiting for emitted event")
-	return ""
-}
-
-func waitForNRequestIDs(t *testing.T, pub *fakePublisher, n int) []string {
-	t.Helper()
-	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
-	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
-		pub.mu.Lock()
-		count := len(pub.events)
-		pub.mu.Unlock()
-		if count >= n {
-			break
-		}
-		time.Sleep(2 * time.Millisecond)
-	}
-	pub.mu.Lock()
-	defer pub.mu.Unlock()
-	out := make([]string, 0, len(pub.events))
-	seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(pub.events))
-	for _, ev := range pub.events {
-		id := ev.Metadata[MetaRequestID]
-		if id == "" {
-			continue
-		}
-		if _, dup := seen[id]; dup {
-			continue
-		}
-		seen[id] = struct{}{}
-		out = append(out, id)
-	}
-	if len(out) < n {
-		t.Fatalf("only got %d/%d request ids", len(out), n)
-	}
-	return out
-}
-
-// defaultTimeout swaps the broker's per-request wall-clock window so the
-// timeout tests run quickly. Restores the prior value on the next call.
-func defaultTimeout(t *testing.T, d time.Duration) {
-	t.Helper()
-	if d <= 0 {
-		t.Fatal("defaultTimeout must be > 0")
-	}
-	timeoutValue = func() time.Duration { return d }
-}
-
-// requestErr wraps Broker.Request to drop the Decision when tests only
-// care about the error path. Keeps the goroutine bodies tight.
-func requestErr(b *Broker, ctx context.Context, p Prompt) error {
-	_, err := b.Request(ctx, p)
-	return err
-}
-
-// TestRequestViewOnly checks the view-only outcome flows through Request's
-// Decision return without being silently swallowed.
-func TestRequestViewOnly(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := &fakePublisher{subscribers: true}
-	b := New(pub)
-
-	type result struct {
-		d   Decision
-		err error
-	}
-	done := make(chan result, 1)
-	go func() {
-		d, err := b.Request(context.Background(), Prompt{Kind: KindVNC})
-		done <- result{d, err}
-	}()
-
-	id := waitForRequestID(t, pub)
-	require.True(t, b.Respond(id, Decision{Accept: true, ViewOnly: true}))
-
-	select {
-	case r := <-done:
-		assert.NoError(t, r.err)
-		assert.True(t, r.d.Accept)
-		assert.True(t, r.d.ViewOnly, "ViewOnly must survive the round-trip")
-	case <-time.After(time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("view-only request did not resolve")
-	}
-}

client/internal/approval/fingerprint_test.go

@@ -1,62 +0,0 @@
-package approval
-
-import "testing"
-
-// TestShortKeyFingerprint locks in the format the VNC approval prompt
-// shows to the user. The fingerprint is the user's only cryptographic
-// anchor against a malicious management server that pushes a spoofed
-// display name, so accidental changes to its format would silently
-// undermine that defence.
-func TestShortKeyFingerprint(t *testing.T) {
-	cases := []struct {
-		name string
-		in   string
-		want string
-	}{
-		{
-			name: "full_32_byte_pubkey",
-			in:   "0123456789abcdeffedcba9876543210ffeeddccbbaa99887766554433221100",
-			want: "0123-4567-89ab-cdef",
-		},
-		{
-			name: "exactly_16_chars",
-			in:   "0123456789abcdef",
-			want: "0123-4567-89ab-cdef",
-		},
-		{
-			name: "borderline_8_chars",
-			in:   "01234567",
-			want: "0123-4567",
-		},
-		{
-			name: "too_short_returns_empty",
-			in:   "0123",
-			want: "",
-		},
-		{
-			name: "empty_returns_empty",
-			in:   "",
-			want: "",
-		},
-	}
-	for _, tc := range cases {
-		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			got := ShortKeyFingerprint(tc.in)
-			if got != tc.want {
-				t.Fatalf("ShortKeyFingerprint(%q) = %q, want %q", tc.in, got, tc.want)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-// TestShortKeyFingerprint_DistinctKeysDistinctOutputs guards against a
-// formatting bug that would collapse different prefixes onto the same
-// displayed fingerprint and let an attacker substitute their pubkey for
-// a victim's while keeping the prompt visually identical.
-func TestShortKeyFingerprint_DistinctKeysDistinctOutputs(t *testing.T) {
-	a := ShortKeyFingerprint("0123456789abcdef" + "rest_of_pubkey_ignored")
-	b := ShortKeyFingerprint("0123456789abcde0" + "rest_of_pubkey_ignored")
-	if a == b {
-		t.Fatalf("expected distinct outputs for distinct prefixes, both = %q", a)
-	}
-}

client/internal/auth/auth.go

@@ -344,7 +344,6 @@ func (a *Auth) setSystemInfoFlags(info *system.Info) {
 		a.config.RosenpassEnabled,
 		a.config.RosenpassPermissive,
 		a.config.ServerSSHAllowed,
-		a.config.ServerVNCAllowed,
 		a.config.DisableClientRoutes,
 		a.config.DisableServerRoutes,
 		a.config.DisableDNS,

client/internal/connect.go

@@ -614,8 +614,6 @@ func createEngineConfig(key wgtypes.Key, config *profilemanager.Config, peerConf
 		RosenpassEnabled:              config.RosenpassEnabled,
 		RosenpassPermissive:           config.RosenpassPermissive,
 		ServerSSHAllowed:              util.ReturnBoolWithDefaultTrue(config.ServerSSHAllowed),
-		ServerVNCAllowed:              config.ServerVNCAllowed != nil && *config.ServerVNCAllowed,
-		DisableVNCApproval:            config.DisableVNCApproval,
 		EnableSSHRoot:                 config.EnableSSHRoot,
 		EnableSSHSFTP:                 config.EnableSSHSFTP,
 		EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding:  config.EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding,
@@ -699,7 +697,6 @@ func loginToManagement(ctx context.Context, client mgm.Client, pubSSHKey []byte,
 		config.RosenpassEnabled,
 		config.RosenpassPermissive,
 		config.ServerSSHAllowed,
-		config.ServerVNCAllowed,
 		config.DisableClientRoutes,
 		config.DisableServerRoutes,
 		config.DisableDNS,

client/internal/debug/debug.go

@@ -694,12 +694,6 @@ func (g *BundleGenerator) addCommonConfigFields(configContent *strings.Builder)
 	if g.internalConfig.SSHJWTCacheTTL != nil {
 		configContent.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("SSHJWTCacheTTL: %d\n", *g.internalConfig.SSHJWTCacheTTL))
 	}
-	if g.internalConfig.ServerVNCAllowed != nil {
-		configContent.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("ServerVNCAllowed: %v\n", *g.internalConfig.ServerVNCAllowed))
-	}
-	if g.internalConfig.DisableVNCApproval != nil {
-		configContent.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("DisableVNCApproval: %v\n", *g.internalConfig.DisableVNCApproval))
-	}
 
 	configContent.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("DisableClientRoutes: %v\n", g.internalConfig.DisableClientRoutes))
 	configContent.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("DisableServerRoutes: %v\n", g.internalConfig.DisableServerRoutes))

client/internal/debug/debug_test.go

@@ -864,8 +864,6 @@ func TestAddConfig_AllFieldsCovered(t *testing.T) {
 		RosenpassEnabled:              true,
 		RosenpassPermissive:           true,
 		ServerSSHAllowed:              &bTrue,
-		ServerVNCAllowed:              &bTrue,
-		DisableVNCApproval:            &bTrue,
 		EnableSSHRoot:                 &bTrue,
 		EnableSSHSFTP:                 &bTrue,
 		EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding:  &bTrue,

client/internal/engine.go

@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface/udpmux"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface/wgaddr"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/acl"
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/approval"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/dns"
 	dnsconfig "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/dns/config"
@@ -136,8 +135,6 @@ type EngineConfig struct {
 	RosenpassPermissive bool
 
 	ServerSSHAllowed              bool
-	ServerVNCAllowed              bool
-	DisableVNCApproval            *bool
 	EnableSSHRoot                 *bool
 	EnableSSHSFTP                 *bool
 	EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding  *bool
@@ -236,9 +233,7 @@ type Engine struct {
 
 	networkMonitor *networkmonitor.NetworkMonitor
 
-	sshServer      sshServer
-	vncSrv         vncServer
-	approvalBroker *approval.Broker
+	sshServer sshServer
 
 	statusRecorder *peer.Status
 
@@ -345,7 +340,6 @@ func NewEngine(
 		TURNs:              []*stun.URI{},
 		networkSerial:      0,
 		statusRecorder:     services.StatusRecorder,
-		approvalBroker:     approval.New(services.StatusRecorder),
 		stateManager:       services.StateManager,
 		portForwardManager: portforward.NewManager(),
 		checks:             services.Checks,
@@ -420,10 +414,6 @@ func (e *Engine) stopLocked() {
 		log.Warnf("failed to stop SSH server: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	if err := e.stopVNCServer(); err != nil {
-		log.Warnf("failed to stop VNC server: %v", err)
-	}
-
 	e.cleanupSSHConfig()
 
 	if e.ingressGatewayMgr != nil {
@@ -1247,7 +1237,6 @@ func (e *Engine) applyInfoFlags(info *system.Info) {
 		e.config.RosenpassEnabled,
 		e.config.RosenpassPermissive,
 		&e.config.ServerSSHAllowed,
-		&e.config.ServerVNCAllowed,
 		e.config.DisableClientRoutes,
 		e.config.DisableServerRoutes,
 		e.config.DisableDNS,
@@ -1303,10 +1292,6 @@ func (e *Engine) updateConfig(conf *mgmProto.PeerConfig) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := e.updateVNC(); err != nil {
-		log.Warnf("failed handling VNC server setup: %v", err)
-	}
-
 	state := e.statusRecorder.GetLocalPeerState()
 	state.IP = e.wgInterface.Address().String()
 	state.IPv6 = e.wgInterface.Address().IPv6String()
@@ -1607,11 +1592,6 @@ func (e *Engine) reconcilePeers(networkMap *mgmProto.NetworkMap) ([]*mgmProto.Re
 		}
 	}
 
-	// VNC auth: always sync, including nil so cleared auth on the management
-	// side is applied locally, and so it isn't skipped on the RemotePeersIsEmpty
-	// cleanup path.
-	e.updateVNCServerAuth(networkMap.GetVncAuth())
-
 	// cleanup request, most likely our peer has been deleted
 	if networkMap.GetRemotePeersIsEmpty() {
 		err := e.removeAllPeers()
@@ -2893,16 +2873,3 @@ func decodeRelayIP(b []byte) netip.Addr {
 	}
 	return ip.Unmap()
 }
-
-// RespondApproval relays the user's decision for a pending approval to
-// the broker. viewOnly is honoured only when accept is true. Returns
-// true when the request_id matched a live prompt.
-func (e *Engine) RespondApproval(requestID string, accept, viewOnly bool) bool {
-	if e == nil || e.approvalBroker == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	return e.approvalBroker.Respond(requestID, approval.Decision{
-		Accept:   accept,
-		ViewOnly: accept && viewOnly,
-	})
-}

client/internal/engine_ssh.go

@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ import (
 	firewallManager "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/firewall/manager"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface/netstack"
 	nftypes "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/netflow/types"
+	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/auth"
 	sshconfig "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/config"
 	sshserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/server"
 	mgmProto "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/management/proto"
-	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sessionauth"
 	sshuserhash "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sshauth"
 )
 
@@ -237,18 +237,22 @@ func (e *Engine) startSSHServer(jwtConfig *sshserver.JWTConfig) error {
 		return errors.New("wg interface not initialized")
 	}
 
-	wgAddr := e.wgInterface.Address()
 	serverConfig := &sshserver.Config{
-		HostKeyPEM:        e.config.SSHKey,
-		JWT:               jwtConfig,
-		NetstackNet:       e.wgInterface.GetNet(),
-		NetworkValidation: wgAddr,
+		HostKeyPEM: e.config.SSHKey,
+		JWT:        jwtConfig,
 	}
 	server := sshserver.New(serverConfig)
 
+	wgAddr := e.wgInterface.Address()
+	server.SetNetworkValidation(wgAddr)
+
 	netbirdIP := wgAddr.IP
 	listenAddr := netip.AddrPortFrom(netbirdIP, sshserver.InternalSSHPort)
 
+	if netstackNet := e.wgInterface.GetNet(); netstackNet != nil {
+		server.SetNetstackNet(netstackNet)
+	}
+
 	e.configureSSHServer(server)
 
 	if err := server.Start(e.ctx, listenAddr); err != nil {

client/internal/engine_vnc.go

@@ -1,329 +0,0 @@
-//go:build !js && !ios && !android
-
-package internal
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"errors"
-	"fmt"
-	"net/netip"
-
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
-	firewallManager "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/firewall/manager"
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/approval"
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/metrics"
-	nftypes "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/netflow/types"
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/peer"
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc"
-	vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-	mgmProto "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/management/proto"
-	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sessionauth"
-	sshuserhash "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sshauth"
-)
-
-type vncServer interface {
-	Start(ctx context.Context, addr netip.AddrPort, network netip.Prefix) error
-	AddListener(ctx context.Context, addr netip.AddrPort, network netip.Prefix) error
-	Stop() error
-	ActiveSessions() []vncserver.ActiveSessionInfo
-}
-
-func (e *Engine) setupVNCPortRedirection() error {
-	if e.firewall == nil || e.wgInterface == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	localAddr := e.wgInterface.Address().IP
-	if !localAddr.IsValid() {
-		return errors.New("invalid local NetBird address")
-	}
-
-	if err := e.firewall.AddInboundDNAT(localAddr, firewallManager.ProtocolTCP, vnc.ExternalPort, vnc.InternalPort); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("add VNC port redirection: %w", err)
-	}
-	log.Infof("VNC port redirection: %s:%d -> %s:%d", localAddr, vnc.ExternalPort, localAddr, vnc.InternalPort)
-
-	if wgAddr := e.wgInterface.Address(); wgAddr.HasIPv6() {
-		v6 := wgAddr.IPv6
-		if err := e.firewall.AddInboundDNAT(v6, firewallManager.ProtocolTCP, vnc.ExternalPort, vnc.InternalPort); err != nil {
-			log.Warnf("failed to add IPv6 VNC port redirection: %v", err)
-		} else {
-			log.Infof("VNC port redirection: [%s]:%d -> [%s]:%d", v6, vnc.ExternalPort, v6, vnc.InternalPort)
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (e *Engine) cleanupVNCPortRedirection() error {
-	if e.firewall == nil || e.wgInterface == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	localAddr := e.wgInterface.Address().IP
-	if !localAddr.IsValid() {
-		return errors.New("invalid local NetBird address")
-	}
-
-	if err := e.firewall.RemoveInboundDNAT(localAddr, firewallManager.ProtocolTCP, vnc.ExternalPort, vnc.InternalPort); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("remove VNC port redirection: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	if wgAddr := e.wgInterface.Address(); wgAddr.HasIPv6() {
-		if err := e.firewall.RemoveInboundDNAT(wgAddr.IPv6, firewallManager.ProtocolTCP, vnc.ExternalPort, vnc.InternalPort); err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("failed to remove IPv6 VNC port redirection: %v", err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// updateVNC handles starting/stopping the VNC server based on the config flag.
-func (e *Engine) updateVNC() error {
-	if !e.config.ServerVNCAllowed {
-		if e.vncSrv != nil {
-			log.Info("VNC server disabled, stopping")
-		}
-		return e.stopVNCServer()
-	}
-
-	if e.config.BlockInbound {
-		log.Info("VNC server disabled because inbound connections are blocked")
-		return e.stopVNCServer()
-	}
-
-	if e.vncSrv != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	return e.startVNCServer()
-}
-
-func (e *Engine) startVNCServer() error {
-	if e.wgInterface == nil {
-		return errors.New("wg interface not initialized")
-	}
-
-	capturer, injector, ok := newPlatformVNC()
-	if !ok {
-		log.Debug("VNC server not supported on this platform")
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	netbirdIP := e.wgInterface.Address().IP
-
-	var sessionRecorder func(vncserver.SessionTick)
-	if e.clientMetrics != nil {
-		sessionRecorder = func(t vncserver.SessionTick) {
-			e.clientMetrics.RecordVNCSessionTick(e.ctx, metrics.VNCSessionTick{
-				Period:        t.Period,
-				BytesOut:      t.BytesOut,
-				Writes:        t.Writes,
-				FBUs:          t.FBUs,
-				MaxFBUBytes:   t.MaxFBUBytes,
-				MaxFBURects:   t.MaxFBURects,
-				MaxWriteBytes: t.MaxWriteBytes,
-				WriteNanos:    t.WriteNanos,
-			})
-		}
-	}
-	serviceMode := vncNeedsServiceMode()
-	if serviceMode {
-		log.Info("VNC: running as system service, enabling service mode (per-session agent proxy)")
-	}
-	requireApproval := e.config.DisableVNCApproval == nil || !*e.config.DisableVNCApproval
-	srv := vncserver.New(vncserver.Config{
-		Capturer:        capturer,
-		Injector:        injector,
-		IdentityKey:     e.config.WgPrivateKey[:],
-		ServiceMode:     serviceMode,
-		SessionRecorder: sessionRecorder,
-		NetstackNet:     e.wgInterface.GetNet(),
-		RequireApproval: requireApproval,
-		Approver:        &vncApprover{broker: e.approvalBroker, statusRecorder: e.statusRecorder},
-		// Session start/stop is invisible to the peer status recorder, so push a
-		// snapshot ourselves; otherwise the UI's session list goes stale until an
-		// unrelated peer change happens to fire one.
-		OnSessionsChanged: e.statusRecorder.NotifyStateChange,
-	})
-
-	listenAddr := netip.AddrPortFrom(netbirdIP, vnc.InternalPort)
-	network := e.wgInterface.Address().Network
-	if err := srv.Start(e.ctx, listenAddr, network); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("start VNC server: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	if wgAddr := e.wgInterface.Address(); wgAddr.HasIPv6() {
-		v6Addr := netip.AddrPortFrom(wgAddr.IPv6, vnc.InternalPort)
-		if err := srv.AddListener(e.ctx, v6Addr, wgAddr.IPv6Net); err != nil {
-			log.Warnf("failed to add IPv6 VNC listener: %v", err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	e.vncSrv = srv
-
-	if netstackNet := e.wgInterface.GetNet(); netstackNet != nil {
-		if registrar, ok := e.firewall.(interface {
-			RegisterNetstackService(protocol nftypes.Protocol, port uint16)
-		}); ok {
-			registrar.RegisterNetstackService(nftypes.TCP, vnc.InternalPort)
-			log.Debugf("registered VNC service with netstack for TCP:%d", vnc.InternalPort)
-		}
-	}
-
-	if err := e.setupVNCPortRedirection(); err != nil {
-		log.Warnf("setup VNC port redirection: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	log.Info("VNC server enabled")
-	return nil
-}
-
-// updateVNCServerAuth updates VNC fine-grained access control from management.
-// A nil vncAuth clears all authorized users and session pubkeys so management
-// can revoke access by omitting the field on the next sync.
-func (e *Engine) updateVNCServerAuth(vncAuth *mgmProto.VNCAuth) {
-	if e.vncSrv == nil {
-		return
-	}
-
-	vncSrv, ok := e.vncSrv.(*vncserver.Server)
-	if !ok {
-		return
-	}
-
-	if vncAuth == nil {
-		vncSrv.UpdateVNCAuth(&sshauth.Config{})
-		return
-	}
-
-	protoUsers := vncAuth.GetAuthorizedUsers()
-	authorizedUsers := make([]sshuserhash.UserIDHash, len(protoUsers))
-	for i, hash := range protoUsers {
-		if len(hash) != 16 {
-			log.Warnf("invalid VNC auth hash length %d, expected 16", len(hash))
-			return
-		}
-		authorizedUsers[i] = sshuserhash.UserIDHash(hash)
-	}
-
-	machineUsers := make(map[string][]uint32)
-	for osUser, indexes := range vncAuth.GetMachineUsers() {
-		machineUsers[osUser] = indexes.GetIndexes()
-	}
-
-	sessionPubKeys := make([]sshauth.SessionPubKey, 0, len(vncAuth.GetSessionPubKeys()))
-	for _, pk := range vncAuth.GetSessionPubKeys() {
-		pub := pk.GetPubKey()
-		if len(pub) != 32 {
-			log.Warnf("VNC session pubkey wrong length %d", len(pub))
-			continue
-		}
-		hash := pk.GetUserIdHash()
-		if len(hash) != 16 {
-			log.Warnf("VNC session user id hash wrong length %d", len(hash))
-			continue
-		}
-		sessionPubKeys = append(sessionPubKeys, sshauth.SessionPubKey{
-			PubKey:      pub,
-			UserIDHash:  sshuserhash.UserIDHash(hash),
-			DisplayName: pk.GetDisplayName(),
-		})
-	}
-
-	vncSrv.UpdateVNCAuth(&sshauth.Config{
-		AuthorizedUsers: authorizedUsers,
-		MachineUsers:    machineUsers,
-		SessionPubKeys:  sessionPubKeys,
-	})
-}
-
-// GetVNCServerStatus returns whether the VNC server is running and the list
-// of active VNC sessions. The pointer is captured under syncMsgMux so a
-// concurrent updateVNC/stopVNCServer cannot swap it out between the nil
-// check and the ActiveSessions call.
-func (e *Engine) GetVNCServerStatus() (enabled bool, sessions []vncserver.ActiveSessionInfo) {
-	e.syncMsgMux.Lock()
-	vncSrv := e.vncSrv
-	e.syncMsgMux.Unlock()
-	if vncSrv == nil {
-		return false, nil
-	}
-	return true, vncSrv.ActiveSessions()
-}
-
-func (e *Engine) stopVNCServer() error {
-	if e.vncSrv == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	if err := e.cleanupVNCPortRedirection(); err != nil {
-		log.Warnf("cleanup VNC port redirection: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	if e.wgInterface != nil && e.wgInterface.GetNet() != nil {
-		if registrar, ok := e.firewall.(interface {
-			UnregisterNetstackService(protocol nftypes.Protocol, port uint16)
-		}); ok {
-			registrar.UnregisterNetstackService(nftypes.TCP, vnc.InternalPort)
-		}
-	}
-
-	log.Info("stopping VNC server")
-	err := e.vncSrv.Stop()
-	e.vncSrv = nil
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("stop VNC server: %w", err)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-// vncApprover adapts the generic approval.Broker for the VNC server.
-type vncApprover struct {
-	broker         *approval.Broker
-	statusRecorder *peer.Status
-}
-
-func (a *vncApprover) Request(ctx context.Context, info vncserver.ApprovalInfo) (vncserver.ApprovalDecision, error) {
-	// Resolve the source overlay IP to a peer FQDN for the prompt label.
-	if info.PeerName == "" && info.SourceIP != "" && a.statusRecorder != nil {
-		if fqdn, ok := a.statusRecorder.PeerByIP(info.SourceIP); ok {
-			info.PeerName = fqdn
-		}
-	}
-	subject := fmt.Sprintf("VNC connection from %s", displayPeer(info))
-	meta := map[string]string{
-		"peer_name":   info.PeerName,
-		"peer_pubkey": info.PeerPubKey,
-		"source_ip":   info.SourceIP,
-		"mode":        info.Mode,
-		"username":    info.Username,
-		"initiator":   info.Initiator,
-	}
-	d, err := a.broker.Request(ctx, approval.Prompt{
-		Kind:     approval.KindVNC,
-		Subject:  subject,
-		Metadata: meta,
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return vncserver.ApprovalDecision{}, err
-	}
-	return vncserver.ApprovalDecision{ViewOnly: d.ViewOnly}, nil
-}
-
-func displayPeer(info vncserver.ApprovalInfo) string {
-	if info.Initiator != "" {
-		return info.Initiator
-	}
-	if info.PeerName != "" {
-		return info.PeerName
-	}
-	if info.SourceIP != "" {
-		return info.SourceIP
-	}
-	if info.PeerPubKey != "" {
-		return info.PeerPubKey
-	}
-	return "unknown peer"
-}

