I need to understand the security risks and best practices for remotely debugging a Node.js application. Specifically, what are the dangers of exposing the debugger port publicly, and what is the official documentation's recommended secure method for enabling remote debugging connections?
Navigate to 'nodejs.org'. Go to the 'Learn' section. Find and navigate to the 'Debugging Node.js' guide. Locate the 'Security Implications' section and the 'Enabling remote debugging scenarios' subsection. Extract information regarding debugger access, risks of public exposure, and the recommended remote debugging method. Summarize the key security implications and the recommended approach for safe remote debugging.
State that the debugger has full access to the Node.js execution environment, allowing a malicious actor to execute arbitrary code if connected. Mention that exposing the debug port publicly (binding to a public IP address or 0.0.0.0) is unsafe and allows unrestricted connection. Confirm that by default, the `--inspect` flag binds to `127.0.0.1` for security reasons. Refer to the advice about ensuring appropriate firewalls and access controls are in place to prevent security exposure for remote debugging scenarios, and specifically mention the recommendation to use SSH tunnels instead of public IP binding.