How to Resolve 404 Errors During Logout in Spring Security

What are the common reasons for encountering a 404 error when trying to log out of a Spring Security application?

In Spring Security, a 404 error on logout typically indicates that the specified logout URL is not correctly configured or mapped. This issue can result from misconfigured web application settings, incorrect HTTP methods, or issues with filter chain configuration.

@Override
protected void configure(HttpSecurity http) throws Exception {
    http
        .authorizeRequests()
            .anyRequest().authenticated()
            .and()
        .logout()
            .logoutUrl("/logout") // Ensure this matches your logout request
            .logoutSuccessUrl("/login?logout")
            .invalidateHttpSession(true)
            .deleteCookies("JSESSIONID");
}

Causes

• The logout URL is not registered in the application context.
• Incorrect mapping of the logout request in Spring Security configuration.
• HTTP methods mismatch (e.g., trying to use GET when only POST is allowed).
• Missing or incorrectly defined security filters.

Solutions

• Ensure that the logout URL is properly defined and mapped in your Spring Security configuration.
• Double-check that the logout URLs match the endpoints defined in your controller or routing.
• Validate the HTTP method used for the logout action; configure it to allow either GET or POST as required by your application.
• Review and update your Spring Security filter chain to include the necessary filters for logout.

Mistake: Logging out without a registered logout URL.

Solution: Make sure you configure the logout URL in your Spring Security setup.

Mistake: Using a different HTTP method that is not specified.

Solution: Confirm that your application uses the correct HTTP method for logout, with proper handling in the configuration.

Mistake: Forgetting to include necessary security filters in the configuration.

Solution: Ensure all security filters required for handling logout actions are included in the order.