client/internal/engine_vnc_console_freebsd.go

@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-//go:build freebsd
-
-package internal
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
-	vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-)
-
-// newConsoleVNC builds the FreeBSD console fallback: vt(4) framebuffer
-// for capture, /dev/uinput for input. The uinput device requires the
-// `uinput` kernel module (`kldload uinput`); without it, input init
-// fails and we drop to a stub injector so the user still gets a
-// view-only screen mirror.
-func newConsoleVNC() (vncserver.ScreenCapturer, vncserver.InputInjector, error) {
-	poller := vncserver.NewFBPoller("")
-	w, h := poller.Width(), poller.Height()
-	if w == 0 || h == 0 {
-		poller.Close()
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("vt framebuffer init failed (vt may not allow mmap on this driver)")
-	}
-	if inj, err := vncserver.NewUInputInjector(w, h); err == nil {
-		return poller, inj, nil
-	} else {
-		log.Infof("VNC console: uinput unavailable (%v); view-only mode. Run `kldload uinput` to enable input.", err)
-		return poller, &vncserver.StubInputInjector{}, nil
-	}
-}

client/internal/engine_vnc_console_linux.go

@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-//go:build linux && !android
-
-package internal
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
-	vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-)
-
-// newConsoleVNC builds a framebuffer + uinput VNC backend for boxes
-// without a running X server. Used as the auto-fallback when
-// newPlatformVNC can't reach X. Returns an error when /dev/fb0 or
-// /dev/uinput aren't usable so the caller can drop back to a stub.
-func newConsoleVNC() (vncserver.ScreenCapturer, vncserver.InputInjector, error) {
-	poller := vncserver.NewFBPoller("")
-	w, h := poller.Width(), poller.Height()
-	if w == 0 || h == 0 {
-		poller.Close()
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("framebuffer capturer init failed (is /dev/fb0 readable?)")
-	}
-	inj, err := vncserver.NewUInputInjector(w, h)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Debugf("uinput unavailable, falling back to view-only VNC: %v", err)
-		return poller, &vncserver.StubInputInjector{}, nil
-	}
-	return poller, inj, nil
-}

client/internal/engine_vnc_darwin.go

@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-//go:build darwin && !ios
-
-package internal
-
-import (
-	"os"
-
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
-	vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-)
-
-func newPlatformVNC() (vncserver.ScreenCapturer, vncserver.InputInjector, bool) {
-	capturer := vncserver.NewMacPoller()
-	// No permission request here. Screen Recording is a user-scope TCC service,
-	// so a request from this process is dropped when it runs as a LaunchDaemon:
-	// no prompt appears and NetBird never even shows up in the Screen Recording
-	// list. The per-user agent asks instead, see newAgentResources.
-	injector, err := vncserver.NewMacInputInjector()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Debugf("VNC: macOS input injector: %v", err)
-		return capturer, &vncserver.StubInputInjector{}, true
-	}
-	return capturer, injector, true
-}
-
-// vncNeedsServiceMode reports whether the running process is a system
-// LaunchDaemon (root, parented by launchd). Daemons sit in the global
-// bootstrap namespace and cannot talk to WindowServer; we route capture
-// through a per-user agent in that case.
-func vncNeedsServiceMode() bool {
-	return os.Geteuid() == 0 && os.Getppid() == 1
-}

client/internal/engine_vnc_stub.go

@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-//go:build js || ios || android
-
-package internal
-
-import (
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
-	mgmProto "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/management/proto"
-)
-
-type vncServer interface{}
-
-func (e *Engine) updateVNC() error { return nil }
-
-func (e *Engine) updateVNCServerAuth(auth *mgmProto.VNCAuth) {
-	if auth == nil {
-		return
-	}
-	log.Debugf("ignoring VNC auth push on platform without a VNC server: %d session pubkeys, %d authorized users",
-		len(auth.GetSessionPubKeys()), len(auth.GetAuthorizedUsers()))
-}
-
-func (e *Engine) stopVNCServer() error { return nil }

client/internal/engine_vnc_windows.go

@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-//go:build windows
-
-package internal
-
-import vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-
-func newPlatformVNC() (vncserver.ScreenCapturer, vncserver.InputInjector, bool) {
-	return vncserver.NewDesktopCapturer(), vncserver.NewWindowsInputInjector(), true
-}
-
-func vncNeedsServiceMode() bool {
-	return vncserver.GetCurrentSessionID() == 0
-}

client/internal/engine_vnc_x11.go

@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-//go:build (linux && !android) || freebsd
-
-package internal
-
-import (
-	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-
-	vncserver "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/vnc/server"
-)
-
-func newPlatformVNC() (vncserver.ScreenCapturer, vncserver.InputInjector, bool) {
-	// Prefer X11 when an X server is reachable. NewX11InputInjector probes
-	// DISPLAY (and /proc) eagerly, so a non-nil error here means no X.
-	injector, err := vncserver.NewX11InputInjector("", "", "")
-	if err == nil {
-		return vncserver.NewX11Poller("", ""), injector, true
-	}
-	log.Debugf("VNC: X11 not available: %v", err)
-
-	// Fallback for headless / pre-X states (kernel console, login manager
-	// without X, physical server in recovery): stream the framebuffer and
-	// inject input via /dev/uinput.
-	consoleCap, consoleInj, err := newConsoleVNC()
-	if err == nil {
-		log.Infof("VNC: using framebuffer console capture (%dx%d)", consoleCap.Width(), consoleCap.Height())
-		return consoleCap, consoleInj, true
-	}
-	log.Debugf("VNC: framebuffer console fallback unavailable: %v", err)
-
-	return &vncserver.StubCapturer{}, &vncserver.StubInputInjector{}, false
-}
-
-func vncNeedsServiceMode() bool {
-	return false
-}

client/internal/metrics/influxdb.go

@@ -120,36 +120,6 @@ func (m *influxDBMetrics) RecordSyncDuration(_ context.Context, agentInfo AgentI
 	m.trimLocked()
 }
 
-func (m *influxDBMetrics) RecordVNCSessionTick(_ context.Context, agentInfo AgentInfo, tick VNCSessionTick) {
-	tags := fmt.Sprintf("deployment_type=%s,version=%s,os=%s,arch=%s,peer_id=%s",
-		agentInfo.DeploymentType.String(),
-		agentInfo.Version,
-		agentInfo.OS,
-		agentInfo.Arch,
-		agentInfo.peerID,
-	)
-
-	m.mu.Lock()
-	defer m.mu.Unlock()
-
-	m.samples = append(m.samples, influxSample{
-		measurement: "netbird_vnc_traffic",
-		tags:        tags,
-		fields: map[string]float64{
-			"period_seconds":     tick.Period.Seconds(),
-			"bytes_out":          float64(tick.BytesOut),
-			"writes":             float64(tick.Writes),
-			"fbus":               float64(tick.FBUs),
-			"max_fbu_bytes":      float64(tick.MaxFBUBytes),
-			"max_fbu_rects":      float64(tick.MaxFBURects),
-			"max_write_bytes":    float64(tick.MaxWriteBytes),
-			"write_time_seconds": float64(tick.WriteNanos) / 1e9,
-		},
-		timestamp: time.Now(),
-	})
-	m.trimLocked()
-}
-
 func (m *influxDBMetrics) RecordSyncPhase(_ context.Context, agentInfo AgentInfo, phase string, duration time.Duration) {
 	tags := fmt.Sprintf("deployment_type=%s,version=%s,os=%s,arch=%s,peer_id=%s,phase=%s",
 		agentInfo.DeploymentType.String(),

client/internal/metrics/metrics.go

@@ -63,11 +63,6 @@ type metricsImplementation interface {
 	// RecordLoginDuration records how long the login to management took
 	RecordLoginDuration(ctx context.Context, agentInfo AgentInfo, duration time.Duration, success bool)
 
-	// RecordVNCSessionTick records a periodic snapshot of one VNC
-	// session's wire activity. Called once per metricsConn tick interval
-	// (and once at session close), only when the tick saw activity.
-	RecordVNCSessionTick(ctx context.Context, agentInfo AgentInfo, tick VNCSessionTick)
-
 	// Export exports metrics in InfluxDB line protocol format
 	Export(w io.Writer) error
 
@@ -87,21 +82,6 @@ type ClientMetrics struct {
 	pushCancel context.CancelFunc
 }
 
-// VNCSessionTick is one sampling slice of a VNC session's wire activity.
-// BytesOut / Writes / FBUs / WriteNanos are deltas observed during this
-// tick; Max* fields are the high-water marks observed during the tick.
-// Period is the wall-clock duration the deltas cover.
-type VNCSessionTick struct {
-	Period        time.Duration
-	BytesOut      uint64
-	Writes        uint64
-	FBUs          uint64
-	MaxFBUBytes   uint64
-	MaxFBURects   uint64
-	MaxWriteBytes uint64
-	WriteNanos    uint64
-}
-
 // ConnectionStageTimestamps holds timestamps for each connection stage
 type ConnectionStageTimestamps struct {
 	SignalingReceived  time.Time // First signal received from remote peer (both initial and reconnection)
@@ -151,18 +131,6 @@ func (c *ClientMetrics) RecordSyncDuration(ctx context.Context, duration time.Du
 	c.impl.RecordSyncDuration(ctx, agentInfo, duration)
 }
 
-// RecordVNCSessionTick records a periodic snapshot of one VNC session.
-func (c *ClientMetrics) RecordVNCSessionTick(ctx context.Context, tick VNCSessionTick) {
-	if c == nil {
-		return
-	}
-	c.mu.RLock()
-	agentInfo := c.agentInfo
-	c.mu.RUnlock()
-
-	c.impl.RecordVNCSessionTick(ctx, agentInfo, tick)
-}
-
 // RecordSyncPhase records the duration of a single sub-phase of sync processing
 func (c *ClientMetrics) RecordSyncPhase(ctx context.Context, phase string, duration time.Duration) {
 	if c == nil {

client/internal/metrics/push_test.go

@@ -76,9 +76,6 @@ func (m *mockMetrics) RecordSyncPhase(_ context.Context, _ AgentInfo, _ string,
 func (m *mockMetrics) RecordLoginDuration(_ context.Context, _ AgentInfo, _ time.Duration, _ bool) {
 }
 
-func (m *mockMetrics) RecordVNCSessionTick(_ context.Context, _ AgentInfo, _ VNCSessionTick) {
-}
-
 func (m *mockMetrics) Export(w io.Writer) error {
 	if m.exportData != "" {
 		_, err := w.Write([]byte(m.exportData))

client/internal/peer/status.go

@@ -1330,15 +1330,6 @@ func (d *Status) SubscribeToEvents() *EventSubscription {
 	}
 }
 
-// HasEventSubscribers reports whether any client is currently subscribed
-// to the daemon's SystemEvent stream. Used by the VNC approval broker to
-// fail closed when no UI is connected to prompt the user.
-func (d *Status) HasEventSubscribers() bool {
-	d.eventMux.Lock()
-	defer d.eventMux.Unlock()
-	return len(d.eventStreams) > 0
-}
-
 // UnsubscribeFromEvents removes an event subscription
 func (d *Status) UnsubscribeFromEvents(sub *EventSubscription) {
 	if sub == nil {

client/internal/profilemanager/config.go

@@ -58,10 +58,6 @@ var DefaultInterfaceBlacklist = []string{
 	"Tailscale", "tailscale", "docker", "veth", "br-", "lo",
 }
 
-// loadMDMPolicy is the package-level indirection used by apply() to read the
-// active MDM policy. Tests override this to inject a fake policy.
-var loadMDMPolicy = mdm.LoadPolicy
-
 // ConfigInput carries configuration changes to the client
 type ConfigInput struct {
 	ManagementURL                 string
@@ -70,8 +66,6 @@ type ConfigInput struct {
 	StateFilePath                 string
 	PreSharedKey                  *string
 	ServerSSHAllowed              *bool
-	ServerVNCAllowed              *bool
-	DisableVNCApproval            *bool
 	EnableSSHRoot                 *bool
 	EnableSSHSFTP                 *bool
 	EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding  *bool
@@ -126,8 +120,6 @@ type Config struct {
 	RosenpassEnabled              bool
 	RosenpassPermissive           bool
 	ServerSSHAllowed              *bool
-	ServerVNCAllowed              *bool
-	DisableVNCApproval            *bool
 	EnableSSHRoot                 *bool
 	EnableSSHSFTP                 *bool
 	EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding  *bool
@@ -190,14 +182,27 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	MTU uint16
 
-	// policy is the MDM policy that produced the currently-set values for
-	// any MDM-enforced fields. Set by applyMDMPolicy at the tail of apply()
-	// and reset on every apply() invocation. Never persisted to disk.
-	// Callers query enforcement state via Policy() and the mdm.Policy API
-	// (HasKey, ManagedKeys, IsEmpty).
+	// policy is the MDM policy that produced the currently-set values
+	// for any MDM-enforced fields. Set by ApplyMDMPolicy on every
+	// invocation. Never persisted to disk. Callers query enforcement
+	// state via Policy() and the mdm.Policy API (HasKey, ManagedKeys,
+	// IsEmpty).
 	policy *mdm.Policy `json:"-"`
 }
 
+// ApplyMDMPolicy overlays the supplied MDM Policy on top of the
+// currently resolved Config values. Idempotent — pass an empty Policy
+// to clear any prior overlay. The lifecycle owner (Server.getConfig
+// on desktop, the Client.Run path on mobile) calls this with
+// loader.Load() once the per-process Loader is known; the Config
+// itself holds no reference to the Loader.
+func (config *Config) ApplyMDMPolicy(policy *mdm.Policy) {
+	if config == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	config.applyMDMPolicy(policy)
+}
+
 // Policy returns the MDM policy applied to this Config. Returns a non-nil
 // empty Policy when MDM enforcement is inactive; callers can always invoke
 // HasKey / ManagedKeys / IsEmpty without a nil check.
@@ -460,33 +465,6 @@ func (config *Config) apply(input ConfigInput) (updated bool, err error) {
 		updated = true
 	}
 
-	if input.ServerVNCAllowed != nil {
-		if config.ServerVNCAllowed == nil || *input.ServerVNCAllowed != *config.ServerVNCAllowed {
-			if *input.ServerVNCAllowed {
-				log.Infof("enabling VNC server")
-			} else {
-				log.Infof("disabling VNC server")
-			}
-			config.ServerVNCAllowed = input.ServerVNCAllowed
-			updated = true
-		}
-	} else if config.ServerVNCAllowed == nil {
-		config.ServerVNCAllowed = util.False()
-		updated = true
-	}
-
-	if input.DisableVNCApproval != nil {
-		if config.DisableVNCApproval == nil || *input.DisableVNCApproval != *config.DisableVNCApproval {
-			if *input.DisableVNCApproval {
-				log.Infof("disabling VNC connection approval prompt")
-			} else {
-				log.Infof("enabling VNC connection approval prompt")
-			}
-			config.DisableVNCApproval = input.DisableVNCApproval
-			updated = true
-		}
-	}
-
 	if input.EnableSSHRoot != nil && (config.EnableSSHRoot == nil || *input.EnableSSHRoot != *config.EnableSSHRoot) {
 		if *input.EnableSSHRoot {
 			log.Infof("enabling SSH root login")
@@ -681,9 +659,11 @@ func (config *Config) apply(input ConfigInput) (updated bool, err error) {
 		updated = true
 	}
 
-	// MDM is the last override layer: any key present in the policy
-	// supersedes defaults, on-disk config, env vars and CLI input.
-	config.applyMDMPolicy(loadMDMPolicy())
+	// Initialise the MDM overlay to "no enforcement" so Config.Policy()
+	// never returns a stale or nil policy on a freshly applied Config.
+	// Lifecycle owners that want to enforce a real MDM policy invoke
+	// Config.ApplyMDMPolicy(loader.Load()) after this returns.
+	config.applyMDMPolicy(mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
 
 	return updated, nil
 }
@@ -743,8 +723,6 @@ func (config *Config) applyMDMPolicy(policy *mdm.Policy) {
 	}
 
 	applyBool(mdm.KeyAllowServerSSH, func(v bool) { bv := v; config.ServerSSHAllowed = &bv })
-	applyBool(mdm.KeyAllowServerVNC, func(v bool) { bv := v; config.ServerVNCAllowed = &bv })
-	applyBool(mdm.KeyDisableVNCApproval, func(v bool) { bv := v; config.DisableVNCApproval = &bv })
 	applyBool(mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes, func(v bool) { config.DisableClientRoutes = v })
 	applyBool(mdm.KeyDisableServerRoutes, func(v bool) { config.DisableServerRoutes = v })
 	applyBool(mdm.KeyBlockInbound, func(v bool) { config.BlockInbound = v })

client/internal/profilemanager/config_mdm_test.go

@@ -10,24 +10,58 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 )
 
-// withMDMPolicy temporarily overrides the package-level loadMDMPolicy hook so
-// apply() observes the supplied Policy. The original loader is restored at
-// test cleanup.
-func withMDMPolicy(t *testing.T, policy *mdm.Policy) {
+// fakeFetcher implements mdm.PolicyFetcher returning a pre-set policy
+// map. Test helper used to construct a Loader without touching the OS
+// or any package-level state.
+type fakeFetcher struct{ values map[string]any }
+
+func (f *fakeFetcher) Fetch() map[string]any { return f.values }
+
+// loaderFor builds an mdm.Loader whose loadPlatform returns the
+// supplied Policy's underlying values.
+func loaderFor(policy *mdm.Policy) *mdm.Loader {
+	if policy == nil || policy.IsEmpty() {
+		return mdm.NewLoader(&fakeFetcher{values: nil})
+	}
+	values := make(map[string]any)
+	for _, k := range policy.ManagedKeys() {
+		if v, ok := policy.GetString(k); ok {
+			values[k] = v
+			continue
+		}
+		if v, ok := policy.GetBool(k); ok {
+			values[k] = v
+			continue
+		}
+		if v, ok := policy.GetInt(k); ok {
+			values[k] = v
+			continue
+		}
+		if v, ok := policy.GetStringSlice(k); ok {
+			values[k] = v
+		}
+	}
+	return mdm.NewLoader(&fakeFetcher{values: values})
+}
+
+// configWithMDM is the test convenience that builds a Config via
+// UpdateOrCreateConfig and overlays the supplied MDM policy on top —
+// mirrors the production pattern (Server.getConfig / Client.applyMDMOverlay)
+// where the Loader lives outside Config and the apply step is driven
+// by the lifecycle owner.
+func configWithMDM(t *testing.T, input ConfigInput, policy *mdm.Policy) *Config {
 	t.Helper()
-	prev := loadMDMPolicy
-	loadMDMPolicy = func() *mdm.Policy { return policy }
-	t.Cleanup(func() { loadMDMPolicy = prev })
+	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(input)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
+	cfg.ApplyMDMPolicy(loaderFor(policy).Load())
+	return cfg
 }
 
 func TestApply_MDMEmpty_NoEnforcement(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
-
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
 		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
 
 	assert.True(t, cfg.Policy().IsEmpty(), "no MDM source ⇒ empty Policy")
 	assert.False(t, cfg.Policy().HasKey(mdm.KeyManagementURL))
@@ -39,18 +73,15 @@ func TestApply_MDMEmpty_NoEnforcement(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestApply_MDMOnly_OverridesDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	const mdmURL = "https://corp.mdm.example.com:443"
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL:       mdmURL,
 		mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes: true,
 		mdm.KeyBlockInbound:        true,
 	}))
 
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
-		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 	assert.Equal(t, mdmURL, cfg.ManagementURL.String())
 	assert.True(t, cfg.DisableClientRoutes)
 	assert.True(t, cfg.BlockInbound)
@@ -65,16 +96,12 @@ func TestApply_MDMBeatsCLIInput(t *testing.T) {
 	const mdmURL = "https://mdm.example.com:443"
 	const cliURL = "https://cli.example.com:443"
 
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
-		mdm.KeyManagementURL: mdmURL,
-	}))
-
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
 		ConfigPath:    filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
 		ManagementURL: cliURL,
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+		mdm.KeyManagementURL: mdmURL,
+	}))
 
 	// MDM wins over CLI-supplied management URL.
 	assert.Equal(t, mdmURL, cfg.ManagementURL.String())
@@ -82,16 +109,12 @@ func TestApply_MDMBeatsCLIInput(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestApply_MDMInvalidURL_KeepsPreviousValue(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL: "not-a-url",
 	}))
 
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
-		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 	// Invalid MDM URL is logged and skipped: default URL stays in place
 	// to keep the client functional.
 	assert.Equal(t, DefaultManagementURL, cfg.ManagementURL.String())
@@ -106,60 +129,26 @@ func TestApply_MDMBoolKeysOverrideOnDiskValue(t *testing.T) {
 	tmp := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
 
 	// Seed without MDM.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
-	_, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
+	configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
 		ConfigPath:          tmp,
 		DisableClientRoutes: boolPtr(false),
 		RosenpassEnabled:    boolPtr(false),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
 
 	// Now enable MDM enforcement for these keys.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+		ConfigPath: tmp,
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes: true,
 		mdm.KeyRosenpassEnabled:    true,
 	}))
 
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{ConfigPath: tmp})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 	assert.True(t, cfg.DisableClientRoutes, "MDM override should flip on-disk false to true")
 	assert.True(t, cfg.RosenpassEnabled)
 	assert.True(t, cfg.Policy().HasKey(mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes))
 	assert.True(t, cfg.Policy().HasKey(mdm.KeyRosenpassEnabled))
 }
 
-func TestApply_MDMVNCKeys(t *testing.T) {
-	tmp := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
-
-	// Seed without MDM: VNC off, approval prompt on.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
-	_, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
-		ConfigPath:         tmp,
-		ServerVNCAllowed:   boolPtr(false),
-		DisableVNCApproval: boolPtr(false),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	// MDM enforces VNC on and disables the approval prompt.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
-		mdm.KeyAllowServerVNC:     true,
-		mdm.KeyDisableVNCApproval: true,
-	}))
-
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{ConfigPath: tmp})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg.ServerVNCAllowed)
-	assert.True(t, *cfg.ServerVNCAllowed, "MDM override should flip on-disk false to true")
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg.DisableVNCApproval)
-	assert.True(t, *cfg.DisableVNCApproval)
-	assert.True(t, cfg.Policy().HasKey(mdm.KeyAllowServerVNC))
-	assert.True(t, cfg.Policy().HasKey(mdm.KeyDisableVNCApproval))
-}
-
 func TestApply_MDMLazyConnection(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := []struct {
 		name string
@@ -175,16 +164,12 @@ func TestApply_MDMLazyConnection(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, c := range cases {
 		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+			cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+				ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
+			}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 				mdm.KeyLazyConnection: c.raw,
 			}))
 
-			cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
-				ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-			})
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-			require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 			assert.Equal(t, c.want, cfg.LazyConnection)
 			assert.True(t, cfg.Policy().HasKey(mdm.KeyLazyConnection))
 		})
@@ -194,16 +179,12 @@ func TestApply_MDMLazyConnection(t *testing.T) {
 func TestApply_MDMPreSharedKeyRedactionSentinelRejected(t *testing.T) {
 	const maskSentinel = "**********"
 
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	cfg := configWithMDM(t, ConfigInput{
+		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
+	}, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyPreSharedKey: maskSentinel,
 	}))
 
-	cfg, err := UpdateOrCreateConfig(ConfigInput{
-		ConfigPath: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"),
-	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg)
-
 	// Mask sentinel must not be persisted as the actual PSK.
 	assert.NotEqual(t, maskSentinel, cfg.PreSharedKey)
 	// Key still marked managed so user writes are still rejected.

client/internal/statemanager/manager.go

@@ -75,14 +75,6 @@ func New(filePath string) *Manager {
 	}
 }
 
-// FilePath returns the path of the underlying state file.
-func (m *Manager) FilePath() string {
-	if m == nil {
-		return ""
-	}
-	return m.filePath
-}
-
 // Start starts the state manager periodic save routine
 func (m *Manager) Start() {
 	if m == nil {

client/ios/NetBirdSDK/client.go

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/listener"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/peer"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/system"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/formatter"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/route"
@@ -82,6 +83,13 @@ type Client struct {
 	// preloadedConfig holds config loaded from JSON (used on tvOS where file writes are blocked)
 	preloadedConfig *profilemanager.Config
 
+	// mdmLoader holds the per-Client MDM policy source. Set by
+	// SetMDMPolicyFetcher (called from the Swift side at extension
+	// init). Each Run passes this loader to the resolved Config so
+	// applyMDMPolicy picks up the active overlay. Nil means "MDM
+	// enforcement off for this Client".
+	mdmLoader *mdm.Loader
+
 	stateMu       sync.RWMutex
 	connectClient *internal.ConnectClient
 	config        *profilemanager.Config
@@ -142,6 +150,7 @@ func (c *Client) Run(fd int32, interfaceName string, envList *EnvList) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 	}
 	c.recorder.UpdateManagementAddress(cfg.ManagementURL.String())
 	c.recorder.UpdateRosenpass(cfg.RosenpassEnabled, cfg.RosenpassPermissive)
@@ -220,6 +229,7 @@ func (c *Client) DebugBundle(anonymize bool) (string, error) {
 				return "", fmt.Errorf("load config: %w", err)
 			}
 		}
+		c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 	}
 
 	deps := debug.GeneratorDependencies{
@@ -369,6 +379,7 @@ func (c *Client) IsLoginRequired() bool {
 			// If we can't load config, assume login is required
 			return true
 		}
+		c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 	}
 
 	if cfg == nil {
@@ -417,6 +428,7 @@ func (c *Client) LoginForMobile() string {
 		log.Errorf("LoginForMobile: failed to load config: %v", err)
 		return fmt.Sprintf("failed to load config: %v", err)
 	}
+	c.applyMDMOverlay(cfg)
 
 	oAuthFlow, err := auth.NewOAuthFlow(ctx, cfg, false, false, "")
 	if err != nil {

client/ios/NetBirdSDK/mdm.go

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+//go:build ios
+
+package NetBirdSDK
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/mdm"
+)
+
+// PolicyFetcher is the mobile-side bridge for the MDM managed-config
+// snapshot. The native layer (Swift) implements this and registers
+// the instance per Client via Client.SetMDMPolicyFetcher. Every
+// invocation of fetchJSON must read the current
+// UserDefaults.standard.dictionary(forKey: "com.apple.configuration.managed")
+// and return the result as a JSON-encoded map[string]any string.
+//
+// JSON is used because gomobile does not support map[string]any
+// crossing the Objective-C boundary — the adapter on the Go side
+// parses the string back into the map[string]any expected by
+// mdm.Loader.
+//
+// Return value contract:
+//   - "" (empty)         : interpreted as "no MDM source / no managed keys"
+//   - "{}"               : managed config explicitly empty
+//   - "{...}"            : JSON object with key/value pairs
+//   - malformed JSON     : logged and treated as empty
+type PolicyFetcher interface {
+	FetchJSON() string
+}
+
+// jsonFetcherAdapter wraps a gomobile-exposed PolicyFetcher into the
+// internal mdm.PolicyFetcher interface, taking care of JSON decoding
+// on every Fetch.
+type jsonFetcherAdapter struct {
+	inner PolicyFetcher
+}
+
+func (a *jsonFetcherAdapter) Fetch() map[string]any {
+	raw := a.inner.FetchJSON()
+	if raw == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	var out map[string]any
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(raw), &out); err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("MDM mobile fetcher: invalid JSON payload from native: %v", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+// SetMDMPolicyFetcher registers the native-provided MDM policy fetcher
+// on this Client. Call once from the gomobile-init code (Swift
+// AppDelegate / PacketTunnelProvider.startTunnel) before invoking Run.
+// Passing nil disables MDM enforcement on this Client.
+//
+// The fetcher is held as a *mdm.Loader instance on the Client (no
+// package-level state) — multiple Clients in the same process get
+// independent Loaders, and tests can inject fakes per Client.
+func (c *Client) SetMDMPolicyFetcher(p PolicyFetcher) {
+	if p == nil {
+		c.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(nil)
+		return
+	}
+	c.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(&jsonFetcherAdapter{inner: p})
+}
+
+// applyMDMOverlay applies the Client-held MDM Loader's current policy
+// on top of the just-read Config. Called immediately after every
+// UpdateOrCreateConfig / DirectUpdateOrCreateConfig — profilemanager's
+// apply() initialises the policy to empty and leaves overlay
+// responsibility to the lifecycle owner. No-op when no fetcher was
+// registered.
+func (c *Client) applyMDMOverlay(cfg *profilemanager.Config) {
+	if cfg == nil || c.mdmLoader == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	cfg.ApplyMDMPolicy(c.mdmLoader.Load())
+}

client/mdm/canonical_loaders.go

@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ var allKeys = []string{
 	KeyBlockInbound,
 	KeyDisableMetricsCollection,
 	KeyAllowServerSSH,
-	KeyAllowServerVNC,
-	KeyDisableVNCApproval,
 	KeyDisableAutoConnect,
 	KeyDisableAutostart,
 	KeyPreSharedKey,

client/mdm/policy.go

@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ const (
 	KeyBlockInbound             = "blockInbound"
 	KeyDisableMetricsCollection = "disableMetricsCollection"
 	KeyAllowServerSSH           = "allowServerSSH"
-	KeyAllowServerVNC           = "allowServerVNC"
-	KeyDisableVNCApproval       = "disableVNCApproval"
 	KeyDisableAutoConnect       = "disableAutoConnect"
 	// KeyDisableAutostart suppresses the GUI's fresh-install
 	// launch-on-login default and marks the Settings toggle as
@@ -106,16 +104,48 @@ func NewPolicy(values map[string]any) *Policy {
 	return &Policy{values: values}
 }
 
-// LoadPolicy reads the platform-native MDM configuration. Returns an
-// empty (but non-nil) Policy when no source is present, the source is
-// empty, or the platform is unsupported.
+// PolicyFetcher is implemented by mobile platforms (Android / iOS) that
+// push the OS-managed configuration into the Go runtime instead of
+// having Go read an on-disk source directly. Desktop platforms ignore
+// this interface — Loader.loadPlatform on windows/darwin reads the
+// registry / plist on its own. A Loader constructed with a non-nil
+// fetcher delegates to it on mobile; passing nil disables MDM
+// enforcement (loadPlatform returns nil values).
+type PolicyFetcher interface {
+	Fetch() map[string]any
+}
+
+// Loader is the DI-friendly entry point for reading the active MDM
+// policy. Construct one at the daemon's lifecycle owner (Server on
+// desktop, gomobile-exposed bridge on mobile) and pass it to anything
+// that needs to read MDM state (the reload ticker, profilemanager's
+// Config). Each callsite has the Loader handed in instead of looking
+// up package-level state.
+type Loader struct {
+	fetcher PolicyFetcher
+}
+
+// NewLoader constructs a Loader. The fetcher is consulted only on
+// mobile builds (ios || android); on desktop it is unused but accepted
+// to keep a single constructor signature across platforms — pass nil
+// on desktop.
+func NewLoader(f PolicyFetcher) *Loader {
+	return &Loader{fetcher: f}
+}
+
+// Load reads the platform-native MDM configuration and returns a
+// Policy. Returns an empty (but non-nil) Policy when no source is
+// present, the source is empty, or the platform is unsupported.
 //
 // Diagnostic logging differentiates the three states:
 //   - source absent / unsupported platform: trace log only
 //   - source present, zero keys:             info "MDM enrolled (no managed keys)"
 //   - source present, N keys:                info "MDM enrolled with N managed keys: [...]"
-func LoadPolicy() *Policy {
-	values, err := loadPlatformPolicy()
+func (l *Loader) Load() *Policy {
+	if l == nil {
+		return &Policy{values: map[string]any{}}
+	}
+	values, err := l.loadPlatform()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Tracef("MDM policy load: %v", err)
 		return &Policy{values: map[string]any{}}

client/mdm/policy_darwin.go

@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@ import (
 // writable plist, as a defense against tampered installs.
 const policyPlistPath = "/Library/Managed Preferences/io.netbird.client.plist"
 
-// loadPlatformPolicy reads the MDM-managed configuration from the macOS
-// managed-preferences plist at policyPlistPath. Returns:
+// loadPlatform reads the MDM-managed configuration from the macOS
+// managed-preferences plist at policyPlistPath. The Loader's fetcher
+// field is unused on this platform — the plist is the authoritative
+// source. Returns:
 //   - (nil, nil)  when the plist is absent (device not MDM-enrolled for
 //     NetBird, or admin has not yet pushed a payload)
 //   - (map, nil)  with N entries when N managed values are present
@@ -39,7 +41,13 @@ const policyPlistPath = "/Library/Managed Preferences/io.netbird.client.plist"
 // skipped so a stray entry in the payload does not block startup.
 // Native plist value types map naturally onto the Policy accessor
 // expectations (GetString / GetBool / GetInt / GetStringSlice).
-func loadPlatformPolicy() (map[string]any, error) {
+func (l *Loader) loadPlatform() (map[string]any, error) {
+	// Honour the injected fetcher when present so tests (and any
+	// future non-macOS MDM channel) can short-circuit the plist read
+	// with a scripted policy.
+	if l != nil && l.fetcher != nil {
+		return l.fetcher.Fetch(), nil
+	}
 	f, err := os.Open(policyPlistPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {

client/mdm/policy_mobile.go

@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@
 
 package mdm
 
-// loadPlatformPolicy is unused on mobile: the native layer (Swift on iOS,
-// Kotlin/Java on Android) reads the OS managed-config store and pushes the
-// resulting dictionary in-process via a gomobile entry point that lands in
-// Phase 5 / Phase 6. The stub keeps the package compilable for mobile
-// builds and returns (nil, nil) — the platform-absent sentinel that
-// LoadPolicy in policy.go treats as "no MDM source present".
-func loadPlatformPolicy() (map[string]any, error) {
-	//nolint:nilnil // (nil, nil) is the documented platform-absent sentinel; see LoadPolicy.
-	return nil, nil
+// loadPlatform reads the OS-managed configuration via the native
+// PolicyFetcher injected at Loader construction. Returns
+// (nil, nil) — the platform-absent sentinel that Loader.Load treats as
+// "no MDM source present" — when no fetcher was provided.
+func (l *Loader) loadPlatform() (map[string]any, error) {
+	if l == nil || l.fetcher == nil {
+		//nolint:nilnil // (nil, nil) is the documented platform-absent sentinel; see Loader.Load.
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return l.fetcher.Fetch(), nil
 }

client/mdm/policy_other.go

@@ -2,13 +2,17 @@
 
 package mdm
 
-// loadPlatformPolicy returns no policy on platforms without an MDM channel
-// (Linux, FreeBSD). MDM enforcement is off and the client behaves as if
-// the feature did not exist. Returns (nil, nil) — the platform-absent
-// sentinel the caller (LoadPolicy in policy.go) treats as "no MDM
-// source present"; an error here would just translate to the same
-// outcome with an extra log line.
-func loadPlatformPolicy() (map[string]any, error) {
-	//nolint:nilnil // (nil, nil) is the documented platform-absent sentinel; see LoadPolicy.
+// loadPlatform reads the MDM policy on platforms without a native MDM
+// channel (Linux, FreeBSD). When no fetcher was injected the policy is
+// (nil, nil) — the platform-absent sentinel that Loader.Load treats as
+// "MDM enforcement disabled". A non-nil fetcher takes precedence: it
+// is the test-seam used by unit tests to inject a scripted policy
+// without touching the OS, and the same hook supports any future
+// non-mobile OS that grows an out-of-band MDM channel.
+func (l *Loader) loadPlatform() (map[string]any, error) {
+	if l != nil && l.fetcher != nil {
+		return l.fetcher.Fetch(), nil
+	}
+	//nolint:nilnil // (nil, nil) is the documented platform-absent sentinel; see Loader.Load.
 	return nil, nil
 }

client/mdm/policy_test.go

@@ -155,10 +155,12 @@ func TestPolicy_GetStringSlice(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
-func TestLoadPolicy_PlatformStubReturnsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
-	// loadPlatformPolicy is a stub on every OS for Phase 1. LoadPolicy must
-	// degrade gracefully and never return nil.
-	p := LoadPolicy()
+func TestLoader_NilFetcherReturnsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	// Loader.Load with no fetcher (desktop construction) must degrade
+	// gracefully and never return nil; on linux loadPlatform is a stub
+	// returning (nil, nil), and Load is expected to translate that
+	// into a non-nil empty Policy.
+	p := NewLoader(nil).Load()
 	require.NotNil(t, p)
 	assert.True(t, p.IsEmpty())
 	assert.Empty(t, p.ManagedKeys())

client/mdm/policy_windows.go

@@ -61,8 +61,10 @@ func readRegistryValue(k registry.Key, name, canonical string, out map[string]an
 	}
 }
 
-// loadPlatformPolicy reads the MDM-managed configuration from the
-// Windows registry under HKLM\Software\Policies\NetBird. Returns:
+// loadPlatform reads the MDM-managed configuration from the Windows
+// registry under HKLM\Software\Policies\NetBird. The Loader's fetcher
+// field is unused on this platform — the registry is the
+// authoritative source. Returns:
 //   - (nil, nil)  when the key is absent (device not MDM-enrolled for NetBird)
 //   - (map, nil)  with N entries when N managed values are set (N may be 0)
 //   - (nil, err)  on open / enumerate registry errors
@@ -70,7 +72,13 @@ func readRegistryValue(k registry.Key, name, canonical string, out map[string]an
 // Per-value type coercion + skip-on-error is delegated to
 // readRegistryValue. Unknown value names are logged and skipped so a
 // malformed deployment does not block startup.
-func loadPlatformPolicy() (map[string]any, error) {
+func (l *Loader) loadPlatform() (map[string]any, error) {
+	// Honour the injected fetcher when present so tests (and any
+	// future non-Windows MDM channel) can short-circuit the registry
+	// read with a scripted policy.
+	if l != nil && l.fetcher != nil {
+		return l.fetcher.Fetch(), nil
+	}
 	k, err := registry.OpenKey(registry.LOCAL_MACHINE, policyRegistryPath, registry.QUERY_VALUE)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, registry.ErrNotExist) {

client/mdm/ticker.go

@@ -15,33 +15,33 @@ import (
 // instead, hence anticipating the ticker mechanism entirely.
 const DefaultReloadInterval = 1 * time.Minute
 
-// policyLoader is the indirection through which the ticker reads the
-// OS-native policy, both for the initial observation and on every tick.
-// Production points it at LoadPolicy; tests in this package override it to
-// feed a scripted sequence of policies without touching the real OS store.
-var policyLoader = LoadPolicy
-
-// Ticker periodically re-reads the OS-native MDM policy via LoadPolicy and
-// invokes the onChange callback (supplied to Run) whenever the observed
-// Policy diverges from the last observation (added / removed / changed
-// keys). Launch with Run from a goroutine; cancel the supplied context
-// to stop.
+// Ticker periodically re-reads the OS-native MDM policy via the
+// injected Loader and invokes the onChange callback (supplied to Run)
+// whenever the observed Policy diverges from the last observation
+// (added / removed / changed keys). Launch with Run from a goroutine;
+// cancel the supplied context to stop.
 type Ticker struct {
 	interval time.Duration
+	loader   *Loader
 	prev     *Policy
 }
 
 // NewTicker constructs a Ticker that will re-read the OS-native policy
-// every reloadInterval once Run is called.
-// The initial snapshot is populated by calling policyLoader at
+// every reloadInterval once Run is called. The Loader is injected so
+// the ticker doesn't depend on any package-level state — production
+// passes the daemon-owned Loader, tests pass a fake Loader (built with
+// a fake PolicyFetcher).
+//
+// The initial snapshot is populated by calling loader.Load() at
 // construction time so the first tick only fires
 // onChange when the policy actually changed since boot — without
 // this baseline the first tick would report every currently-managed
 // key as "added" and trigger a spurious engine restart.
-func NewTicker(reloadInterval time.Duration) *Ticker {
+func NewTicker(reloadInterval time.Duration, loader *Loader) *Ticker {
 	return &Ticker{
 		interval: reloadInterval,
-		prev:     policyLoader(),
+		loader:   loader,
+		prev:     loader.Load(),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (t *Ticker) Run(ctx context.Context, onChange func(prev, curr *Policy) erro
 			log.Info("MDM policy reload ticker stopped")
 			return
 		case <-tk.C:
-			curr := policyLoader()
+			curr := t.loader.Load()
 			if policiesEqual(t.prev, curr) {
 				continue
 			}

client/mdm/ticker_test.go

@@ -13,28 +13,40 @@ import (
 // testReloadInterval for speeding up the ticker cadence under `go test`
 const testReloadInterval = 1 * time.Second
 
-// withPolicyLoader overrides the package-level policyLoader for the duration
-// of the test so the ticker observes a scripted policy instead of the real
-// OS-native store. The original loader is restored on cleanup.
-func withPolicyLoader(t *testing.T, fn func() *Policy) {
-	t.Helper()
-	prev := policyLoader
-	policyLoader = fn
-	t.Cleanup(func() { policyLoader = prev })
+// fakePolicyFetcher implements PolicyFetcher returning a scripted
+// policy map. Goroutine-safe so the test can mutate the script while
+// the ticker is observing it.
+type fakePolicyFetcher struct {
+	mu     sync.Mutex
+	values map[string]any
+}
+
+func (f *fakePolicyFetcher) Fetch() map[string]any {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	if f.values == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := make(map[string]any, len(f.values))
+	for k, v := range f.values {
+		out[k] = v
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+func (f *fakePolicyFetcher) set(values map[string]any) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	f.values = values
 }
 
 func TestTicker_FiresOnChangeWithDelta(t *testing.T) {
-	var mu sync.Mutex
-	current := NewPolicy(nil) // initial observation: empty (no enforcement)
-	withPolicyLoader(t, func() *Policy {
-		mu.Lock()
-		defer mu.Unlock()
-		return current
-	})
+	fetcher := &fakePolicyFetcher{} // initial observation: empty (no enforcement)
+	loader := NewLoader(fetcher)
 
 	type change struct{ prev, curr *Policy }
 	changes := make(chan change, 1)
-	tk := NewTicker(testReloadInterval)
+	tk := NewTicker(testReloadInterval, loader)
 	require.Equal(t, testReloadInterval, tk.interval)
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
@@ -49,15 +61,13 @@ func TestTicker_FiresOnChangeWithDelta(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		close(done)
 	}()
-	// Stop Run and wait for it to exit before returning, so the policyLoader
-	// restore in t.Cleanup can't race the ticker goroutine still reading it.
+	// Stop Run and wait for it to exit before returning, so the test
+	// goroutine doesn't race the still-running ticker.
 	defer func() { cancel(); <-done }()
 
-	// Flip the OS-observed policy from empty to one managed key. The next
-	// tick must detect the diff and invoke onChange.
-	mu.Lock()
-	current = NewPolicy(map[string]any{KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443"})
-	mu.Unlock()
+	// Flip the OS-observed policy from empty to one managed key. The
+	// next tick must detect the diff and invoke onChange.
+	fetcher.set(map[string]any{KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443"})
 
 	select {
 	case c := <-changes:
@@ -69,12 +79,11 @@ func TestTicker_FiresOnChangeWithDelta(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestTicker_NoCallbackWhenPolicyUnchanged(t *testing.T) {
-	withPolicyLoader(t, func() *Policy {
-		return NewPolicy(map[string]any{KeyBlockInbound: true})
-	})
+	fetcher := &fakePolicyFetcher{values: map[string]any{KeyBlockInbound: true}}
+	loader := NewLoader(fetcher)
 
 	fired := make(chan struct{}, 1)
-	tk := NewTicker(testReloadInterval)
+	tk := NewTicker(testReloadInterval, loader)
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	done := make(chan struct{})
@@ -90,8 +99,8 @@ func TestTicker_NoCallbackWhenPolicyUnchanged(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 	defer func() { cancel(); <-done }()
 
-	// Over ~2 ticks at the 1s test cadence the policy never changes, so the
-	// diff guard must suppress the callback entirely.
+	// Over ~2 ticks at the 1s test cadence the policy never changes,
+	// so the diff guard must suppress the callback entirely.
 	select {
 	case <-fired:
 		t.Fatal("onChange fired despite an unchanged policy")

client/proto/daemon.pb.gw.go

@@ -1099,30 +1099,6 @@ func request_DaemonService_ExposeService_0(ctx context.Context, marshaler runtim
 	return stream, metadata, nil
 }
 
-func request_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0(ctx context.Context, marshaler runtime.Marshaler, client DaemonServiceClient, req *http.Request, pathParams map[string]string) (proto.Message, runtime.ServerMetadata, error) {
-	var (
-		protoReq RespondApprovalRequest
-		metadata runtime.ServerMetadata
-	)
-	if err := marshaler.NewDecoder(req.Body).Decode(&protoReq); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
-		return nil, metadata, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "%v", err)
-	}
-	msg, err := client.RespondApproval(ctx, &protoReq, grpc.Header(&metadata.HeaderMD), grpc.Trailer(&metadata.TrailerMD))
-	return msg, metadata, err
-}
-
-func local_request_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0(ctx context.Context, marshaler runtime.Marshaler, server DaemonServiceServer, req *http.Request, pathParams map[string]string) (proto.Message, runtime.ServerMetadata, error) {
-	var (
-		protoReq RespondApprovalRequest
-		metadata runtime.ServerMetadata
-	)
-	if err := marshaler.NewDecoder(req.Body).Decode(&protoReq); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
-		return nil, metadata, status.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "%v", err)
-	}
-	msg, err := server.RespondApproval(ctx, &protoReq)
-	return msg, metadata, err
-}
-
 func request_DaemonService_WailsUIReady_0(ctx context.Context, marshaler runtime.Marshaler, client DaemonServiceClient, req *http.Request, pathParams map[string]string) (proto.Message, runtime.ServerMetadata, error) {
 	var (
 		protoReq WailsUIReadyRequest
@@ -2001,26 +1977,6 @@ func RegisterDaemonServiceHandlerServer(ctx context.Context, mux *runtime.ServeM
 		runtime.HTTPError(ctx, mux, outboundMarshaler, w, req, err)
 		return
 	})
-	mux.Handle(http.MethodPost, pattern_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0, func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, pathParams map[string]string) {
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(req.Context())
-		defer cancel()
-		var stream runtime.ServerTransportStream
-		ctx = grpc.NewContextWithServerTransportStream(ctx, &stream)
-		inboundMarshaler, outboundMarshaler := runtime.MarshalerForRequest(mux, req)
-		annotatedContext, err := runtime.AnnotateIncomingContext(ctx, mux, req, "/daemon.DaemonService/RespondApproval", runtime.WithHTTPPathPattern("/daemon.DaemonService/RespondApproval"))
-		if err != nil {
-			runtime.HTTPError(ctx, mux, outboundMarshaler, w, req, err)
-			return
-		}
-		resp, md, err := local_request_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0(annotatedContext, inboundMarshaler, server, req, pathParams)
-		md.HeaderMD, md.TrailerMD = metadata.Join(md.HeaderMD, stream.Header()), metadata.Join(md.TrailerMD, stream.Trailer())
-		annotatedContext = runtime.NewServerMetadataContext(annotatedContext, md)
-		if err != nil {
-			runtime.HTTPError(annotatedContext, mux, outboundMarshaler, w, req, err)
-			return
-		}
-		forward_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0(annotatedContext, mux, outboundMarshaler, w, req, resp, mux.GetForwardResponseOptions()...)
-	})
 	mux.Handle(http.MethodPost, pattern_DaemonService_WailsUIReady_0, func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, pathParams map[string]string) {
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(req.Context())
 		defer cancel()
@@ -2846,23 +2802,6 @@ func RegisterDaemonServiceHandlerClient(ctx context.Context, mux *runtime.ServeM
 		}
 		forward_DaemonService_ExposeService_0(annotatedContext, mux, outboundMarshaler, w, req, func() (proto.Message, error) { return resp.Recv() }, mux.GetForwardResponseOptions()...)
 	})
-	mux.Handle(http.MethodPost, pattern_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0, func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, pathParams map[string]string) {
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(req.Context())
-		defer cancel()
-		inboundMarshaler, outboundMarshaler := runtime.MarshalerForRequest(mux, req)
-		annotatedContext, err := runtime.AnnotateContext(ctx, mux, req, "/daemon.DaemonService/RespondApproval", runtime.WithHTTPPathPattern("/daemon.DaemonService/RespondApproval"))
-		if err != nil {
-			runtime.HTTPError(ctx, mux, outboundMarshaler, w, req, err)
-			return
-		}
-		resp, md, err := request_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0(annotatedContext, inboundMarshaler, client, req, pathParams)
-		annotatedContext = runtime.NewServerMetadataContext(annotatedContext, md)
-		if err != nil {
-			runtime.HTTPError(annotatedContext, mux, outboundMarshaler, w, req, err)
-			return
-		}
-		forward_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0(annotatedContext, mux, outboundMarshaler, w, req, resp, mux.GetForwardResponseOptions()...)
-	})
 	mux.Handle(http.MethodPost, pattern_DaemonService_WailsUIReady_0, func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, pathParams map[string]string) {
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(req.Context())
 		defer cancel()
@@ -2929,7 +2868,6 @@ var (
 	pattern_DaemonService_StopCPUProfile_0             = runtime.MustPattern(runtime.NewPattern(1, []int{2, 0, 2, 1}, []string{"daemon.DaemonService", "StopCPUProfile"}, ""))
 	pattern_DaemonService_GetInstallerResult_0         = runtime.MustPattern(runtime.NewPattern(1, []int{2, 0, 2, 1}, []string{"daemon.DaemonService", "GetInstallerResult"}, ""))
 	pattern_DaemonService_ExposeService_0              = runtime.MustPattern(runtime.NewPattern(1, []int{2, 0, 2, 1}, []string{"daemon.DaemonService", "ExposeService"}, ""))
-	pattern_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0            = runtime.MustPattern(runtime.NewPattern(1, []int{2, 0, 2, 1}, []string{"daemon.DaemonService", "RespondApproval"}, ""))
 	pattern_DaemonService_WailsUIReady_0               = runtime.MustPattern(runtime.NewPattern(1, []int{2, 0, 2, 1}, []string{"daemon.DaemonService", "WailsUIReady"}, ""))
 )
 
@@ -2979,6 +2917,5 @@ var (
 	forward_DaemonService_StopCPUProfile_0             = runtime.ForwardResponseMessage
 	forward_DaemonService_GetInstallerResult_0         = runtime.ForwardResponseMessage
 	forward_DaemonService_ExposeService_0              = runtime.ForwardResponseStream
-	forward_DaemonService_RespondApproval_0            = runtime.ForwardResponseMessage
 	forward_DaemonService_WailsUIReady_0               = runtime.ForwardResponseMessage
 )

client/proto/daemon.proto

@@ -152,14 +152,6 @@ service DaemonService {
   // ExposeService exposes a local port via the NetBird reverse proxy
   rpc ExposeService(ExposeServiceRequest) returns (stream ExposeServiceEvent) {}
 
-  // RespondApproval delivers the user's accept/deny decision for a
-  // pending user-approval prompt. The daemon pushes the prompt as a
-  // SystemEvent with category APPROVAL and metadata key "request_id";
-  // the UI calls this RPC with the same request_id to unblock whichever
-  // subsystem (VNC, SSH, ...) is waiting. The "kind" metadata key tells
-  // the UI which subsystem the prompt belongs to.
-  rpc RespondApproval(RespondApprovalRequest) returns (RespondApprovalResponse) {}
-
   // WailsUIReady is a no-op probe the Wails UI calls once at startup. The UI
   // only cares whether the daemon implements it: an Unimplemented response
   // means the daemon predates this UI and is too old to drive it.
@@ -250,10 +242,6 @@ message LoginRequest {
   optional bool disableSSHAuth = 38;
   optional int32 sshJWTCacheTTL = 39;
   optional bool disable_ipv6 = 40;
-
-  optional bool serverVNCAllowed = 41;
-
-  optional bool disableVNCApproval = 42;
 }
 
 message LoginResponse {
@@ -374,16 +362,12 @@ message GetConfigResponse {
 
   bool disable_ipv6 = 27;
 
-  bool serverVNCAllowed = 28;
-
-  bool disableVNCApproval = 29;
-
   // mDMManagedFields lists the names of configuration keys whose value is
   // currently enforced by an MDM policy. Names match mdm.Key* constants
   // (e.g. "managementURL", "disableClientRoutes"). UI/CLI clients should
   // render the corresponding inputs as read-only and display a "managed
   // by MDM" indicator.
-  repeated string mDMManagedFields = 30;
+  repeated string mDMManagedFields = 28;
 }
 
 // PeerState contains the latest state of a peer
@@ -468,25 +452,6 @@ message SSHServerState {
   repeated SSHSessionInfo sessions = 2;
 }
 
-// VNCSessionInfo contains information about an active VNC session
-message VNCSessionInfo {
-  string remoteAddress = 1;
-  string mode = 2;
-  string username = 3;
-  // userID is the Noise-verified session identity (hashed user ID from
-  // the ACL session-key entry), empty when auth is disabled.
-  string userID = 4;
-  // initiator is the human-readable display name of the dashboard user
-  // who minted the SessionPubKey, when known.
-  string initiator = 5;
-}
-
-// VNCServerState contains the latest state of the VNC server
-message VNCServerState {
-  bool enabled = 1;
-  repeated VNCSessionInfo sessions = 2;
-}
-
 // FullStatus contains the full state held by the Status instance
 message FullStatus {
   ManagementState managementState = 1;
@@ -507,7 +472,6 @@ message FullStatus {
   // on it to know when to re-fetch ListNetworks via the push stream, instead
   // of polling on every status snapshot.
   uint64 networksRevision = 11;
-  VNCServerState vncServerState = 12;
 }
 
 // Networks
@@ -707,7 +671,6 @@ message SystemEvent {
     AUTHENTICATION = 2;
     CONNECTIVITY = 3;
     SYSTEM = 4;
-    APPROVAL = 5;
   }
 
   string id = 1;
@@ -798,10 +761,6 @@ message SetConfigRequest {
   optional bool disableSSHAuth = 33;
   optional int32 sshJWTCacheTTL = 34;
   optional bool disable_ipv6 = 35;
-
-  optional bool serverVNCAllowed = 36;
-
-  optional bool disableVNCApproval = 37;
 }
 
 message SetConfigResponse{}
@@ -1091,18 +1050,3 @@ message StartBundleCaptureRequest {
 message StartBundleCaptureResponse {}
 message StopBundleCaptureRequest {}
 message StopBundleCaptureResponse {}
-
-message RespondApprovalRequest {
-  // request_id matches the SystemEvent metadata key emitted by the daemon
-  // when a subsystem awaits user approval for an inbound connection.
-  string request_id = 1;
-  // accept is true if the user approved the request, false if they
-  // denied it. A missing or unknown request_id is treated as a no-op.
-  bool accept = 2;
-  // view_only signals that the user granted the connection but withheld
-  // input control. Only meaningful when accept is true; ignored when
-  // accept is false.
-  bool view_only = 3;
-}
-
-message RespondApprovalResponse {}

client/proto/daemon_grpc.pb.go

@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ const (
 	DaemonService_StopCPUProfile_FullMethodName             = "/daemon.DaemonService/StopCPUProfile"
 	DaemonService_GetInstallerResult_FullMethodName         = "/daemon.DaemonService/GetInstallerResult"
 	DaemonService_ExposeService_FullMethodName              = "/daemon.DaemonService/ExposeService"
-	DaemonService_RespondApproval_FullMethodName            = "/daemon.DaemonService/RespondApproval"
 	DaemonService_WailsUIReady_FullMethodName               = "/daemon.DaemonService/WailsUIReady"
 )
 
@@ -168,13 +167,6 @@ type DaemonServiceClient interface {
 	GetInstallerResult(ctx context.Context, in *InstallerResultRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*InstallerResultResponse, error)
 	// ExposeService exposes a local port via the NetBird reverse proxy
 	ExposeService(ctx context.Context, in *ExposeServiceRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (grpc.ServerStreamingClient[ExposeServiceEvent], error)
-	// RespondApproval delivers the user's accept/deny decision for a
-	// pending user-approval prompt. The daemon pushes the prompt as a
-	// SystemEvent with category APPROVAL and metadata key "request_id";
-	// the UI calls this RPC with the same request_id to unblock whichever
-	// subsystem (VNC, SSH, ...) is waiting. The "kind" metadata key tells
-	// the UI which subsystem the prompt belongs to.
-	RespondApproval(ctx context.Context, in *RespondApprovalRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*RespondApprovalResponse, error)
 	// WailsUIReady is a no-op probe the Wails UI calls once at startup. The UI
 	// only cares whether the daemon implements it: an Unimplemented response
 	// means the daemon predates this UI and is too old to drive it.
@@ -675,16 +667,6 @@ func (c *daemonServiceClient) ExposeService(ctx context.Context, in *ExposeServi
 // This type alias is provided for backwards compatibility with existing code that references the prior non-generic stream type by name.
 type DaemonService_ExposeServiceClient = grpc.ServerStreamingClient[ExposeServiceEvent]
 
-func (c *daemonServiceClient) RespondApproval(ctx context.Context, in *RespondApprovalRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*RespondApprovalResponse, error) {
-	cOpts := append([]grpc.CallOption{grpc.StaticMethod()}, opts...)
-	out := new(RespondApprovalResponse)
-	err := c.cc.Invoke(ctx, DaemonService_RespondApproval_FullMethodName, in, out, cOpts...)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return out, nil
-}
-
 func (c *daemonServiceClient) WailsUIReady(ctx context.Context, in *WailsUIReadyRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*WailsUIReadyResponse, error) {
 	cOpts := append([]grpc.CallOption{grpc.StaticMethod()}, opts...)
 	out := new(WailsUIReadyResponse)
@@ -795,13 +777,6 @@ type DaemonServiceServer interface {
 	GetInstallerResult(context.Context, *InstallerResultRequest) (*InstallerResultResponse, error)
 	// ExposeService exposes a local port via the NetBird reverse proxy
 	ExposeService(*ExposeServiceRequest, grpc.ServerStreamingServer[ExposeServiceEvent]) error
-	// RespondApproval delivers the user's accept/deny decision for a
-	// pending user-approval prompt. The daemon pushes the prompt as a
-	// SystemEvent with category APPROVAL and metadata key "request_id";
-	// the UI calls this RPC with the same request_id to unblock whichever
-	// subsystem (VNC, SSH, ...) is waiting. The "kind" metadata key tells
-	// the UI which subsystem the prompt belongs to.
-	RespondApproval(context.Context, *RespondApprovalRequest) (*RespondApprovalResponse, error)
 	// WailsUIReady is a no-op probe the Wails UI calls once at startup. The UI
 	// only cares whether the daemon implements it: an Unimplemented response
 	// means the daemon predates this UI and is too old to drive it.
@@ -951,9 +926,6 @@ func (UnimplementedDaemonServiceServer) GetInstallerResult(context.Context, *Ins
 func (UnimplementedDaemonServiceServer) ExposeService(*ExposeServiceRequest, grpc.ServerStreamingServer[ExposeServiceEvent]) error {
 	return status.Error(codes.Unimplemented, "method ExposeService not implemented")
 }
-func (UnimplementedDaemonServiceServer) RespondApproval(context.Context, *RespondApprovalRequest) (*RespondApprovalResponse, error) {
-	return nil, status.Error(codes.Unimplemented, "method RespondApproval not implemented")
-}
 func (UnimplementedDaemonServiceServer) WailsUIReady(context.Context, *WailsUIReadyRequest) (*WailsUIReadyResponse, error) {
 	return nil, status.Error(codes.Unimplemented, "method WailsUIReady not implemented")
 }
@@ -1760,24 +1732,6 @@ func _DaemonService_ExposeService_Handler(srv interface{}, stream grpc.ServerStr
 // This type alias is provided for backwards compatibility with existing code that references the prior non-generic stream type by name.
 type DaemonService_ExposeServiceServer = grpc.ServerStreamingServer[ExposeServiceEvent]
 
-func _DaemonService_RespondApproval_Handler(srv interface{}, ctx context.Context, dec func(interface{}) error, interceptor grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor) (interface{}, error) {
-	in := new(RespondApprovalRequest)
-	if err := dec(in); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if interceptor == nil {
-		return srv.(DaemonServiceServer).RespondApproval(ctx, in)
-	}
-	info := &grpc.UnaryServerInfo{
-		Server:     srv,
-		FullMethod: DaemonService_RespondApproval_FullMethodName,
-	}
-	handler := func(ctx context.Context, req interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
-		return srv.(DaemonServiceServer).RespondApproval(ctx, req.(*RespondApprovalRequest))
-	}
-	return interceptor(ctx, in, info, handler)
-}
-
 func _DaemonService_WailsUIReady_Handler(srv interface{}, ctx context.Context, dec func(interface{}) error, interceptor grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor) (interface{}, error) {
 	in := new(WailsUIReadyRequest)
 	if err := dec(in); err != nil {
@@ -1967,10 +1921,6 @@ var DaemonService_ServiceDesc = grpc.ServiceDesc{
 			MethodName: "GetInstallerResult",
 			Handler:    _DaemonService_GetInstallerResult_Handler,
 		},
-		{
-			MethodName: "RespondApproval",
-			Handler:    _DaemonService_RespondApproval_Handler,
-		},
 		{
 			MethodName: "WailsUIReady",
 			Handler:    _DaemonService_WailsUIReady_Handler,

client/server/capture.go

@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func (s *Server) StartCapture(req *proto.StartCaptureRequest, stream proto.Daemo
 		return status.Errorf(codes.Internal, "create capture session: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	engine, err := s.claimCapture(sess, func() { pw.Close() })
+	engine, err := s.claimCapture(sess)
 	if err != nil {
 		sess.Stop()
 		pw.Close()
@@ -190,7 +190,10 @@ func (s *Server) StartBundleCapture(_ context.Context, req *proto.StartBundleCap
 
 	s.stopBundleCaptureLocked()
 	s.cleanupBundleCapture()
-	s.evictActiveCaptureLocked()
+
+	if s.activeCapture != nil {
+		return nil, status.Error(codes.FailedPrecondition, "another capture is already running")
+	}
 
 	engine, err := s.getCaptureEngineLocked()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -301,58 +304,29 @@ func (s *Server) cleanupBundleCapture() {
 	s.bundleCapture = nil
 }
 
-// claimCapture reserves the engine's capture slot for sess. If another
-// capture is already running it is evicted: a previous streaming session
-// whose gRPC client died and never freed the slot stays stuck otherwise,
-// and a bundle capture is just informational state.
-func (s *Server) claimCapture(sess *capture.Session, cancel func()) (*internal.Engine, error) {
+// claimCapture reserves the engine's capture slot for sess. Returns
+// FailedPrecondition if another capture is already active.
+func (s *Server) claimCapture(sess *capture.Session) (*internal.Engine, error) {
 	s.mutex.Lock()
 	defer s.mutex.Unlock()
 
-	s.evictActiveCaptureLocked()
+	if s.activeCapture != nil {
+		return nil, status.Error(codes.FailedPrecondition, "another capture is already running")
+	}
 	engine, err := s.getCaptureEngineLocked()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	s.activeCapture = sess
-	s.activeCaptureCancel = cancel
 	return engine, nil
 }
 
-// evictActiveCaptureLocked tears down whatever capture currently owns
-// the engine slot so a fresh claim can succeed. Caller must hold mutex.
-func (s *Server) evictActiveCaptureLocked() {
-	if s.activeCapture == nil {
-		return
-	}
-	if s.bundleCapture != nil && s.bundleCapture.sess == s.activeCapture {
-		log.Infof("evicting running bundle capture to start a new capture")
-		s.stopBundleCaptureLocked()
-		return
-	}
-	log.Infof("evicting previous streaming capture to start a new one")
-	prev := s.activeCapture
-	cancel := s.activeCaptureCancel
-	if engine, err := s.getCaptureEngineLocked(); err == nil {
-		if err := engine.SetCapture(nil); err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("clear previous capture: %v", err)
-		}
-	}
-	s.activeCapture = nil
-	s.activeCaptureCancel = nil
-	prev.Stop()
-	if cancel != nil {
-		cancel()
-	}
-}
-
 // releaseCapture clears the active-capture owner if it still matches sess.
 func (s *Server) releaseCapture(sess *capture.Session) {
 	s.mutex.Lock()
 	defer s.mutex.Unlock()
 	if s.activeCapture == sess {
 		s.activeCapture = nil
-		s.activeCaptureCancel = nil
 	}
 }
 
@@ -367,7 +341,6 @@ func (s *Server) clearCaptureIfOwner(sess *capture.Session, engine *internal.Eng
 		log.Debugf("clear capture: %v", err)
 	}
 	s.activeCapture = nil
-	s.activeCaptureCancel = nil
 }
 
 func (s *Server) getCaptureEngineLocked() (*internal.Engine, error) {

client/server/mdm.go

@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ import (
 // a no-op echo, never as a conflict with the policy.
 const preSharedKeyRedactedSentinel = "**********"
 
-// loadMDMPolicy is the indirection used by server handlers to read the
-// active MDM policy. Tests override this to inject a fake policy.
-var loadMDMPolicy = mdm.LoadPolicy
-
 // conflictCheck is a value-aware comparison between a single field in
 // the incoming request and the corresponding MDM-enforced value. It
 // runs only when the field was actually set in the request (presence
@@ -297,8 +293,6 @@ func mdmManagedFieldConflicts(msg *proto.SetConfigRequest, policy *mdm.Policy) [
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyRosenpassPermissive, msg.RosenpassPermissive),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyDisableAutoConnect, msg.DisableAutoConnect),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyAllowServerSSH, msg.ServerSSHAllowed),
-		conflictBool(mdm.KeyAllowServerVNC, msg.ServerVNCAllowed),
-		conflictBool(mdm.KeyDisableVNCApproval, msg.DisableVNCApproval),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes, msg.DisableClientRoutes),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyDisableServerRoutes, msg.DisableServerRoutes),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyBlockInbound, msg.BlockInbound),
@@ -334,8 +328,6 @@ func setConfigRequestHasConfigOverrides(msg *proto.SetConfigRequest) bool {
 		msg.Mtu != nil ||
 		msg.DisableAutoConnect != nil ||
 		msg.ServerSSHAllowed != nil ||
-		msg.ServerVNCAllowed != nil ||
-		msg.DisableVNCApproval != nil ||
 		msg.NetworkMonitor != nil ||
 		msg.DisableClientRoutes != nil ||
 		msg.DisableServerRoutes != nil ||
@@ -374,8 +366,6 @@ func loginRequestHasConfigOverrides(msg *proto.LoginRequest) bool {
 		msg.WireguardPort != nil ||
 		msg.DisableAutoConnect != nil ||
 		msg.ServerSSHAllowed != nil ||
-		msg.ServerVNCAllowed != nil ||
-		msg.DisableVNCApproval != nil ||
 		msg.RosenpassPermissive != nil ||
 		len(msg.ExtraIFaceBlacklist) > 0 ||
 		msg.NetworkMonitor != nil ||
@@ -424,8 +414,6 @@ func loginRequestMDMConflicts(msg *proto.LoginRequest, policy *mdm.Policy) []str
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyRosenpassPermissive, msg.RosenpassPermissive),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyDisableAutoConnect, msg.DisableAutoConnect),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyAllowServerSSH, msg.ServerSSHAllowed),
-		conflictBool(mdm.KeyAllowServerVNC, msg.ServerVNCAllowed),
-		conflictBool(mdm.KeyDisableVNCApproval, msg.DisableVNCApproval),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyDisableClientRoutes, msg.DisableClientRoutes),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyDisableServerRoutes, msg.DisableServerRoutes),
 		conflictBool(mdm.KeyBlockInbound, msg.BlockInbound),

client/server/server.go

@@ -122,12 +122,8 @@ type Server struct {
 	captureEnabled         bool
 	bundleCapture          *bundleCapture
 	// activeCapture is the session currently installed on the engine; guarded by s.mutex.
-	activeCapture *capture.Session
-	// activeCaptureCancel tears down the streaming pipe/cancel for the
-	// active streaming capture so eviction unblocks the StartCapture RPC
-	// handler. Nil for bundle captures (they own their own context).
-	activeCaptureCancel func()
-	networksDisabled    bool
+	activeCapture    *capture.Session
+	networksDisabled bool
 
 	sleepHandler *sleephandler.SleepHandler
 
@@ -136,6 +132,15 @@ type Server struct {
 	// stopped by the rootCtx cancellation.
 	mdmTicker *mdm.Ticker
 
+	// mdmLoader is the daemon-owned source of the active MDM policy.
+	// Constructed once during Server.Start (with a nil PolicyFetcher on
+	// desktop — the build-tagged Loader.loadPlatform reads the OS
+	// registry / plist directly) and injected into every consumer:
+	// mdmTicker for its periodic reload, the SetConfig / Login MDM
+	// gates for conflict detection, and every Config produced via
+	// getConfig() so its apply() picks up the same overlay.
+	mdmLoader *mdm.Loader
+
 	updateManager *updater.Manager
 
 	jwtCache *jwtCache
@@ -217,8 +222,14 @@ func (s *Server) Start() error {
 	// Runs re-resolves Config (re-running profilemanager.Config.apply which
 	// applies the freshly-read MDM policy as the last layer) and brings
 	// the engine back with the new values.
+	if s.mdmLoader == nil {
+		// Desktop builds pass a nil PolicyFetcher: the Loader's
+		// build-tagged loadPlatform reads the OS source directly
+		// (registry on Windows, plist on macOS, no-op elsewhere).
+		s.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(nil)
+	}
 	if s.mdmTicker == nil {
-		s.mdmTicker = mdm.NewTicker(mdm.DefaultReloadInterval)
+		s.mdmTicker = mdm.NewTicker(mdm.DefaultReloadInterval, s.mdmLoader)
 		go s.mdmTicker.Run(s.rootCtx, s.onMDMPolicyChange)
 	}
 
@@ -463,7 +474,7 @@ func (s *Server) SetConfig(callerCtx context.Context, msg *proto.SetConfigReques
 	// by the active MDM policy. The error carries an MDMManagedFields-
 	// Violation detail listing the offending key names. Non-conflicting
 	// fields in the same request are not applied either.
-	policy := loadMDMPolicy()
+	policy := s.mdmLoader.Load()
 	if err := rejectMDMManagedFieldConflicts(mdmManagedFieldConflicts(msg, policy)); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -557,8 +568,6 @@ func (s *Server) setConfigInputFromRequest(msg *proto.SetConfigRequest) (profile
 	config.RosenpassPermissive = msg.RosenpassPermissive
 	config.DisableAutoConnect = msg.DisableAutoConnect
 	config.ServerSSHAllowed = msg.ServerSSHAllowed
-	config.ServerVNCAllowed = msg.ServerVNCAllowed
-	config.DisableVNCApproval = msg.DisableVNCApproval
 	config.NetworkMonitor = msg.NetworkMonitor
 	config.DisableClientRoutes = msg.DisableClientRoutes
 	config.DisableServerRoutes = msg.DisableServerRoutes
@@ -598,7 +607,7 @@ func (s *Server) Login(callerCtx context.Context, msg *proto.LoginRequest) (*pro
 		if s.checkUpdateSettingsDisabled() {
 			return nil, gstatus.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, errUpdateSettingsDisabled)
 		}
-		policy := loadMDMPolicy()
+		policy := s.mdmLoader.Load()
 		if err := rejectMDMManagedFieldConflicts(loginRequestMDMConflicts(msg, policy)); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -1391,6 +1400,12 @@ func (s *Server) getConfig(activeProf *profilemanager.ActiveProfileState) (*prof
 		return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("failed to get config: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// Apply the daemon-owned MDM policy on top of the just-resolved
+	// Config. profilemanager's apply() initialises the policy to
+	// empty — the Loader lives outside Config, so this overlay step
+	// is driven externally here.
+	config.ApplyMDMPolicy(s.mdmLoader.Load())
+
 	return config, configExisted, nil
 }
 
@@ -1440,6 +1455,9 @@ func (s *Server) logoutFromProfile(ctx context.Context, profile *profilemanager.
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("profile '%s' not found", profile.ID)
 	}
+	// Honour any MDM-enforced ManagementURL when issuing the logout
+	// RPC: the user-stored value may have been overridden by policy.
+	config.ApplyMDMPolicy(s.mdmLoader.Load())
 
 	return s.sendLogoutRequestWithConfig(ctx, config)
 }
@@ -1578,7 +1596,6 @@ func (s *Server) buildStatusResponse(ctx context.Context, msg *proto.StatusReque
 		pbFullStatus := fullStatus.ToProto()
 		pbFullStatus.Events = s.statusRecorder.GetEventHistory()
 		pbFullStatus.SshServerState = s.getSSHServerState()
-		pbFullStatus.VncServerState = s.getVNCServerState()
 		pbFullStatus.NetworksRevision = s.statusRecorder.GetNetworksRevision()
 		statusResponse.FullStatus = pbFullStatus
 	}
@@ -1619,38 +1636,6 @@ func (s *Server) getSSHServerState() *proto.SSHServerState {
 	return sshServerState
 }
 
-// getVNCServerState retrieves the current VNC server state.
-func (s *Server) getVNCServerState() *proto.VNCServerState {
-	s.mutex.Lock()
-	connectClient := s.connectClient
-	s.mutex.Unlock()
-
-	if connectClient == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	engine := connectClient.Engine()
-	if engine == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	enabled, sessions := engine.GetVNCServerStatus()
-	pbSessions := make([]*proto.VNCSessionInfo, 0, len(sessions))
-	for _, sess := range sessions {
-		pbSessions = append(pbSessions, &proto.VNCSessionInfo{
-			RemoteAddress: sess.RemoteAddress,
-			Mode:          sess.Mode,
-			Username:      sess.Username,
-			UserID:        sess.UserID,
-			Initiator:     sess.Initiator,
-		})
-	}
-	return &proto.VNCServerState{
-		Enabled:  enabled,
-		Sessions: pbSessions,
-	}
-}
-
 // GetPeerSSHHostKey retrieves SSH host key for a specific peer
 func (s *Server) GetPeerSSHHostKey(
 	ctx context.Context,
@@ -2039,30 +2024,6 @@ func (s *Server) ExposeService(req *proto.ExposeServiceRequest, srv proto.Daemon
 	return nil
 }
 
-// RespondApproval relays the user's accept/deny decision for a pending
-// approval prompt to the engine's broker. Unknown or already-resolved
-// request_ids are silently no-op'd so a slow UI cannot deny a prompt the
-// user already handled (or that already timed out).
-func (s *Server) RespondApproval(_ context.Context, msg *proto.RespondApprovalRequest) (*proto.RespondApprovalResponse, error) {
-	if msg.GetRequestId() == "" {
-		return nil, gstatus.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "request_id is required")
-	}
-	s.mutex.Lock()
-	connectClient := s.connectClient
-	s.mutex.Unlock()
-	if connectClient == nil {
-		return nil, gstatus.Errorf(codes.FailedPrecondition, "client not initialized")
-	}
-	engine := connectClient.Engine()
-	if engine == nil {
-		return nil, gstatus.Errorf(codes.FailedPrecondition, "engine not running")
-	}
-	if !engine.RespondApproval(msg.GetRequestId(), msg.GetAccept(), msg.GetViewOnly()) {
-		log.Debugf("approval response for unknown request_id %s", msg.GetRequestId())
-	}
-	return &proto.RespondApprovalResponse{}, nil
-}
-
 func isUnixRunningDesktop() bool {
 	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" && runtime.GOOS != "freebsd" {
 		return false
@@ -2107,6 +2068,11 @@ func (s *Server) GetConfig(ctx context.Context, req *proto.GetConfigRequest) (*p
 		log.Errorf("failed to get active profile config: %v", err)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get active profile config: %w", err)
 	}
+	// Overlay the active MDM policy so the response's MDMManagedFields
+	// list reflects what the GUI / CLI must render as read-only.
+	// profilemanager.GetConfig itself returns a Config without the
+	// overlay (Loader lives outside profilemanager).
+	cfg.ApplyMDMPolicy(s.mdmLoader.Load())
 	managementURL := cfg.ManagementURL
 	adminURL := cfg.AdminURL
 
@@ -2170,8 +2136,6 @@ func (s *Server) GetConfig(ctx context.Context, req *proto.GetConfigRequest) (*p
 		Mtu:                           int64(cfg.MTU),
 		DisableAutoConnect:            cfg.DisableAutoConnect,
 		ServerSSHAllowed:              *cfg.ServerSSHAllowed,
-		ServerVNCAllowed:              cfg.ServerVNCAllowed != nil && *cfg.ServerVNCAllowed,
-		DisableVNCApproval:            cfg.DisableVNCApproval != nil && *cfg.DisableVNCApproval,
 		RosenpassEnabled:              cfg.RosenpassEnabled,
 		RosenpassPermissive:           cfg.RosenpassPermissive,
 		BlockInbound:                  cfg.BlockInbound,

client/server/setconfig_mdm_test.go

@@ -16,14 +16,40 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/proto"
 )
 
-// withMDMPolicy temporarily overrides the server-package loadMDMPolicy hook
-// so SetConfig observes the supplied Policy. Restores the original loader
-// at test cleanup.
-func withMDMPolicy(t *testing.T, policy *mdm.Policy) {
+// fakeMDMFetcher implements mdm.PolicyFetcher returning a pre-set
+// policy map. Tests build one per Server instance to inject a
+// scripted MDM overlay via a Loader rather than via package-level state.
+type fakeMDMFetcher struct{ values map[string]any }
+
+func (f *fakeMDMFetcher) Fetch() map[string]any { return f.values }
+
+// withMDMPolicy installs an mdm.Loader on the given Server whose
+// loadPlatform returns the supplied Policy's underlying values. Use
+// after setupServerWithProfile to inject the scripted policy the
+// SetConfig / Login MDM gates will observe.
+func withMDMPolicy(t *testing.T, s *Server, policy *mdm.Policy) {
 	t.Helper()
-	prev := loadMDMPolicy
-	loadMDMPolicy = func() *mdm.Policy { return policy }
-	t.Cleanup(func() { loadMDMPolicy = prev })
+	values := map[string]any{}
+	if policy != nil {
+		for _, k := range policy.ManagedKeys() {
+			if v, ok := policy.GetString(k); ok {
+				values[k] = v
+				continue
+			}
+			if v, ok := policy.GetBool(k); ok {
+				values[k] = v
+				continue
+			}
+			if v, ok := policy.GetInt(k); ok {
+				values[k] = v
+				continue
+			}
+			if v, ok := policy.GetStringSlice(k); ok {
+				values[k] = v
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	s.mdmLoader = mdm.NewLoader(&fakeMDMFetcher{values: values})
 }
 
 // setupServerWithProfile mirrors the boilerplate of TestSetConfig_AllFieldsSaved:
@@ -93,12 +119,11 @@ func extractViolation(t *testing.T, err error) *proto.MDMManagedFieldsViolation
 }
 
 func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_SingleField(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443",
 	}))
 
-	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
 	_, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 		ProfileName:   profName,
 		Username:      username,
@@ -109,39 +134,14 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_SingleField(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, []string{mdm.KeyManagementURL}, v.GetFields())
 }
 
-func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_VNCFields(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
-		mdm.KeyAllowServerVNC:     true,
-		mdm.KeyDisableVNCApproval: false,
-	}))
-
-	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
-	vncAllowed := false
-	disableApproval := true
-	_, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
-		ProfileName:        profName,
-		Username:           username,
-		ServerVNCAllowed:   &vncAllowed,
-		DisableVNCApproval: &disableApproval,
-	})
-
-	v := extractViolation(t, err)
-	assert.ElementsMatch(t, []string{
-		mdm.KeyAllowServerVNC,
-		mdm.KeyDisableVNCApproval,
-	}, v.GetFields())
-}
-
 func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_MultipleFields(t *testing.T) {
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL:    "https://mdm.example.com:443",
 		mdm.KeyBlockInbound:     true,
 		mdm.KeyRosenpassEnabled: true,
 	}))
 
-	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
 	blockInbound := false
 	rosenpassEnabled := false
 	_, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
@@ -165,12 +165,11 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_AllOrNothing(t *testing.T) {
 	// enforced field AND a non-enforced field (RosenpassEnabled).
 	// The whole request must be rejected — non-conflicting fields are not
 	// applied either.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	s, ctx, profName, username, cfgPath := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443",
 	}))
 
-	s, ctx, profName, username, cfgPath := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
 	rosenpassEnabled := true
 	_, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 		ProfileName:      profName,
@@ -192,12 +191,11 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMReject_AllOrNothing(t *testing.T) {
 func TestSetConfig_MDMAllow_NonManagedFields(t *testing.T) {
 	// MDM enforces ManagementURL but the user only writes RosenpassEnabled.
 	// Request must succeed.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 		mdm.KeyManagementURL: "https://mdm.example.com:443",
 	}))
 
-	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
 	rosenpassEnabled := true
 	resp, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 		ProfileName:      profName,
@@ -226,12 +224,11 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMAllow_ManagementURLPortNormalized(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
+			s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+			withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(map[string]any{
 				mdm.KeyManagementURL: tc.mdmURL,
 			}))
 
-			s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
-
 			rosenpassEnabled := true
 			resp, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 				ProfileName:      profName,
@@ -248,9 +245,8 @@ func TestSetConfig_MDMAllow_ManagementURLPortNormalized(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestSetConfig_MDMEmpty_NoEnforcement(t *testing.T) {
 	// No MDM policy active: any field can be written.
-	withMDMPolicy(t, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
-
 	s, ctx, profName, username, _ := setupServerWithProfile(t)
+	withMDMPolicy(t, s, mdm.NewPolicy(nil))
 
 	resp, err := s.SetConfig(ctx, &proto.SetConfigRequest{
 		ProfileName:   profName,

client/server/setconfig_test.go

@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ func TestSetConfig_AllFieldsSaved(t *testing.T) {
 	rosenpassEnabled := true
 	rosenpassPermissive := true
 	serverSSHAllowed := true
-	serverVNCAllowed := true
-	disableVNCApproval := true
 	interfaceName := "utun100"
 	wireguardPort := int64(51820)
 	preSharedKey := "test-psk"
@@ -87,8 +85,6 @@ func TestSetConfig_AllFieldsSaved(t *testing.T) {
 		RosenpassEnabled:     &rosenpassEnabled,
 		RosenpassPermissive:  &rosenpassPermissive,
 		ServerSSHAllowed:     &serverSSHAllowed,
-		ServerVNCAllowed:     &serverVNCAllowed,
-		DisableVNCApproval:   &disableVNCApproval,
 		InterfaceName:        &interfaceName,
 		WireguardPort:        &wireguardPort,
 		OptionalPreSharedKey: &preSharedKey,
@@ -132,10 +128,6 @@ func TestSetConfig_AllFieldsSaved(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, rosenpassPermissive, cfg.RosenpassPermissive)
 	require.NotNil(t, cfg.ServerSSHAllowed)
 	require.Equal(t, serverSSHAllowed, *cfg.ServerSSHAllowed)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg.ServerVNCAllowed)
-	require.Equal(t, serverVNCAllowed, *cfg.ServerVNCAllowed)
-	require.NotNil(t, cfg.DisableVNCApproval)
-	require.Equal(t, disableVNCApproval, *cfg.DisableVNCApproval)
 	require.Equal(t, interfaceName, cfg.WgIface)
 	require.Equal(t, int(wireguardPort), cfg.WgPort)
 	require.Equal(t, preSharedKey, cfg.PreSharedKey)
@@ -188,8 +180,6 @@ func verifyAllFieldsCovered(t *testing.T, req *proto.SetConfigRequest) {
 		"RosenpassEnabled":              true,
 		"RosenpassPermissive":           true,
 		"ServerSSHAllowed":              true,
-		"ServerVNCAllowed":              true,
-		"DisableVNCApproval":            true,
 		"InterfaceName":                 true,
 		"WireguardPort":                 true,
 		"OptionalPreSharedKey":          true,
@@ -250,8 +240,6 @@ func TestCLIFlags_MappedToSetConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		"enable-rosenpass":                  "RosenpassEnabled",
 		"rosenpass-permissive":              "RosenpassPermissive",
 		"allow-server-ssh":                  "ServerSSHAllowed",
-		"allow-server-vnc":                  "ServerVNCAllowed",
-		"disable-vnc-approval":              "DisableVNCApproval",
 		"interface-name":                    "InterfaceName",
 		"wireguard-port":                    "WireguardPort",
 		"preshared-key":                     "OptionalPreSharedKey",

client/server/ssh_gate.go

@@ -26,51 +26,40 @@ import (
 //     daemon's SSH server into a root (or unauthenticated) shell.
 //   - Enabling the SSH server at all is what makes the above reachable, and a
 //     profile the caller owns is not a privilege they hold.
-//   - Enabling the VNC server exposes the console session, which on a
-//     multi-user host belongs to another user, and disabling its approval
-//     prompt removes that user's only say in it.
-//   - While a remote-access server (SSH or VNC) is enabled, repointing the
-//     profile at another management identity hands authorization decisions,
-//     including which keys and users are accepted, to whoever controls that
-//     identity. Changing the management URL and deregistering the peer are both
-//     ways to do that.
+//   - While the SSH server is enabled, repointing the profile at another
+//     management identity hands SSH authorization decisions, including which
+//     keys and users are accepted, to whoever controls that identity. Changing
+//     the management URL and deregistering the peer are both ways to do that.
 //
 // Everything else stays unauthenticated, so this is not an authorization model:
-// it only refuses the changes that would let a local user become root, or reach
-// another user's desktop. A caller whose identity cannot be established is
-// refused as well.
+// it only refuses the changes that would let a local user become root. A caller
+// whose identity cannot be established is refused as well.
 
 // privilegedConfigChange is the subset of a config request that crosses the
 // user-to-root boundary. Fields are nil or empty when the request leaves them
 // untouched.
 type privilegedConfigChange struct {
-	managementURL      string
-	serverSSHAllowed   *bool
-	enableSSHRoot      *bool
-	disableSSHAuth     *bool
-	serverVNCAllowed   *bool
-	disableVNCApproval *bool
+	managementURL    string
+	serverSSHAllowed *bool
+	enableSSHRoot    *bool
+	disableSSHAuth   *bool
 }
 
 func privilegedChangeFromSetConfig(msg *proto.SetConfigRequest) privilegedConfigChange {
 	return privilegedConfigChange{
-		managementURL:      msg.GetManagementUrl(),
-		serverSSHAllowed:   msg.ServerSSHAllowed,
-		enableSSHRoot:      msg.EnableSSHRoot,
-		disableSSHAuth:     msg.DisableSSHAuth,
-		serverVNCAllowed:   msg.ServerVNCAllowed,
-		disableVNCApproval: msg.DisableVNCApproval,
+		managementURL:    msg.GetManagementUrl(),
+		serverSSHAllowed: msg.ServerSSHAllowed,
+		enableSSHRoot:    msg.EnableSSHRoot,
+		disableSSHAuth:   msg.DisableSSHAuth,
 	}
 }
 
 func privilegedChangeFromLogin(msg *proto.LoginRequest) privilegedConfigChange {
 	return privilegedConfigChange{
-		managementURL:      msg.GetManagementUrl(),
-		serverSSHAllowed:   msg.ServerSSHAllowed,
-		enableSSHRoot:      msg.EnableSSHRoot,
-		disableSSHAuth:     msg.DisableSSHAuth,
-		serverVNCAllowed:   msg.ServerVNCAllowed,
-		disableVNCApproval: msg.DisableVNCApproval,
+		managementURL:    msg.GetManagementUrl(),
+		serverSSHAllowed: msg.ServerSSHAllowed,
+		enableSSHRoot:    msg.EnableSSHRoot,
+		disableSSHAuth:   msg.DisableSSHAuth,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -94,21 +83,15 @@ func requirePrivilegeForConfigChange(ctx context.Context, stored *profilemanager
 		return denyPrivileged(ctx, "enabling the NetBird SSH server", ipcauth.UpCommand("--allow-server-ssh"))
 	}
 
-	if err := requirePrivilegeForVNCChange(ctx, stored, change); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// Only guard the management binding while a remote-access server is enabled:
-	// that is when the management identity decides who may open a shell or reach
-	// the desktop here.
-	server, enabled := enabledRemoteAccessServer(stored)
-	if !enabled {
+	// Only guard the management binding while the SSH server is enabled: that is
+	// when the management identity decides who may open a shell here.
+	if !sshServerEnabled(stored) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	if change.managementURL != "" && !sameManagementURL(stored.ManagementURL, change.managementURL) {
 		return denyPrivileged(ctx,
-			fmt.Sprintf("changing the management URL while the NetBird %s server is enabled", server),
+			"changing the management URL while the NetBird SSH server is enabled",
 			ipcauth.UpCommand("-m "+change.managementURL))
 	}
 
@@ -116,21 +99,20 @@ func requirePrivilegeForConfigChange(ctx context.Context, stored *profilemanager
 }
 
 // requirePrivilegeForDeregistration refuses to deregister the peer from the
-// management server when the caller is not privileged and the profile has a
-// remote-access server enabled. Deregistering frees the peer's key to be
-// registered against another management identity, which is the same handover the
+// management server when the caller is not privileged and the profile has the
+// SSH server enabled. Deregistering frees the peer's key to be registered
+// against another management identity, which is the same handover the
 // management URL check refuses.
 //
 // Callers that treat deregistration as best-effort (profile removal) continue
 // without it; callers that were asked to deregister surface the error.
 func requirePrivilegeForDeregistration(ctx context.Context, cfg *profilemanager.Config) error {
-	server, enabled := enabledRemoteAccessServer(cfg)
-	if !enabled {
+	if !sshServerEnabled(cfg) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	return denyPrivileged(ctx,
-		fmt.Sprintf("deregistering this peer while the NetBird %s server is enabled", server),
+		"deregistering this peer while the NetBird SSH server is enabled",
 		ipcauth.ElevatedCommand("netbird logout"))
 }
 

client/server/vnc_gate.go

@@ -1,58 +0,0 @@
-package server
-
-import (
-	"context"
-
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/ipcauth"
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
-)
-
-// The VNC half of the privilege gate described in ssh_gate.go. The daemon runs
-// as root/LocalSystem and the VNC server it hosts attaches to the console
-// session, so both of these cross the user-to-root boundary:
-//
-//   - Enabling the VNC server publishes the console desktop, keyboard and
-//     mouse to whoever the account authorizes. On a multi-user host that
-//     desktop belongs to another user, and the profile the caller owns is not a
-//     privilege they hold over it.
-//   - Disabling the approval prompt removes the console user's per-connection
-//     consent, turning an authorized VNC session into a silent one.
-func requirePrivilegeForVNCChange(ctx context.Context, stored *profilemanager.Config, change privilegedConfigChange) error {
-	if enables(storedFlag(stored, func(c *profilemanager.Config) *bool { return c.DisableVNCApproval }), change.disableVNCApproval) {
-		return denyPrivileged(ctx, "disabling VNC connection approval", ipcauth.UpCommand("--disable-vnc-approval"))
-	}
-
-	if enables(storedFlag(stored, func(c *profilemanager.Config) *bool { return c.ServerVNCAllowed }), change.serverVNCAllowed) {
-		return denyPrivileged(ctx, "enabling the NetBird VNC server", ipcauth.UpCommand("--allow-server-vnc"))
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// vncServerEnabled reports whether the profile currently runs the VNC server.
-//
-// Unlike the SSH server, VNC defaults to off: the flag was introduced with the
-// server itself, so a nil value is a config written before VNC existed and
-// means the server is not running.
-func vncServerEnabled(cfg *profilemanager.Config) bool {
-	if cfg == nil || cfg.ServerVNCAllowed == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	return *cfg.ServerVNCAllowed
-}
-
-// enabledRemoteAccessServer names a remote-access server the profile currently
-// runs, and whether it runs any. It decides whether the management-binding and
-// deregistration guards apply, since either server hands authorization
-// decisions to the management identity the profile points at. SSH is reported
-// first when both are on: it is the more privileged of the two.
-func enabledRemoteAccessServer(cfg *profilemanager.Config) (string, bool) {
-	switch {
-	case sshServerEnabled(cfg):
-		return "SSH", true
-	case vncServerEnabled(cfg):
-		return "VNC", true
-	default:
-		return "", false
-	}
-}

client/server/vnc_gate_test.go

@@ -1,178 +0,0 @@
-package server
-
-import (
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/profilemanager"
-)
-
-func TestRequirePrivilegeForConfigChange_VNCFlags(t *testing.T) {
-	tests := []struct {
-		name       string
-		stored     *profilemanager.Config
-		change     privilegedConfigChange
-		privileged bool
-		wantDeny   bool
-	}{
-		{
-			name:     "enabling the vnc server unprivileged is refused",
-			stored:   &profilemanager.Config{ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(false)},
-			change:   privilegedConfigChange{serverVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-			wantDeny: true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:       "enabling the vnc server as root is allowed",
-			stored:     &profilemanager.Config{ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(false)},
-			change:     privilegedConfigChange{serverVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-			privileged: true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:   "restating an already enabled vnc server is not a change",
-			stored: &profilemanager.Config{ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-			change: privilegedConfigChange{serverVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-		},
-		{
-			name:   "turning the vnc server off is not guarded",
-			stored: &profilemanager.Config{ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-			change: privilegedConfigChange{serverVNCAllowed: boolPtr(false)},
-		},
-		{
-			// Unlike SSH, a nil flag means off: the flag shipped with the server.
-			name:     "a config written before vnc existed counts as off, so enabling is refused",
-			stored:   &profilemanager.Config{},
-			change:   privilegedConfigChange{serverVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-			wantDeny: true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:     "a profile with no config yet counts as off, so enabling is refused",
-			stored:   nil,
-			change:   privilegedConfigChange{serverVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-			wantDeny: true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:     "disabling the vnc approval prompt unprivileged is refused",
-			stored:   &profilemanager.Config{DisableVNCApproval: boolPtr(false)},
-			change:   privilegedConfigChange{disableVNCApproval: boolPtr(true)},
-			wantDeny: true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:       "disabling the vnc approval prompt as root is allowed",
-			stored:     &profilemanager.Config{DisableVNCApproval: boolPtr(false)},
-			change:     privilegedConfigChange{disableVNCApproval: boolPtr(true)},
-			privileged: true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:   "re-enabling the vnc approval prompt is not guarded",
-			stored: &profilemanager.Config{DisableVNCApproval: boolPtr(true)},
-			change: privilegedConfigChange{disableVNCApproval: boolPtr(false)},
-		},
-		{
-			name:   "restating a disabled approval prompt is not a change",
-			stored: &profilemanager.Config{DisableVNCApproval: boolPtr(true)},
-			change: privilegedConfigChange{disableVNCApproval: boolPtr(true)},
-		},
-	}
-
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			ctx := userCtx()
-			if tt.privileged {
-				ctx = rootCtx()
-			}
-			err := requirePrivilegeForConfigChange(ctx, tt.stored, tt.change)
-			if tt.wantDeny {
-				assertDenied(t, err)
-				return
-			}
-			assertAllowed(t, err)
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-// The management binding and deregistration guards protect either remote-access
-// server, so the VNC server alone must arm them even with SSH off.
-func TestRequirePrivilegeForConfigChange_ManagementURLWithVNCOnly(t *testing.T) {
-	vncOnly := &profilemanager.Config{
-		ServerSSHAllowed:   boolPtr(false),
-		ServerVNCAllowed:   boolPtr(true),
-		ManagementURL:      mustURL(t, "https://api.netbird.io:443"),
-		DisableVNCApproval: boolPtr(false),
-	}
-
-	err := requirePrivilegeForConfigChange(userCtx(), vncOnly,
-		privilegedConfigChange{managementURL: "https://attacker.example.com:443"})
-	assertDenied(t, err)
-
-	// The same move is the administrator's to make.
-	assertAllowed(t, requirePrivilegeForConfigChange(rootCtx(), vncOnly,
-		privilegedConfigChange{managementURL: "https://selfhosted.example.com:443"}))
-
-	// Restating the stored binding is not a change, so it is never refused.
-	assertAllowed(t, requirePrivilegeForConfigChange(userCtx(), vncOnly,
-		privilegedConfigChange{managementURL: "https://api.netbird.io"}))
-}
-
-func TestRequirePrivilegeForDeregistration_VNCOnly(t *testing.T) {
-	vncOnly := &profilemanager.Config{ServerSSHAllowed: boolPtr(false), ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)}
-
-	assertDenied(t, requirePrivilegeForDeregistration(userCtx(), vncOnly))
-	assertAllowed(t, requirePrivilegeForDeregistration(rootCtx(), vncOnly))
-
-	bothOff := &profilemanager.Config{ServerSSHAllowed: boolPtr(false), ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(false)}
-	assertAllowed(t, requirePrivilegeForDeregistration(userCtx(), bothOff))
-}
-
-// enabledRemoteAccessServer names the server in the refusal, so the user is told
-// which one is holding the binding down. SSH wins when both are on: it is the
-// more privileged of the two.
-func TestEnabledRemoteAccessServer(t *testing.T) {
-	tests := []struct {
-		name       string
-		cfg        *profilemanager.Config
-		wantServer string
-		wantOn     bool
-	}{
-		{
-			name:       "ssh only",
-			cfg:        &profilemanager.Config{ServerSSHAllowed: boolPtr(true), ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(false)},
-			wantServer: "SSH",
-			wantOn:     true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:       "vnc only",
-			cfg:        &profilemanager.Config{ServerSSHAllowed: boolPtr(false), ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-			wantServer: "VNC",
-			wantOn:     true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:       "both on reports ssh",
-			cfg:        &profilemanager.Config{ServerSSHAllowed: boolPtr(true), ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(true)},
-			wantServer: "SSH",
-			wantOn:     true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "both off",
-			cfg:  &profilemanager.Config{ServerSSHAllowed: boolPtr(false), ServerVNCAllowed: boolPtr(false)},
-		},
-		{
-			// A nil SSH flag means on (legacy configs), so it still arms the guard.
-			name:       "legacy config with no flags at all reports ssh",
-			cfg:        &profilemanager.Config{},
-			wantServer: "SSH",
-			wantOn:     true,
-		},
-		{
-			name: "no config",
-			cfg:  nil,
-		},
-	}
-
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			server, on := enabledRemoteAccessServer(tt.cfg)
-			if on != tt.wantOn || server != tt.wantServer {
-				t.Fatalf("enabledRemoteAccessServer() = (%q, %v), want (%q, %v)", server, on, tt.wantServer, tt.wantOn)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}

client/ssh/auth/auth.go

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package sessionauth
+package auth
 
 import (
 	"errors"
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ const (
 	DefaultUserIDClaim = "sub"
 	// Wildcard is a special user ID that matches all users
 	Wildcard = "*"
-	// sessionPubKeyLen is the size of an X25519 static public key in bytes.
-	sessionPubKeyLen = 32
 )
 
 var (
@@ -24,7 +22,6 @@ var (
 	ErrUserNotAuthorized     = errors.New("user is not authorized to access this peer")
 	ErrNoMachineUserMapping  = errors.New("no authorization mapping for OS user")
 	ErrUserNotMappedToOSUser = errors.New("user is not authorized to login as OS user")
-	ErrSessionKeyNotKnown    = errors.New("session pubkey not registered")
 )
 
 // Authorizer handles SSH fine-grained access control authorization
@@ -38,17 +35,6 @@ type Authorizer struct {
 	// machineUsers maps OS login usernames to lists of authorized user indexes
 	machineUsers map[string][]uint32
 
-	// sessionPubKeys maps an X25519 static public key (as map-safe
-	// array) to the hashed user identity that key authenticates as.
-	// Populated from management's temporary-access flow; used by VNC to
-	// authenticate via the Noise_IK handshake.
-	sessionPubKeys map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]sshuserhash.UserIDHash
-	// sessionDisplayNames mirrors sessionPubKeys with the optional
-	// human-readable display name management associated with each
-	// session key. Used by the per-connection UI approval prompt; not
-	// consulted by any authorization decision.
-	sessionDisplayNames map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]string
-
 	// mu protects the list of users
 	mu sync.RWMutex
 }
@@ -64,29 +50,13 @@ type Config struct {
 	// MachineUsers maps OS login usernames to indexes in AuthorizedUsers
 	// If a user wants to login as a specific OS user, their index must be in the corresponding list
 	MachineUsers map[string][]uint32
-
-	// SessionPubKeys binds ephemeral X25519 static public keys to hashed
-	// user identities. Populated for VNC; ignored on the SSH side.
-	SessionPubKeys []SessionPubKey
-}
-
-// SessionPubKey is a single ephemeral-key entry: the 32-byte X25519
-// static public key plus the hashed user identity it authenticates as,
-// optionally plus a human-readable display name for the UI approval
-// prompt to identify the requester.
-type SessionPubKey struct {
-	PubKey      []byte
-	UserIDHash  sshuserhash.UserIDHash
-	DisplayName string
 }
 
 // NewAuthorizer creates a new SSH authorizer with empty configuration
 func NewAuthorizer() *Authorizer {
 	a := &Authorizer{
-		userIDClaim:         DefaultUserIDClaim,
-		machineUsers:        make(map[string][]uint32),
-		sessionPubKeys:      make(map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]sshuserhash.UserIDHash),
-		sessionDisplayNames: make(map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]string),
+		userIDClaim:  DefaultUserIDClaim,
+		machineUsers: make(map[string][]uint32),
 	}
 
 	return a
@@ -102,8 +72,6 @@ func (a *Authorizer) Update(config *Config) {
 		a.userIDClaim = DefaultUserIDClaim
 		a.authorizedUsers = []sshuserhash.UserIDHash{}
 		a.machineUsers = make(map[string][]uint32)
-		a.sessionPubKeys = make(map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]sshuserhash.UserIDHash)
-		a.sessionDisplayNames = make(map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]string)
 		log.Info("SSH authorization cleared")
 		return
 	}
@@ -126,35 +94,8 @@ func (a *Authorizer) Update(config *Config) {
 	}
 	a.machineUsers = machineUsers
 
-	sessionPubKeys := make(map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]sshuserhash.UserIDHash, len(config.SessionPubKeys))
-	sessionDisplayNames := make(map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]string, len(config.SessionPubKeys))
-	conflicted := make(map[[sessionPubKeyLen]byte]struct{})
-	for _, e := range config.SessionPubKeys {
-		if len(e.PubKey) != sessionPubKeyLen {
-			continue
-		}
-		var key [sessionPubKeyLen]byte
-		copy(key[:], e.PubKey)
-		if _, bad := conflicted[key]; bad {
-			continue
-		}
-		if existing, ok := sessionPubKeys[key]; ok && existing != e.UserIDHash {
-			log.Warnf("SSH auth: session pubkey bound to conflicting user hashes; dropping binding")
-			delete(sessionPubKeys, key)
-			delete(sessionDisplayNames, key)
-			conflicted[key] = struct{}{}
-			continue
-		}
-		sessionPubKeys[key] = e.UserIDHash
-		if e.DisplayName != "" {
-			sessionDisplayNames[key] = e.DisplayName
-		}
-	}
-	a.sessionPubKeys = sessionPubKeys
-	a.sessionDisplayNames = sessionDisplayNames
-
-	log.Debugf("SSH auth: updated with %d authorized users, %d machine user mappings, %d session pubkeys",
-		len(config.AuthorizedUsers), len(machineUsers), len(sessionPubKeys))
+	log.Debugf("SSH auth: updated with %d authorized users, %d machine user mappings",
+		len(config.AuthorizedUsers), len(machineUsers))
 }
 
 // Authorize validates if a user is authorized to login as the specified OS user.
@@ -214,54 +155,6 @@ func (a *Authorizer) GetUserIDClaim() string {
 	return a.userIDClaim
 }
 
-// LookupSessionKey resolves a Noise-verified static public key to the
-// hashed user identity registered with it. Fails closed when the key is
-// unknown.
-func (a *Authorizer) LookupSessionKey(pubKey []byte) (sshuserhash.UserIDHash, error) {
-	var zero sshuserhash.UserIDHash
-	if len(pubKey) != sessionPubKeyLen {
-		return zero, fmt.Errorf("session pubkey wrong length: %d", len(pubKey))
-	}
-	var key [sessionPubKeyLen]byte
-	copy(key[:], pubKey)
-	a.mu.RLock()
-	hash, ok := a.sessionPubKeys[key]
-	a.mu.RUnlock()
-	if !ok {
-		return zero, ErrSessionKeyNotKnown
-	}
-	return hash, nil
-}
-
-// LookupSessionDisplayName returns the human-readable display name
-// management associated with a session pubkey, or empty string when none
-// is recorded. Never returns an error: a missing/unknown key reports as
-// "" and the caller falls back to other identifiers.
-func (a *Authorizer) LookupSessionDisplayName(pubKey []byte) string {
-	if len(pubKey) != sessionPubKeyLen {
-		return ""
-	}
-	var key [sessionPubKeyLen]byte
-	copy(key[:], pubKey)
-	a.mu.RLock()
-	name := a.sessionDisplayNames[key]
-	a.mu.RUnlock()
-	return name
-}
-
-// AuthorizeOSUserBySessionKey resolves the OS-user mapping for a session
-// key. Mirrors Authorize but skips the JWT-hash step since the key has
-// already been verified and the user identity hash is in hand.
-func (a *Authorizer) AuthorizeOSUserBySessionKey(userIDHash sshuserhash.UserIDHash, osUsername string) (string, error) {
-	a.mu.RLock()
-	defer a.mu.RUnlock()
-	userIndex, found := a.findUserIndex(userIDHash)
-	if !found {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("session user (hash: %s) not in authorized list for OS user %q: %w", userIDHash, osUsername, ErrUserNotAuthorized)
-	}
-	return a.checkMachineUserMapping("session", osUsername, userIndex)
-}
-
 // findUserIndex finds the index of a hashed user ID in the authorized users list
 // Returns the index and true if found, 0 and false if not found
 func (a *Authorizer) findUserIndex(hashedUserID sshuserhash.UserIDHash) (int, bool) {

client/ssh/auth/auth_test.go

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-package sessionauth
+package auth
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -611,61 +610,3 @@ func TestAuthorizer_Wildcard_WithPartialIndexes_AllowsAllUsers(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrUserNotAuthorized, "unauthorized user should be denied")
 }
-
-func TestAuthorizer_LookupSessionKey_Valid(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := bytesRepeat(0x11, sessionPubKeyLen)
-	userHash, err := sshauth.HashUserID("alice")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	a := NewAuthorizer()
-	a.Update(&Config{
-		AuthorizedUsers: []sshauth.UserIDHash{userHash},
-		MachineUsers:    map[string][]uint32{Wildcard: {0}},
-		SessionPubKeys:  []SessionPubKey{{PubKey: pub, UserIDHash: userHash}},
-	})
-
-	got, err := a.LookupSessionKey(pub)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, userHash, got)
-
-	if _, err := a.AuthorizeOSUserBySessionKey(got, "alice"); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("AuthorizeOSUserBySessionKey: %v", err)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestAuthorizer_LookupSessionKey_UnknownPub(t *testing.T) {
-	a := NewAuthorizer()
-	a.Update(&Config{})
-	_, err := a.LookupSessionKey(bytesRepeat(0x22, sessionPubKeyLen))
-	require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrSessionKeyNotKnown)
-}
-
-func TestAuthorizer_LookupSessionKey_WrongLength(t *testing.T) {
-	a := NewAuthorizer()
-	_, err := a.LookupSessionKey([]byte("short"))
-	require.Error(t, err)
-}
-
-func TestAuthorizer_LookupSessionKey_UpdateClears(t *testing.T) {
-	pub := bytesRepeat(0x33, sessionPubKeyLen)
-	userHash, err := sshauth.HashUserID("alice")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	a := NewAuthorizer()
-	a.Update(&Config{SessionPubKeys: []SessionPubKey{{PubKey: pub, UserIDHash: userHash}}})
-	if _, err := a.LookupSessionKey(pub); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("setup lookup: %v", err)
-	}
-	a.Update(&Config{})
-	if _, err := a.LookupSessionKey(pub); !errors.Is(err, ErrSessionKeyNotKnown) {
-		t.Fatalf("expected ErrSessionKeyNotKnown, got %v", err)
-	}
-}
-
-func bytesRepeat(b byte, n int) []byte {
-	out := make([]byte, n)
-	for i := range out {
-		out[i] = b
-	}
-	return out
-}

client/ssh/proxy/proxy_privileged_test.go

@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ import (
 	cryptossh "golang.org/x/crypto/ssh"
 
 	nbssh "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh"
+	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/auth"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/server"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/testutil"
 	nbjwt "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/auth/jwt"
-	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sessionauth"
 	sshuserhash "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sshauth"
 )
 

client/ssh/server/jwt_test.go

@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	nbssh "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh"
+	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/auth"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/client"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/detection"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/testutil"
 	nbjwt "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/auth/jwt"
-	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sessionauth"
 	sshuserhash "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sshauth"
 )
 

client/ssh/server/server.go

@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ import (
 	"golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/tun/netstack"
 
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface/wgaddr"
+	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/auth"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/ssh/detection"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/auth"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/auth/jwt"
-	sshauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/sessionauth"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/util/netrelay"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/version"
 )
@@ -197,14 +197,6 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	// HostKey is the SSH server host key in PEM format
 	HostKeyPEM []byte
-
-	// NetstackNet, when non-nil, makes the SSH server listen via the
-	// supplied userspace network stack instead of an OS socket.
-	NetstackNet *netstack.Net
-
-	// NetworkValidation, when non-zero, restricts inbound connections to
-	// peers inside the NetBird overlay defined by this WireGuard address.
-	NetworkValidation wgaddr.Address
 }
 
 // SessionInfo contains information about an active SSH session
@@ -216,15 +208,12 @@ type SessionInfo struct {
 	PortForwards  []string
 }
 
-// New creates an SSH server instance from the supplied Config. Fields are
-// read once at construction; mutating Config afterwards has no effect.
-// JWT == nil disables JWT authentication.
+// New creates an SSH server instance with the provided host key and optional JWT configuration
+// If jwtConfig is nil, JWT authentication is disabled
 func New(config *Config) *Server {
 	s := &Server{
 		mu:                     sync.RWMutex{},
 		hostKeyPEM:             config.HostKeyPEM,
-		netstackNet:            config.NetstackNet,
-		wgAddress:              config.NetworkValidation,
 		sessions:               make(map[sessionKey]*sessionState),
 		pendingAuthJWT:         make(map[authKey]string),
 		remoteForwardListeners: make(map[forwardKey]net.Listener),
@@ -445,6 +434,20 @@ func (s *Server) buildSessionInfo(state *sessionState) SessionInfo {
 	return info
 }
 
+// SetNetstackNet sets the netstack network for userspace networking
+func (s *Server) SetNetstackNet(net *netstack.Net) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	s.netstackNet = net
+}
+
+// SetNetworkValidation configures network-based connection filtering
+func (s *Server) SetNetworkValidation(addr wgaddr.Address) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	s.wgAddress = addr
+}
+
 // UpdateSSHAuth updates the SSH fine-grained access control configuration
 // This should be called when network map updates include new SSH auth configuration
 func (s *Server) UpdateSSHAuth(config *sshauth.Config) {

client/status/status.go

@@ -136,19 +136,6 @@ type SSHServerStateOutput struct {
 	Sessions []SSHSessionOutput `json:"sessions" yaml:"sessions"`
 }
 
-type VNCSessionOutput struct {
-	RemoteAddress string `json:"remoteAddress" yaml:"remoteAddress"`
-	Mode          string `json:"mode" yaml:"mode"`
-	Username      string `json:"username,omitempty" yaml:"username,omitempty"`
-	UserID        string `json:"userID,omitempty" yaml:"userID,omitempty"`
-	Initiator     string `json:"initiator,omitempty" yaml:"initiator,omitempty"`
-}
-
-type VNCServerStateOutput struct {
-	Enabled  bool               `json:"enabled" yaml:"enabled"`
-	Sessions []VNCSessionOutput `json:"sessions" yaml:"sessions"`
-}
-
 type OutputOverview struct {
 	Peers                   PeersStateOutput           `json:"peers" yaml:"peers"`
 	CliVersion              string                     `json:"cliVersion" yaml:"cliVersion"`
@@ -172,7 +159,6 @@ type OutputOverview struct {
 	LazyConnectionEnabled   bool                       `json:"lazyConnectionEnabled" yaml:"lazyConnectionEnabled"`
 	ProfileName             string                     `json:"profileName" yaml:"profileName"`
 	SSHServerState          SSHServerStateOutput       `json:"sshServer" yaml:"sshServer"`
-	VNCServerState          VNCServerStateOutput       `json:"vncServer" yaml:"vncServer"`
 	// SessionExpiresAt is the absolute UTC instant at which the peer's SSO
 	// session expires. nil when the peer is not SSO-tracked or login
 	// expiration is disabled. Pointer (rather than zero-value time.Time) so
@@ -198,7 +184,6 @@ func ConvertToStatusOutputOverview(pbFullStatus *proto.FullStatus, opts ConvertO
 
 	relayOverview := mapRelays(pbFullStatus.GetRelays())
 	sshServerOverview := mapSSHServer(pbFullStatus.GetSshServerState())
-	vncServerOverview := mapVNCServer(pbFullStatus.GetVncServerState())
 	peersOverview := mapPeers(pbFullStatus.GetPeers(), opts.StatusFilter, opts.PrefixNamesFilter, opts.PrefixNamesFilterMap, opts.IPsFilter, opts.ConnectionTypeFilter)
 
 	overview := OutputOverview{
@@ -224,7 +209,6 @@ func ConvertToStatusOutputOverview(pbFullStatus *proto.FullStatus, opts ConvertO
 		LazyConnectionEnabled:   pbFullStatus.GetLazyConnectionEnabled(),
 		ProfileName:             opts.ProfileName,
 		SSHServerState:          sshServerOverview,
-		VNCServerState:          vncServerOverview,
 	}
 	if !opts.SessionExpiresAt.IsZero() {
 		t := opts.SessionExpiresAt
@@ -310,26 +294,6 @@ func mapSSHServer(sshServerState *proto.SSHServerState) SSHServerStateOutput {
 	}
 }
 
-func mapVNCServer(state *proto.VNCServerState) VNCServerStateOutput {
-	if state == nil {
-		return VNCServerStateOutput{Sessions: []VNCSessionOutput{}}
-	}
-	sessions := make([]VNCSessionOutput, 0, len(state.GetSessions()))
-	for _, sess := range state.GetSessions() {
-		sessions = append(sessions, VNCSessionOutput{
-			RemoteAddress: sess.GetRemoteAddress(),
-			Mode:          sess.GetMode(),
-			Username:      sess.GetUsername(),
-			UserID:        sess.GetUserID(),
-			Initiator:     sess.GetInitiator(),
-		})
-	}
-	return VNCServerStateOutput{
-		Enabled:  state.GetEnabled(),
-		Sessions: sessions,
-	}
-}
-
 func mapPeers(
 	peers []*proto.PeerState,
 	statusFilter string,
@@ -594,26 +558,6 @@ func (o *OutputOverview) GeneralSummary(showURL bool, showRelays bool, showNameS
 		}
 	}
 
-	vncServerStatus := "Disabled"
-	if o.VNCServerState.Enabled {
-		vncSessionCount := len(o.VNCServerState.Sessions)
-		if vncSessionCount > 0 {
-			sessionWord := "session"
-			if vncSessionCount > 1 {
-				sessionWord = "sessions"
-			}
-			vncServerStatus = fmt.Sprintf("Enabled (%d active %s)", vncSessionCount, sessionWord)
-		} else {
-			vncServerStatus = "Enabled"
-		}
-
-		if showSSHSessions && vncSessionCount > 0 {
-			for _, sess := range o.VNCServerState.Sessions {
-				vncServerStatus += "\n  " + formatVNCSessionLine(sess)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
 	peersCountString := fmt.Sprintf("%d/%d Connected", o.Peers.Connected, o.Peers.Total)
 
 	var sessionExpiryString string
@@ -669,7 +613,6 @@ func (o *OutputOverview) GeneralSummary(showURL bool, showRelays bool, showNameS
 			"Quantum resistance: %s\n"+
 			"Lazy connection: %s\n"+
 			"SSH Server: %s\n"+
-			"VNC Server: %s\n"+
 			"Networks: %s\n"+
 			"%s"+
 			"%s"+
@@ -690,7 +633,6 @@ func (o *OutputOverview) GeneralSummary(showURL bool, showRelays bool, showNameS
 		rosenpassEnabledStatus,
 		lazyConnectionEnabledStatus,
 		sshServerStatus,
-		vncServerStatus,
 		networks,
 		forwardingRulesString,
 		sessionExpiryString,
@@ -1053,26 +995,6 @@ func anonymizePeerDetail(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, peer *PeerStateDetailOutput) {
 	}
 }
 
-// formatVNCSessionLine renders a single VNC session row for the detailed
-// status output. The leading slot identifies the initiator (display name
-// when known, hashed UserID otherwise); the post-arrow slot is the OS
-// user the session targets and is omitted in attach mode where the
-// destination is the current console user (unknown to the daemon).
-func formatVNCSessionLine(sess VNCSessionOutput) string {
-	who := sess.Initiator
-	if who == "" {
-		who = sess.UserID
-	}
-	prefix := sess.RemoteAddress
-	if who != "" {
-		prefix = fmt.Sprintf("%s@%s", who, sess.RemoteAddress)
-	}
-	if sess.Username != "" {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("[%s -> %s] mode=%s", prefix, sess.Username, sess.Mode)
-	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("[%s] mode=%s", prefix, sess.Mode)
-}
-
 func anonymizeOverview(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview) {
 	for i, peer := range overview.Peers.Details {
 		peer := peer
@@ -1093,19 +1015,6 @@ func anonymizeOverview(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview) {
 		overview.Relays.Details[i] = detail
 	}
 
-	anonymizeNSServerGroups(a, overview)
-
-	for i, route := range overview.Networks {
-		overview.Networks[i] = a.AnonymizeRoute(route)
-	}
-
-	overview.FQDN = a.AnonymizeDomain(overview.FQDN)
-
-	anonymizeEvents(a, overview)
-	anonymizeServerSessions(a, overview)
-}
-
-func anonymizeNSServerGroups(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview) {
 	for i, nsGroup := range overview.NSServerGroups {
 		for j, domain := range nsGroup.Domains {
 			overview.NSServerGroups[i].Domains[j] = a.AnonymizeDomain(domain)
@@ -1117,9 +1026,13 @@ func anonymizeNSServerGroups(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-}
 
-func anonymizeEvents(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview) {
+	for i, route := range overview.Networks {
+		overview.Networks[i] = a.AnonymizeRoute(route)
+	}
+
+	overview.FQDN = a.AnonymizeDomain(overview.FQDN)
+
 	for i, event := range overview.Events {
 		overview.Events[i].Message = a.AnonymizeString(event.Message)
 		overview.Events[i].UserMessage = a.AnonymizeString(event.UserMessage)
@@ -1128,26 +1041,15 @@ func anonymizeEvents(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview) {
 			event.Metadata[k] = a.AnonymizeString(v)
 		}
 	}
-}
 
-func anonymizeRemoteAddress(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, addr string) string {
-	if host, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(addr); err == nil {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", a.AnonymizeIPString(host), port)
-	}
-	return a.AnonymizeIPString(addr)
-}
-
-func anonymizeServerSessions(a *anonymize.Anonymizer, overview *OutputOverview) {
 	for i, session := range overview.SSHServerState.Sessions {
-		overview.SSHServerState.Sessions[i].RemoteAddress = anonymizeRemoteAddress(a, session.RemoteAddress)
+		if host, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(session.RemoteAddress); err == nil {
+			overview.SSHServerState.Sessions[i].RemoteAddress = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", a.AnonymizeIPString(host), port)
+		} else {
+			overview.SSHServerState.Sessions[i].RemoteAddress = a.AnonymizeIPString(session.RemoteAddress)
+		}
 		overview.SSHServerState.Sessions[i].Command = a.AnonymizeString(session.Command)
 	}
-	for i, sess := range overview.VNCServerState.Sessions {
-		overview.VNCServerState.Sessions[i].RemoteAddress = anonymizeRemoteAddress(a, sess.RemoteAddress)
-		overview.VNCServerState.Sessions[i].Username = a.AnonymizeString(sess.Username)
-		overview.VNCServerState.Sessions[i].UserID = a.AnonymizeString(sess.UserID)
-		overview.VNCServerState.Sessions[i].Initiator = a.AnonymizeString(sess.Initiator)
-	}
 }
 
 // FormatRemainingDuration renders a time.Duration for the "Session expires"

client/status/status_test.go

@@ -242,10 +242,6 @@ var overview = OutputOverview{
 		Enabled:  false,
 		Sessions: []SSHSessionOutput{},
 	},
-	VNCServerState: VNCServerStateOutput{
-		Enabled:  false,
-		Sessions: []VNCSessionOutput{},
-	},
 }
 
 func TestConversionFromFullStatusToOutputOverview(t *testing.T) {
@@ -411,10 +407,6 @@ func TestParsingToJSON(t *testing.T) {
 		  "sshServer":{
 		    "enabled":false,
 			"sessions":[]
-		  },
-		  "vncServer":{
-		    "enabled":false,
-			"sessions":[]
 		  }
         }`
 	// @formatter:on
@@ -525,9 +517,6 @@ profileName: ""
 sshServer:
     enabled: false
     sessions: []
-vncServer:
-    enabled: false
-    sessions: []
 `
 
 	assert.Equal(t, expectedYAML, yaml)
@@ -598,7 +587,6 @@ Wireguard port: %d
 Quantum resistance: false
 Lazy connection: false
 SSH Server: Disabled
-VNC Server: Disabled
 Networks: 10.10.0.0/24
 Peers count: 2/2 Connected
 `, lastConnectionUpdate1, lastHandshake1, lastConnectionUpdate2, lastHandshake2, runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH, overview.CliVersion, overview.WgPort)
@@ -625,7 +613,6 @@ Wireguard port: 51820
 Quantum resistance: false
 Lazy connection: false
 SSH Server: Disabled
-VNC Server: Disabled
 Networks: 10.10.0.0/24
 Peers count: 2/2 Connected
 `

client/system/info.go

@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ type Info struct {
 	RosenpassEnabled    bool
 	RosenpassPermissive bool
 	ServerSSHAllowed    bool
-	ServerVNCAllowed    bool
 
 	DisableClientRoutes bool
 	DisableServerRoutes bool
@@ -87,7 +86,6 @@ type Info struct {
 func (i *Info) SetFlags(
 	rosenpassEnabled, rosenpassPermissive bool,
 	serverSSHAllowed *bool,
-	serverVNCAllowed *bool,
 	disableClientRoutes, disableServerRoutes,
 	disableDNS, disableFirewall, blockLANAccess, blockInbound, disableIPv6 bool, syncMessageVersion *int,
 	enableSSHRoot, enableSSHSFTP, enableSSHLocalPortForwarding, enableSSHRemotePortForwarding *bool,
@@ -98,9 +96,6 @@ func (i *Info) SetFlags(
 	if serverSSHAllowed != nil {
 		i.ServerSSHAllowed = *serverSSHAllowed
 	}
-	if serverVNCAllowed != nil {
-		i.ServerVNCAllowed = *serverVNCAllowed
-	}
 
 	i.DisableClientRoutes = disableClientRoutes
 	i.DisableServerRoutes = disableServerRoutes

client/ui/autostart_default.go

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func netbirdFootprintExists() bool {
 // retrying autostart entry writes on every launch. A user's later disable in
 // Settings is never overridden: the marker guarantees at-most-once, ever.
 func applyAutostartDefault(ctx context.Context, autostart *services.Autostart, prefs *preferences.Store, prefsFileExisted bool) {
-	mdmDisabled := autostartDisabledByMDM(mdm.LoadPolicy())
+	mdmDisabled := autostartDisabledByMDM(mdm.NewLoader(nil).Load())
 
 	if mdmDisabled {
 		if enabled, err := autostart.IsEnabled(ctx); err != nil {

client/ui/frontend/src/app.tsx

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import ReactDOM from "react-dom/client";
 import "./globals.css";
 import { HashRouter, Navigate, Route, Routes } from "react-router-dom";
 import SessionExpirationDialog from "@/modules/session/SessionExpirationDialog.tsx";
-import ApprovalDialog from "@/modules/approval/ApprovalDialog.tsx";
 import UpdateInProgressDialog from "@/modules/auto-update/UpdateInProgressDialog.tsx";
 import WelcomeDialog from "@/modules/welcome/WelcomeDialog.tsx";
 import ErrorDialog from "@/modules/error/ErrorDialog.tsx";
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@ Promise.all([
                                 path={"session-expiration"}
                                 element={<SessionExpirationDialog />}
                             />
-                            <Route path={"approval"} element={<ApprovalDialog />} />
                             <Route path={"welcome"} element={<WelcomeDialog />} />
                             <Route path={"error"} element={<ErrorDialog />} />
                         </Route>

client/ui/frontend/src/hooks/useKeepConnectedOnQuit.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { Preferences } from "@bindings/services";
+
+export const useKeepConnectedOnQuit = () => {
+    const [keepConnected, setKeepConnected] = useState<boolean | null>(null);
+
+    useEffect(() => {
+        let cancelled = false;
+        Preferences.Get()
+            .then((prefs) => {
+                if (cancelled) return;
+                setKeepConnected(prefs?.keepConnectedOnQuit ?? false);
+            })
+            .catch((err: unknown) => {
+                if (cancelled) return;
+                console.warn("[useKeepConnectedOnQuit] load preferences failed", err);
+                setKeepConnected(false);
+            });
+        return () => {
+            cancelled = true;
+        };
+    }, []);
+
+    const setKeepConnectedOnQuit = useCallback(async (keep: boolean) => {
+        setKeepConnected(keep);
+        try {
+            await Preferences.SetKeepConnectedOnQuit(keep);
+        } catch (err: unknown) {
+            setKeepConnected(!keep);
+            console.error("[useKeepConnectedOnQuit] SetKeepConnectedOnQuit failed", err);
+        }
+    }, []);
+
+    return { keepConnected, setKeepConnectedOnQuit };
+};

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/approval/ApprovalDialog.tsx

@@ -1,170 +0,0 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
-import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
-import { useSearchParams } from "react-router-dom";
-import { MonitorIcon } from "lucide-react";
-import { Button } from "@/components/buttons/Button";
-import { ConfirmDialog } from "@/components/dialog/ConfirmDialog";
-import { DialogActions } from "@/components/dialog/DialogActions";
-import { DialogHeading } from "@/components/dialog/DialogHeading";
-import { SquareIcon } from "@/components/SquareIcon";
-import { Approval, WindowManager } from "@bindings/services";
-import { useAutoSizeWindow } from "@/hooks/useAutoSizeWindow";
-
-const WINDOW_WIDTH = 360;
-// Fallback window so a missing/unparseable expires_at can't leave the prompt open forever.
-const FALLBACK_SECONDS = 13;
-
-// shortFingerprint groups a hex key as XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX (16 chars). Mirrors the
-// daemon's approval.ShortKeyFingerprint so the value matches an out-of-band reference.
-function shortFingerprint(hexKey: string): string {
-    if (hexKey.length < 8) return "";
-    const src = hexKey.slice(0, 16);
-    return src.match(/.{1,4}/g)?.join("-") ?? src;
-}
-
-type Row = { label: string; value: string; mono?: boolean };
-
-export default function ApprovalDialog() {
-    const { t } = useTranslation();
-    const contentRef = useAutoSizeWindow<HTMLDivElement>(WINDOW_WIDTH);
-    const [params] = useSearchParams();
-    const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
-
-    const requestID = params.get("request_id") ?? "";
-    const kind = params.get("kind") ?? "";
-    const initiator = params.get("initiator") ?? "";
-    const peerName = params.get("peer_name") ?? "";
-    const sourceIP = params.get("source_ip") ?? "";
-    const username = params.get("username") ?? "";
-    const peerPubKey = params.get("peer_pubkey") ?? "";
-    const expiresAt = params.get("expires_at") ?? "";
-
-    const deadline = useMemo(() => {
-        const parsed = Date.parse(expiresAt);
-        return Number.isFinite(parsed) ? parsed : Date.now() + FALLBACK_SECONDS * 1000;
-    }, [expiresAt]);
-
-    const title = useMemo(() => {
-        switch (kind) {
-            case "vnc":
-                return t("approval.title.vnc");
-            case "ssh":
-                return t("approval.title.ssh");
-            default:
-                return t("approval.title.default");
-        }
-    }, [kind, t]);
-
-    const rows = useMemo<Row[]>(() => {
-        const out: Row[] = [];
-        // The display name is dashboard-supplied and not cryptographically
-        // asserted; the key fingerprint below IS, so show both.
-        if (initiator) out.push({ label: t("approval.field.user"), value: initiator });
-        const fp = shortFingerprint(peerPubKey);
-        if (fp) out.push({ label: t("approval.field.keyFingerprint"), value: fp, mono: true });
-        if (peerName) out.push({ label: t("approval.field.peer"), value: peerName });
-        if (sourceIP && sourceIP !== peerName)
-            out.push({ label: t("approval.field.sourceIp"), value: sourceIP, mono: true });
-        if (username) out.push({ label: t("approval.field.osUser"), value: username });
-        return out;
-    }, [initiator, peerPubKey, peerName, sourceIP, username, t]);
-
-    const respond = useCallback(
-        async (accept: boolean, viewOnly: boolean) => {
-            if (busy) return;
-            setBusy(true);
-            try {
-                if (requestID) {
-                    await Approval.Respond(requestID, accept, viewOnly);
-                }
-            } catch (e) {
-                console.error("respond approval failed", e);
-            } finally {
-                WindowManager.CloseApproval().catch(console.error);
-            }
-        },
-        [busy, requestID],
-    );
-
-    const secondsLeft = () => Math.max(0, Math.ceil((deadline - Date.now()) / 1000));
-    const [remaining, setRemaining] = useState(secondsLeft);
-    const closedRef = useRef(false);
-    useEffect(() => {
-        const id = globalThis.setInterval(() => {
-            const left = secondsLeft();
-            setRemaining(left);
-            // On the deadline the daemon auto-denies; just close the prompt.
-            if (left <= 0 && !closedRef.current) {
-                closedRef.current = true;
-                WindowManager.CloseApproval().catch(console.error);
-            }
-        }, 1000);
-        return () => globalThis.clearInterval(id);
-        // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-    }, [deadline]);
-
-    const showViewOnly = kind === "vnc";
-
-    return (
-        <ConfirmDialog ref={contentRef} aria-labelledby={"nb-approval-title"}>
-            <SquareIcon icon={MonitorIcon} />
-
-            <DialogHeading id={"nb-approval-title"}>{title}</DialogHeading>
-
-            {rows.length > 0 && (
-                <dl className={"w-full space-y-1 text-left text-sm"}>
-                    {rows.map((row) => (
-                        <div key={row.label} className={"flex justify-between gap-4"}>
-                            <dt className={"shrink-0 text-nb-gray-400"}>{row.label}</dt>
-                            <dd
-                                className={`min-w-0 truncate text-nb-gray-100 ${
-                                    row.mono ? "font-mono" : ""
-                                }`}
-                                title={row.value}
-                            >
-                                {row.value}
-                            </dd>
-                        </div>
-                    ))}
-                </dl>
-            )}
-
-            <div className={"text-sm tabular-nums text-nb-gray-400"} aria-live={"polite"}>
-                {t("approval.countdown", { seconds: remaining })}
-            </div>
-
-            <DialogActions>
-                <Button
-                    autoFocus
-                    variant={"primary"}
-                    size={"md"}
-                    className={"w-full"}
-                    onClick={() => respond(true, false)}
-                    disabled={busy}
-                >
-                    {t("approval.action.allow")}
-                </Button>
-                {showViewOnly && (
-                    <Button
-                        variant={"secondary"}
-                        size={"md"}
-                        className={"w-full"}
-                        onClick={() => respond(true, true)}
-                        disabled={busy}
-                    >
-                        {t("approval.action.allowViewOnly")}
-                    </Button>
-                )}
-                <Button
-                    variant={"danger"}
-                    size={"md"}
-                    className={"w-full"}
-                    onClick={() => respond(false, false)}
-                    disabled={busy}
-                >
-                    {t("approval.action.deny")}
-                </Button>
-            </DialogActions>
-        </ConfirmDialog>
-    );
-}

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/main/ActiveSessionIndicator.tsx

@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
-import { CircleAlert } from "lucide-react";
-import { Tooltip } from "@/components/Tooltip";
-import { useStatus } from "@/contexts/StatusContext.tsx";
-import { cn } from "@/lib/cn.ts";
-import { type ReactNode } from "react";
-
-// ActiveSessionIndicator marks that someone is attached to this machine over
-// VNC right now, and warns that disconnecting ends that session — which may be
-// the session the person reading it is using.
-//
-// An alert glyph rather than an info one: this is not neutral context, it is a
-// state that changes what the disconnect button does to you.
-//
-// Only a warning, never a block. Input injected by the VNC agent is
-// indistinguishable from local input, so we cannot tell whether this UI is being
-// driven remotely, and the owner may want to disconnect on purpose either way.
-//
-// Renders nothing when no session is attached.
-export function ActiveSessionIndicator({ className }: { className?: string }): ReactNode {
-    const { t } = useTranslation();
-    const { status } = useStatus();
-    const sessions = status?.vncSessions ?? [];
-    if (sessions.length === 0) return null;
-
-    // The initiator is the dashboard user who started the session, which is more
-    // use than a source address. Absent when the session carries no identity.
-    const who = sessions
-        .map((s) => s.initiator)
-        .filter((name): name is string => !!name)
-        .join(", ");
-
-    const message = who
-        ? t("connect.activeSession.tooltipNamed", { sessionCount: sessions.length, who })
-        : t("connect.activeSession.tooltip", { sessionCount: sessions.length });
-
-    return (
-        <Tooltip content={<span className={"block max-w-64"}>{message}</span>}>
-            <span
-                role={"status"}
-                aria-label={message}
-                className={cn(
-                    "inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full border border-yellow-700/50 bg-yellow-900/20 px-2 py-0.5 text-yellow-300",
-                    className,
-                )}
-            >
-                <CircleAlert size={12} aria-hidden={true} />
-                <span className={"text-[0.7rem] leading-none"}>
-                    {t("connect.activeSession.badge")}
-                </span>
-            </span>
-        </Tooltip>
-    );
-}

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/main/MainConnectionStatusSwitch.tsx

@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import { useFocusVisible } from "@/hooks/useFocusVisible";
 import { Check as CheckIcon, ChevronDownIcon, Copy as CopyIcon } from "lucide-react";
 import * as Popover from "@radix-ui/react-popover";
 import netbirdFullLogo from "@/assets/logos/netbird-full.svg";
-import { ActiveSessionIndicator } from "@/modules/main/ActiveSessionIndicator.tsx";
 
 enum ConnectionState {
     Disconnected = "disconnected",
@@ -273,9 +272,6 @@ export const MainConnectionStatusSwitch = () => {
                     />
                 </CopyToClipboard>
                 <LocalIpLine ip={ip} ipv6={ipv6} show={show} />
-                {connState === ConnectionState.Connected && (
-                    <ActiveSessionIndicator className={"mt-3"} />
-                )}
             </div>
         </div>
     );

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/settings/PrivilegeGuard.tsx

@@ -1,86 +0,0 @@
-import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
-import { CopyToClipboard } from "@/components/CopyToClipboard";
-import { usePrivilege } from "@/hooks/usePrivilege.ts";
-import { Privilege } from "@bindings/services/models.js";
-import { type ReactNode } from "react";
-
-export type GuardedControl = {
-    disabled: boolean;
-    hint: ReactNode;
-};
-
-// useGuardedControl returns a guard for the settings controls the daemon
-// restricts to root/administrator: enabling a remote-access server, or removing
-// one of its safeguards.
-//
-// The daemon restricts only the direction that hands out access from a process
-// running as root. So for an unprivileged user a guarded control is either
-// unavailable (it is off and only they could turn it on) or a one-way switch (it
-// is on, they may turn it off, but not back on) — say which, either way.
-//
-// A null privilege means we could not determine it: leave the control alone
-// rather than greying it out with nothing to explain why. The daemon enforces
-// this regardless, and a rejected save reports its own guidance.
-export const useGuardedControl = () => {
-    const privilege = usePrivilege();
-
-    return (
-        guardedDirectionActive: boolean,
-        command: (p: Privilege) => string,
-        // inverted marks a control whose guarded direction is switching it off,
-        // so the one-way warning has to read the other way round.
-        inverted = false,
-    ): GuardedControl => {
-        if (!privilege || privilege.privileged) {
-            return { disabled: false, hint: undefined };
-        }
-        const hint = (
-            <PrivilegeHint
-                actor={privilege.actor}
-                command={command(privilege)}
-                oneWay={guardedDirectionActive}
-                inverted={inverted}
-            />
-        );
-        return { disabled: !guardedDirectionActive, hint };
-    };
-};
-
-// PrivilegeHint explains what an unprivileged user can and cannot do with a
-// guarded control, and offers the command that does it with the privileges the
-// daemon requires. oneWay covers the control being in the guarded state already:
-// switching it back is the part that needs privileges.
-export function PrivilegeHint({
-    actor,
-    command,
-    oneWay,
-    inverted,
-}: {
-    actor: string;
-    command: string;
-    oneWay: boolean;
-    inverted: boolean;
-}): ReactNode {
-    const { t } = useTranslation();
-    if (!command) return null;
-    return (
-        <div
-            className={
-                "-mt-2 flex flex-col gap-1 rounded-md bg-nb-gray-930 px-3 py-2 text-xs text-nb-gray-300"
-            }
-        >
-            <span>
-                {!oneWay
-                    ? t("settings.privilege.hint", { actor })
-                    : inverted
-                      ? t("settings.privilege.oneWayInverted", { actor })
-                      : t("settings.privilege.oneWay", { actor })}
-            </span>
-            <CopyToClipboard message={command} alwaysShowIcon wrap variant={"bright"}>
-                <code className={"select-text break-all font-mono text-xs text-nb-gray-200"}>
-                    {command}
-                </code>
-            </CopyToClipboard>
-        </div>
-    );
-}

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/settings/SettingsGeneral.tsx

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { ManagementServerSwitch } from "@/components/ManagementServerSwitch.tsx"
 import { ManagementMode, useManagementUrl } from "@/hooks/useManagementUrl.ts";
 import { LanguagePicker } from "@/components/LanguagePicker.tsx";
 import { useRestrictions } from "@/contexts/RestrictionsContext.tsx";
+import { useKeepConnectedOnQuit } from "@/hooks/useKeepConnectedOnQuit.ts";
 
 export function SettingsGeneral() {
     const { t } = useTranslation();
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ export function SettingsGeneral() {
     const { mode, setMode, setUrl, displayUrl, showError, canSave, save, checking, unreachable } =
         useManagementUrl();
     const { mdm, features } = useRestrictions();
+    const { keepConnected, setKeepConnectedOnQuit } = useKeepConnectedOnQuit();
 
     const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
     const managementUrlId = useId();
@@ -57,6 +59,15 @@ export function SettingsGeneral() {
                         helpText={t("settings.general.autostart.help")}
                     />
                 )}
+                <FancyToggleSwitch
+                    value={keepConnected ?? false}
+                    onChange={(v) => {
+                        void setKeepConnectedOnQuit(v);
+                    }}
+                    loading={keepConnected === null}
+                    label={t("settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label")}
+                    helpText={t("settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help")}
+                />
             </SectionGroup>
 
             {!mdm.managementURL && !features.disableUpdateSettings && (

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/settings/SettingsNavigation.tsx

@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import {
     BoltIcon,
     InfoIcon,
     LifeBuoyIcon,
-    MonitorIcon,
     NetworkIcon,
     ShieldIcon,
     SlidersHorizontalIcon,
@@ -21,7 +20,6 @@ export const SettingsNavigation = () => {
     const { updateAvailable } = useClientVersion();
     const { mdm, features } = useRestrictions();
     const showSsh = mdm.allowServerSSH ?? !features.disableUpdateSettings;
-    const showVnc = mdm.allowServerVNC ?? !features.disableUpdateSettings;
 
     const aboutAdornment = updateAvailable ? (
         <Tooltip content={t("settings.tabs.updateAvailable")} side={"right"}>
@@ -65,13 +63,6 @@ export const SettingsNavigation = () => {
                         title={t("settings.tabs.ssh")}
                     />
                 )}
-                {showVnc && (
-                    <VerticalTabs.Trigger
-                        value={"vnc"}
-                        icon={MonitorIcon}
-                        title={t("settings.tabs.vnc")}
-                    />
-                )}
                 {!features.disableUpdateSettings && (
                     <VerticalTabs.Trigger
                         value={"advanced"}

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/settings/SettingsPage.tsx

@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import { SettingsNetwork } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsNetwork.tsx";
 import { SettingsSecurity } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsSecurity.tsx";
 import { ProfilesTab } from "@/modules/profiles/ProfilesTab.tsx";
 import { SettingsSSH } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsSSH.tsx";
-import { SettingsVNC } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsVNC.tsx";
 import { SettingsAdvanced } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsAdvanced.tsx";
 import { SettingsTroubleshooting } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsTroubleshooting.tsx";
 import { SettingsAbout } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsAbout.tsx";
@@ -27,7 +26,6 @@ const enum Tab {
     Security = "security",
     Profiles = "profiles",
     SSH = "ssh",
-    VNC = "vnc",
     Advanced = "advanced",
     Troubleshooting = "troubleshooting",
     About = "about",
@@ -39,7 +37,6 @@ const TAB_CONTENT: Record<Tab, ReactNode> = {
     [Tab.Security]: <SettingsSecurity />,
     [Tab.Profiles]: <ProfilesTab />,
     [Tab.SSH]: <SettingsSSH />,
-    [Tab.VNC]: <SettingsVNC />,
     [Tab.Advanced]: <SettingsAdvanced />,
     [Tab.Troubleshooting]: <SettingsTroubleshooting />,
     [Tab.About]: <SettingsAbout />,
@@ -58,18 +55,12 @@ export const SettingsPage = () => {
             [Tab.Security]: editable,
             [Tab.Profiles]: !features.disableProfiles,
             [Tab.SSH]: mdm.allowServerSSH ?? editable,
-            [Tab.VNC]: mdm.allowServerVNC ?? editable,
             [Tab.Advanced]: editable,
             [Tab.Troubleshooting]: true,
             [Tab.About]: true,
         };
         return (Object.keys(visibility) as Tab[]).filter((t) => visibility[t]);
-    }, [
-        features.disableUpdateSettings,
-        features.disableProfiles,
-        mdm.allowServerSSH,
-        mdm.allowServerVNC,
-    ]);
+    }, [features.disableUpdateSettings, features.disableProfiles, mdm.allowServerSSH]);
 
     const defaultTab = visibleTabs[0];
     const [active, setActive] = useState<string>(() => navState?.tab ?? defaultTab);

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/settings/SettingsSSH.tsx

@@ -1,19 +1,51 @@
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { CopyToClipboard } from "@/components/CopyToClipboard";
 import FancyToggleSwitch from "@/components/switches/FancyToggleSwitch";
 import { HelpText } from "@/components/typography/HelpText";
 import { Input } from "@/components/inputs/Input";
 import { Label } from "@/components/typography/Label";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/cn";
 import { SectionGroup } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsSection.tsx";
-import { useGuardedControl } from "@/modules/settings/PrivilegeGuard.tsx";
 import { useSettings } from "@/contexts/SettingsContext.tsx";
-import { type ChangeEvent, useEffect, useId, useState } from "react";
+import { usePrivilege } from "@/hooks/usePrivilege.ts";
+import { Privilege } from "@bindings/services/models.js";
+import { type ChangeEvent, type ReactNode, useEffect, useId, useState } from "react";
 
 export function SettingsSSH() {
     const { t } = useTranslation();
     const { config, setField } = useSettings();
-    const guarded = useGuardedControl();
+    const privilege = usePrivilege();
     const isSSHServerEnabled = config.serverSshAllowed;
+
+    // The daemon restricts only the direction that hands out shells from a process
+    // running as root. So for an unprivileged user a guarded control is either
+    // unavailable (it is off and only they could turn it on) or a one-way switch
+    // (it is on, they may turn it off, but not back on) — say which, either way.
+    //
+    // A null privilege means we could not determine it: leave the control alone
+    // rather than greying it out with nothing to explain why. The daemon enforces
+    // this regardless, and a rejected save reports its own guidance.
+    const guarded = (
+        guardedDirectionActive: boolean,
+        command: (p: Privilege) => string,
+        // inverted marks a control whose guarded direction is switching it off, so
+        // the one-way warning has to read the other way round.
+        inverted = false,
+    ) => {
+        if (!privilege || privilege.privileged) {
+            return { disabled: false, hint: undefined };
+        }
+        const hint = (
+            <PrivilegeHint
+                actor={privilege.actor}
+                command={command(privilege)}
+                oneWay={guardedDirectionActive}
+                inverted={inverted}
+            />
+        );
+        return { disabled: !guardedDirectionActive, hint };
+    };
+
     const sshServer = guarded(config.serverSshAllowed, (p) => p.allowSshServer);
     const sshRoot = guarded(config.enableSshRoot, (p) => p.enableSshRoot);
     // Inverted control: the guarded direction is switching authentication off, so
@@ -130,3 +162,42 @@ export function SettingsSSH() {
         </>
     );
 }
+
+// PrivilegeHint explains what an unprivileged user can and cannot do with a
+// guarded control, and offers the command that does it with the privileges the
+// daemon requires. oneWay covers the control being in the guarded state already:
+// switching it back is the part that needs privileges.
+function PrivilegeHint({
+    actor,
+    command,
+    oneWay,
+    inverted,
+}: {
+    actor: string;
+    command: string;
+    oneWay: boolean;
+    inverted: boolean;
+}): ReactNode {
+    const { t } = useTranslation();
+    if (!command) return null;
+    return (
+        <div
+            className={
+                "-mt-2 flex flex-col gap-1 rounded-md bg-nb-gray-930 px-3 py-2 text-xs text-nb-gray-300"
+            }
+        >
+            <span>
+                {!oneWay
+                    ? t("settings.ssh.privilege.hint", { actor })
+                    : inverted
+                      ? t("settings.ssh.privilege.oneWayInverted", { actor })
+                      : t("settings.ssh.privilege.oneWay", { actor })}
+            </span>
+            <CopyToClipboard message={command} alwaysShowIcon wrap variant={"bright"}>
+                <code className={"select-text break-all font-mono text-xs text-nb-gray-200"}>
+                    {command}
+                </code>
+            </CopyToClipboard>
+        </div>
+    );
+}

client/ui/frontend/src/modules/settings/SettingsVNC.tsx

@@ -1,51 +0,0 @@
-import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
-import FancyToggleSwitch from "@/components/switches/FancyToggleSwitch";
-import { SectionGroup } from "@/modules/settings/SettingsSection.tsx";
-import { useGuardedControl } from "@/modules/settings/PrivilegeGuard.tsx";
-import { useSettings } from "@/contexts/SettingsContext.tsx";
-import { useRestrictions } from "@/contexts/RestrictionsContext.tsx";
-
-export function SettingsVNC() {
-    const { t } = useTranslation();
-    const { config, setField } = useSettings();
-    const { mdm } = useRestrictions();
-    const guarded = useGuardedControl();
-    const isVNCServerEnabled = config.serverVncAllowed;
-    const vncServerManaged = mdm.allowServerVNC != null;
-
-    const vncServer = guarded(config.serverVncAllowed, (p) => p.allowVncServer);
-    // Inverted control: the guarded direction is switching the approval prompt
-    // off, so the already-disabled state is the one-way one.
-    const vncApproval = guarded(config.disableVncApproval, (p) => p.disableVncApproval, true);
-
-    return (
-        <>
-            <SectionGroup title={t("settings.vnc.section.server")}>
-                <FancyToggleSwitch
-                    value={config.serverVncAllowed}
-                    onChange={(v) => setField("serverVncAllowed", v)}
-                    label={t("settings.vnc.server.label")}
-                    helpText={t("settings.vnc.server.help")}
-                    disabled={vncServerManaged || vncServer.disabled}
-                />
-                {!vncServerManaged && vncServer.hint}
-            </SectionGroup>
-
-            {!mdm.disableVNCApproval && (
-                <SectionGroup
-                    title={t("settings.vnc.section.approval")}
-                    disabled={!isVNCServerEnabled}
-                >
-                    <FancyToggleSwitch
-                        value={!config.disableVncApproval}
-                        onChange={(v) => setField("disableVncApproval", !v)}
-                        label={t("settings.vnc.approval.label")}
-                        helpText={t("settings.vnc.approval.help")}
-                        disabled={vncApproval.disabled}
-                    />
-                    {vncApproval.hint}
-                </SectionGroup>
-            )}
-        </>
-    );
-}

client/ui/i18n/locales/de/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "Ändern des Autostarts fehlgeschlagen"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "Nach dem Beenden verbunden bleiben",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "Die Verbindung bleibt im Hintergrund bestehen, nachdem Sie NetBird schließen. Sie endet erst, wenn Sie sie selbst trennen.",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "Anzeigesprache"
     },
@@ -1330,65 +1338,5 @@
     },
     "error.unknown": {
         "message": "Vorgang fehlgeschlagen."
-    },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "Server"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "Genehmigung"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "VNC-Server aktivieren"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "Den NetBird-VNC-Server auf diesem Host ausführen, damit autorisierte Peers den Bildschirm ansehen oder steuern können."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "Verbindungsgenehmigung erforderlich"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "Auf diesem Host eine Aufforderung anzeigen, die bestätigt werden muss, bevor eine eingehende VNC-Verbindung zugelassen wird."
-    },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "Verbindungsanfrage"
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC-Verbindung zulassen?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "SSH-Verbindung zulassen?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "Eingehende Verbindung zulassen?"
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "Von Benutzer"
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "Schlüssel-Fingerabdruck"
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "Über Peer"
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "Quell-IP"
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "Betriebssystem-Benutzer"
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "Automatische Ablehnung in {seconds}s"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "Zulassen"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "Zulassen (nur ansehen)"
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "Ablehnen"
     }
 }

client/ui/i18n/locales/en/common.json

@@ -683,10 +683,6 @@
         "message": "SSH",
         "description": "Settings tab label: SSH. Acronym — keep as-is."
     },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC",
-        "description": "Settings tab label: VNC. Acronym — keep as-is."
-    },
     "settings.tabs.advanced": {
         "message": "Advanced",
         "description": "Settings tab label: Advanced. Keep short."
@@ -739,6 +735,14 @@
         "message": "Autostart Change Failed",
         "description": "Error-dialog title when changing the autostart setting fails."
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "Stay Connected After Quitting",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "The connection stays up in the background after you close NetBird. It only stops when you disconnect it yourself.",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "Display Language",
         "description": "Label for the display-language picker."
@@ -955,30 +959,6 @@
         "message": "Second(s)",
         "description": "Unit suffix shown after the JWT TTL number field. The '(s)' marks an optional plural."
     },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "Server",
-        "description": "Section heading: Server (VNC settings)."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "Approval",
-        "description": "Section heading: Approval (VNC connection approval settings)."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "Enable VNC Server",
-        "description": "Toggle label: enable the embedded VNC server."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "Run the NetBird VNC server on this host so authorized peers can view or control its screen.",
-        "description": "Helper text for the VNC server toggle."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "Require Connection Approval",
-        "description": "Toggle label: prompt for approval before each inbound VNC connection."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "Show a prompt on this host that must be accepted before an incoming VNC connection is allowed.",
-        "description": "Helper text for the VNC connection-approval toggle."
-    },
     "settings.advanced.section.interface": {
         "message": "Interface",
         "description": "Section heading: Interface (network-interface settings)."
@@ -1391,58 +1371,6 @@
         "message": "Session Expiring",
         "description": "OS window-chrome title for the session-expiration window."
     },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "Connection Request",
-        "description": "OS window-chrome title for the inbound-connection approval window."
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "Allow VNC Connection?",
-        "description": "Approval dialog heading for an inbound VNC connection."
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "Allow SSH Connection?",
-        "description": "Approval dialog heading for an inbound SSH connection."
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "Allow Incoming Connection?",
-        "description": "Approval dialog heading for an inbound connection of unknown kind."
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "From user",
-        "description": "Approval dialog row label: the initiating user's display name."
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "Key fingerprint",
-        "description": "Approval dialog row label: the connecting peer's cryptographic key fingerprint."
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "Via peer",
-        "description": "Approval dialog row label: the peer the connection arrives through."
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "Source IP",
-        "description": "Approval dialog row label: the source IP address of the connection."
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "OS user",
-        "description": "Approval dialog row label: the target operating-system user."
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "Auto-deny in {seconds}s",
-        "description": "Approval dialog countdown; {seconds} is the remaining whole seconds before the daemon auto-denies."
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "Allow",
-        "description": "Approval dialog button: allow the connection."
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "Allow (view only)",
-        "description": "Approval dialog button: allow the connection in view-only mode."
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "Deny",
-        "description": "Approval dialog button: deny the connection."
-    },
     "window.title.updating": {
         "message": "Updating",
         "description": "OS window-chrome title for the update / install window."
@@ -1855,28 +1783,16 @@
         "message": "Operation failed.",
         "description": "Generic fallback error message used when no specific error applies."
     },
-    "connect.activeSession.badge": {
-        "message": "Screen shared",
-        "description": "Short label on the badge shown on the main screen while somebody is attached to this machine over VNC."
-    },
-    "connect.activeSession.tooltip": {
-        "message": "This screen is being viewed over VNC ({sessionCount} session(s)). Disconnecting ends it, and if you are connected through VNC you will lose access.",
-        "description": "Tooltip on the screen-shared badge. {sessionCount} is how many VNC sessions are attached; wording covers any number since the bundle has no plural forms."
-    },
-    "connect.activeSession.tooltipNamed": {
-        "message": "This screen is being viewed over VNC by {who} ({sessionCount} session(s)). Disconnecting ends it, and if you are connected through VNC you will lose access.",
-        "description": "As connect.activeSession.tooltip, with {who} naming the dashboard users who started the sessions."
-    },
-    "settings.privilege.hint": {
+    "settings.ssh.privilege.hint": {
         "message": "Requires {actor}. Run this instead:",
-        "description": "Help text under a remote-access setting the user cannot change: it needs elevated privileges. {actor} is 'root' on Linux/macOS or 'administrator privileges' on Windows. Followed by a copyable command."
+        "description": "Help text under an SSH setting the user cannot change: it needs elevated privileges. {actor} is 'root' on Linux/macOS or 'administrator privileges' on Windows. Followed by a copyable command."
     },
-    "settings.privilege.oneWay": {
+    "settings.ssh.privilege.oneWay": {
         "message": "You can switch this off, but switching it back on needs {actor}:",
-        "description": "Warning under a remote-access setting an unprivileged user may disable but not re-enable. {actor} is 'root' on Linux/macOS or 'administrator privileges' on Windows. Followed by a copyable command."
+        "description": "Warning under an SSH setting an unprivileged user may disable but not re-enable. {actor} is 'root' on Linux/macOS or 'administrator privileges' on Windows. Followed by a copyable command."
     },
-    "settings.privilege.oneWayInverted": {
+    "settings.ssh.privilege.oneWayInverted": {
         "message": "You can switch this on, but switching it back off needs {actor}:",
-        "description": "Warning under a safeguard setting (SSH authentication, VNC approval) which an unprivileged user may re-enable but not disable again. {actor} is 'root' on Linux/macOS or 'administrator privileges' on Windows. Followed by a copyable command."
+        "description": "Warning under the SSH authentication setting, which an unprivileged user may re-enable but not disable again. {actor} is 'root' on Linux/macOS or 'administrator privileges' on Windows. Followed by a copyable command."
     }
 }

client/ui/i18n/locales/es/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "Error al cambiar el inicio automático"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "Permanecer conectado al salir",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "La conexión sigue activa en segundo plano después de cerrar NetBird. Solo se detiene cuando la desconectas tú.",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "Idioma de la interfaz"
     },
@@ -1330,65 +1338,5 @@
     },
     "error.unknown": {
         "message": "La operación falló."
-    },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "Servidor"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "Aprobación"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "Habilitar el servidor VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "Ejecuta el servidor VNC de NetBird en este host para que los peers autorizados puedan ver o controlar su pantalla."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "Requerir aprobación de conexión"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "Mostrar en este host una solicitud que debe aceptarse antes de permitir una conexión VNC entrante."
-    },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "Solicitud de conexión"
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "¿Permitir la conexión VNC?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "¿Permitir la conexión SSH?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "¿Permitir la conexión entrante?"
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "Del usuario"
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "Huella de la clave"
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "A través del peer"
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "IP de origen"
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "Usuario del SO"
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "Rechazo automático en {seconds}s"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "Permitir"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "Permitir (solo ver)"
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "Denegar"
     }
 }

client/ui/i18n/locales/fr/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "Échec de la modification du démarrage automatique"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "Rester connecté après la fermeture",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "La connexion reste active en arrière-plan après la fermeture de NetBird. Elle ne s'arrête que si vous la coupez vous-même.",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "Langue d’affichage"
     },
@@ -1330,65 +1338,5 @@
     },
     "error.unknown": {
         "message": "L’opération a échoué."
-    },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "Serveur"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "Approbation"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "Activer le serveur VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "Exécuter le serveur VNC de NetBird sur cet hôte afin que les pairs autorisés puissent voir ou contrôler son écran."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "Exiger l'approbation des connexions"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "Afficher sur cet hôte une invite qui doit être acceptée avant d'autoriser une connexion VNC entrante."
-    },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "Demande de connexion"
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "Autoriser la connexion VNC ?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "Autoriser la connexion SSH ?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "Autoriser la connexion entrante ?"
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "De l'utilisateur"
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "Empreinte de clé"
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "Via le pair"
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "IP source"
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "Utilisateur du système"
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "Refus automatique dans {seconds}s"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "Autoriser"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "Autoriser (lecture seule)"
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "Refuser"
     }
 }

client/ui/i18n/locales/hu/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "Az automatikus indítás módosítása sikertelen"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "Kapcsolat megtartása kilépéskor",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "A kapcsolat a háttérben megmarad, miután bezárod a NetBirdöt. Csak akkor szakad meg, ha te magad bontod.",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "Megjelenítési nyelv"
     },
@@ -1330,65 +1338,5 @@
     },
     "error.unknown": {
         "message": "A művelet meghiúsult."
-    },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "Szerver"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "Jóváhagyás"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "VNC szerver engedélyezése"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "A NetBird VNC szerver futtatása ezen a gépen, hogy az arra jogosult partnerek megtekinthessék vagy vezérelhessék a képernyőjét."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "Kapcsolat jóváhagyásának megkövetelése"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "Megerősítést kérő ablak megjelenítése ezen a gépen, amelyet el kell fogadni a bejövő VNC-kapcsolat engedélyezése előtt."
-    },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "Kapcsolódási kérés"
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "Engedélyezi a VNC-kapcsolatot?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "Engedélyezi az SSH-kapcsolatot?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "Engedélyezi a bejövő kapcsolatot?"
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "Felhasználótól"
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "Kulcs ujjlenyomata"
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "Partneren keresztül"
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "Forrás IP"
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "OS-felhasználó"
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "Automatikus elutasítás {seconds} mp múlva"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "Engedélyezés"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "Engedélyezés (csak megtekintés)"
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "Elutasítás"
     }
 }

client/ui/i18n/locales/it/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "Modifica avvio automatico non riuscita"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "Resta connesso dopo la chiusura",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "La connessione resta attiva in background dopo la chiusura di NetBird. Si interrompe solo quando la disconnetti tu.",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "Lingua dell'interfaccia"
     },
@@ -1330,65 +1338,5 @@
     },
     "error.unknown": {
         "message": "Operazione non riuscita."
-    },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "Server"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "Approvazione"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "Abilita server VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "Esegui il server VNC di NetBird su questo host in modo che i peer autorizzati possano visualizzarne o controllarne lo schermo."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "Richiedi l'approvazione della connessione"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "Mostra su questo host una richiesta che deve essere accettata prima di consentire una connessione VNC in entrata."
-    },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "Richiesta di connessione"
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "Consentire la connessione VNC?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "Consentire la connessione SSH?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "Consentire la connessione in entrata?"
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "Dall'utente"
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "Impronta della chiave"
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "Tramite peer"
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "IP di origine"
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "Utente del sistema"
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "Rifiuto automatico tra {seconds}s"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "Consenti"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "Consenti (sola visualizzazione)"
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "Rifiuta"
     }
 }

client/ui/i18n/locales/ja/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "自動起動の変更に失敗しました"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "終了後も接続を維持",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "NetBird を閉じたあとも接続はバックグラウンドで維持されます。自分で切断したときにだけ停止します。",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "表示言語"
     },

client/ui/i18n/locales/pt/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "Falha ao alterar o início automático"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "Permanecer conectado ao sair",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "A conexão continua ativa em segundo plano depois de fechar o NetBird. Ela só para quando você mesmo a desconecta.",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "Idioma de exibição"
     },
@@ -1330,65 +1338,5 @@
     },
     "error.unknown": {
         "message": "A operação falhou."
-    },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "Servidor"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "Aprovação"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "Ativar servidor VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "Execute o servidor VNC do NetBird neste host para que os peers autorizados possam ver ou controlar a sua tela."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "Exigir aprovação de conexão"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "Mostrar neste host um aviso que precisa ser aceito antes de permitir uma conexão VNC de entrada."
-    },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "Solicitação de conexão"
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "Permitir a conexão VNC?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "Permitir a conexão SSH?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "Permitir a conexão de entrada?"
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "Do usuário"
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "Impressão digital da chave"
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "Via peer"
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "IP de origem"
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "Usuário do SO"
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "Negação automática em {seconds}s"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "Permitir"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "Permitir (somente visualização)"
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "Negar"
     }
 }

client/ui/i18n/locales/ru/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "Не удалось изменить автозапуск"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "Оставаться подключённым после выхода",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "Соединение остаётся активным в фоне после закрытия NetBird. Оно прервётся, только когда вы отключите его сами.",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "Язык интерфейса"
     },
@@ -1330,65 +1338,5 @@
     },
     "error.unknown": {
         "message": "Не удалось выполнить операцию."
-    },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "Сервер"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "Подтверждение"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "Включить VNC-сервер"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "Запустить VNC-сервер NetBird на этом хосте, чтобы авторизованные пиры могли просматривать его экран или управлять им."
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "Требовать подтверждение подключения"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "Показывать на этом хосте запрос, который нужно принять перед разрешением входящего VNC-подключения."
-    },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "Запрос на подключение"
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "Разрешить VNC-подключение?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "Разрешить SSH-подключение?"
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "Разрешить входящее подключение?"
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "От пользователя"
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "Отпечаток ключа"
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "Через пир"
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "IP-адрес источника"
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "Пользователь ОС"
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "Автоотклонение через {seconds} с"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "Разрешить"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "Разрешить (только просмотр)"
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "Отклонить"
     }
 }

client/ui/i18n/locales/zh-CN/common.json

@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
     "settings.general.autostart.errorTitle": {
         "message": "更改自启动设置失败"
     },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.label": {
+        "message": "退出后保持连接",
+        "description": "Toggle label: keep the VPN connection up after quitting the UI."
+    },
+    "settings.general.keepConnectedOnQuit.help": {
+        "message": "关闭 NetBird 后，连接会在后台保持。只有你自己断开时才会停止。",
+        "description": "Helper text for the stay-connected-after-quitting toggle."
+    },
     "settings.general.language.label": {
         "message": "显示语言"
     },
@@ -1330,65 +1338,5 @@
     },
     "error.unknown": {
         "message": "操作失败。"
-    },
-    "settings.tabs.vnc": {
-        "message": "VNC"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.server": {
-        "message": "服务器"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.section.approval": {
-        "message": "批准"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.label": {
-        "message": "启用 VNC 服务器"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.server.help": {
-        "message": "在此主机上运行 NetBird VNC 服务器，以便授权的对端可以查看或控制其屏幕。"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.label": {
-        "message": "要求连接批准"
-    },
-    "settings.vnc.approval.help": {
-        "message": "在此主机上显示一个提示，必须先接受该提示才能允许传入的 VNC 连接。"
-    },
-    "window.title.approval": {
-        "message": "连接请求"
-    },
-    "approval.title.vnc": {
-        "message": "允许 VNC 连接？"
-    },
-    "approval.title.ssh": {
-        "message": "允许 SSH 连接？"
-    },
-    "approval.title.default": {
-        "message": "允许传入连接？"
-    },
-    "approval.field.user": {
-        "message": "来自用户"
-    },
-    "approval.field.keyFingerprint": {
-        "message": "密钥指纹"
-    },
-    "approval.field.peer": {
-        "message": "经由对端"
-    },
-    "approval.field.sourceIp": {
-        "message": "源 IP"
-    },
-    "approval.field.osUser": {
-        "message": "操作系统用户"
-    },
-    "approval.countdown": {
-        "message": "{seconds} 秒后自动拒绝"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allow": {
-        "message": "允许"
-    },
-    "approval.action.allowViewOnly": {
-        "message": "允许（仅查看）"
-    },
-    "approval.action.deny": {
-        "message": "拒绝"
     }
 }

client/ui/main.go

@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ func main() {
 		WindowManager:   windowManager,
 		Session:         authSession,
 		Localizer:       localizer,
+		Preferences:     prefStore,
 	})
 	listenForShowSignal(context.Background(), tray)
 
@@ -323,7 +324,6 @@ func registerServices(app *application.App, conn *Conn, s registeredServices) {
 	app.RegisterService(application.NewService(s.settings))
 	app.RegisterService(application.NewService(s.networks))
 	app.RegisterService(application.NewService(services.NewForwarding(conn)))
-	app.RegisterService(application.NewService(services.NewApproval(conn)))
 	app.RegisterService(application.NewService(s.profiles))
 	app.RegisterService(application.NewService(services.NewDebug(conn)))
 	app.RegisterService(application.NewService(s.update))

client/ui/preferences/store.go

@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ type UIPreferences struct {
 	// decision has run for this OS user. It only ever transitions to true
 	// and is never reset, so the default-on flow runs at most once, ever.
 	AutostartInitialized bool `json:"autostartInitialized"`
+	// KeepConnectedOnQuit leaves the daemon connected when the GUI quits.
+	// Its false zero value preserves the historical disconnect-on-quit
+	// behaviour for preference files written before the field existed.
+	KeepConnectedOnQuit bool `json:"keepConnectedOnQuit"`
 }
 
 // LanguageValidator rejects SetLanguage inputs with no shipped bundle.
@@ -183,6 +187,26 @@ func (s *Store) SetAutostartInitialized(done bool) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// SetKeepConnectedOnQuit persists the disconnect-on-quit opt-out. No-op if unchanged.
+func (s *Store) SetKeepConnectedOnQuit(keep bool) error {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	if s.current.KeepConnectedOnQuit == keep {
+		s.mu.Unlock()
+		return nil
+	}
+	next := s.current
+	next.KeepConnectedOnQuit = keep
+	if err := s.persistLocked(next); err != nil {
+		s.mu.Unlock()
+		return fmt.Errorf("persist preferences: %w", err)
+	}
+	s.current = next
+	s.mu.Unlock()
+
+	s.broadcast(next)
+	return nil
+}
+
 // SetLanguage validates, persists, and broadcasts. No-op if unchanged.
 func (s *Store) SetLanguage(lang i18n.LanguageCode) error {
 	if lang == "" {

client/ui/preferences/store_test.go

@@ -238,6 +238,42 @@ func TestStore_SetAutostartInitializedPersistsAcrossReload(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, reloaded.Get().AutostartInitialized, "marker must survive a reload from disk")
 }
 
+func TestStore_SetKeepConnectedOnQuitPersistsAcrossReload(t *testing.T) {
+	withTempConfigDir(t)
+	emitter := &recordingEmitter{}
+	s, err := NewStore(nil, emitter)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.False(t, s.Get().KeepConnectedOnQuit, "quitting must disconnect by default")
+
+	require.NoError(t, s.SetKeepConnectedOnQuit(true))
+	assert.True(t, s.Get().KeepConnectedOnQuit, "Get should reflect the persisted opt-out")
+	require.Len(t, emitter.calledWith(EventPreferencesChanged), 1, "first write should broadcast")
+
+	require.NoError(t, s.SetKeepConnectedOnQuit(true))
+	assert.Len(t, emitter.calledWith(EventPreferencesChanged), 1, "idempotent write should not broadcast again")
+
+	reloaded, err := NewStore(nil, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, reloaded.Get().KeepConnectedOnQuit, "opt-out must survive a reload from disk")
+}
+
+func TestStore_KeepConnectedOnQuitDefaultsFalseForPreExistingFile(t *testing.T) {
+	withTempConfigDir(t)
+
+	// A preferences file written before the field existed must keep the
+	// historical disconnect-on-quit behaviour rather than silently opting out.
+	path, err := preferencesPath()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte(`{"language":"en","viewMode":"default"}`), 0o600))
+
+	s, err := NewStore(nil, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.False(t, s.Get().KeepConnectedOnQuit, "a file predating the field must not opt out of disconnect-on-quit")
+	assert.True(t, s.ExistedAtLoad(), "the pre-existing file must be seen on disk")
+}
+
 func TestStore_ExistedAtLoad(t *testing.T) {
 	withTempConfigDir(t)
 

client/ui/services/approval.go

@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-//go:build !android && !ios && !freebsd && !js
-
-package services
-
-import (
-	"context"
-
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/proto"
-)
-
-// Approval forwards the user's decision on a pending inbound-connection
-// approval prompt to the daemon. The daemon pushes the prompt as a SystemEvent
-// with category APPROVAL; the dialog calls Respond with the same request id to
-// unblock whichever subsystem (VNC, SSH, ...) is waiting.
-type Approval struct {
-	conn DaemonConn
-}
-
-func NewApproval(conn DaemonConn) *Approval {
-	return &Approval{conn: conn}
-}
-
-// Respond delivers the accept/deny decision for requestID. viewOnly is only
-// meaningful when accept is true and the subsystem supports a read-only grant.
-func (a *Approval) Respond(ctx context.Context, requestID string, accept, viewOnly bool) error {
-	cli, err := a.conn.Client()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	_, err = cli.RespondApproval(ctx, &proto.RespondApprovalRequest{
-		RequestId: requestID,
-		Accept:    accept,
-		ViewOnly:  viewOnly,
-	})
-	return err
-}

client/ui/services/cursor_linux.go

@@ -49,5 +49,11 @@ func getCursorPosition(app *application.App) (application.Point, bool) {
 	if app == nil || app.Screen == nil {
 		return p, true
 	}
+	// The wails GTK3 backend caches screens from the active window; a tray app
+	// has none at startup, so the cache is empty and PhysicalToDipPoint would
+	// dereference a nil nearest screen. Raw pixels are correct there anyway.
+	if app.Screen.ScreenNearestPhysicalPoint(p) == nil {
+		return p, true
+	}
 	return app.Screen.PhysicalToDipPoint(p), true
 }