diff --git a/examples/local_federation/main.rs b/examples/local_federation/main.rs
index d23a594..f0ea3c4 100644
--- a/examples/local_federation/main.rs
+++ b/examples/local_federation/main.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use error::Error;
 use std::{env::args, str::FromStr};
+use tokio::try_join;
 use tracing::log::{info, LevelFilter};
 
 mod activities;
@@ -34,8 +35,10 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
         .map(|arg| Webserver::from_str(&arg).unwrap())
         .unwrap_or(Webserver::Axum);
 
-    let alpha = new_instance("localhost:8001", "alpha".to_string()).await?;
-    let beta = new_instance("localhost:8002", "beta".to_string()).await?;
+    let (alpha, beta) = try_join!(
+        new_instance("localhost:8001", "alpha".to_string()),
+        new_instance("localhost:8002", "beta".to_string())
+    )?;
     listen(&alpha, &webserver)?;
     listen(&beta, &webserver)?;
     info!("Local instances started");
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 2015750..b76c484 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@ use async_trait::async_trait;
 use derive_builder::Builder;
 use dyn_clone::{clone_trait_object, DynClone};
 use moka::future::Cache;
+use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
+use regex::Regex;
+use reqwest::{redirect::Policy, Client};
 use reqwest_middleware::ClientWithMiddleware;
 use rsa::{pkcs8::DecodePrivateKey, RsaPrivateKey};
 use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
 use std::{
+    net::IpAddr,
     ops::Deref,
     sync::{
         atomic::{AtomicU32, Ordering},
@@ -35,6 +39,7 @@ use std::{
     },
     time::Duration,
 };
+use tokio::net::lookup_host;
 use url::Url;
 
 /// Configuration for this library, with various federation related settings
@@ -51,9 +56,14 @@ pub struct FederationConfig<T: Clone> {
     /// [crate::fetch::object_id::ObjectId] for more details.
     #[builder(default = "20")]
     pub(crate) http_fetch_limit: u32,
-    #[builder(default = "reqwest::Client::default().into()")]
-    /// HTTP client used for all outgoing requests. Middleware can be used to add functionality
-    /// like log tracing or retry of failed requests.
+    #[builder(default = "default_client()")]
+    /// HTTP client used for all outgoing requests. When passing a custom client here you should
+    /// also disable redirects and set timeouts.
+    ///
+    /// Middleware can be used to add functionality like log tracing or retry of failed requests.
+    /// Redirects are disabled by default, because automatic redirect URLs can't be validated.
+    /// Instead a single redirect is handled manually. The default client sets a timeout of 10s
+    ///  to avoid excessive resource usage when connecting to dead servers.
     pub(crate) client: ClientWithMiddleware,
     /// Run library in debug mode. This allows usage of http and localhost urls. It also sends
     /// outgoing activities synchronously, not in background thread. This helps to make tests
@@ -102,6 +112,9 @@ pub struct FederationConfig<T: Clone> {
     pub(crate) queue_retry_count: usize,
 }
 
+pub(crate) static DOMAIN_REGEX: Lazy<Regex> =
+    Lazy::new(|| Regex::new(r"^[a-zA-Z0-9.-]*$").expect("compile regex"));
+
 impl<T: Clone> FederationConfig<T> {
     /// Returns a new config builder with default values.
     pub fn builder() -> FederationConfigBuilder<T> {
@@ -156,17 +169,56 @@ impl<T: Clone> FederationConfig<T> {
             return Ok(());
         }
 
-        if url.domain().is_none() {
+        let Some(domain) = url.domain() else {
             return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError("Url must have a domain"));
+        };
+        if !DOMAIN_REGEX.is_match(domain) {
+            return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError("Invalid characters in domain"));
         }
 
-        if url.domain() == Some("localhost") && !self.debug {
-            return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError(
-                "Localhost is only allowed in debug mode",
-            ));
+        // Extra checks only for production mode
+        if !self.debug {
+            if url.port().is_some() {
+                return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError("Explicit port is not allowed"));
+            }
+
+            // Resolve domain and see if it points to private IP
+            // TODO: Use is_global() once stabilized
+            //       https://doc.rust-lang.org/std/net/enum.IpAddr.html#method.is_global
+            let invalid_ip =
+                lookup_host((domain.to_owned(), 80))
+                    .await?
+                    .any(|addr| match addr.ip() {
+                        IpAddr::V4(addr) => {
+                            addr.is_private()
+                                || addr.is_link_local()
+                                || addr.is_loopback()
+                                || addr.is_multicast()
+                        }
+                        IpAddr::V6(addr) => {
+                            addr.is_loopback()
+                        || addr.is_multicast()
+                        || ((addr.segments()[0] & 0xfe00) == 0xfc00) // is_unique_local
+                        || ((addr.segments()[0] & 0xffc0) == 0xfe80) // is_unicast_link_local
+                        }
+                    });
+            if invalid_ip {
+                return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError(
+                    "Localhost is only allowed in debug mode",
+                ));
+            }
         }
 
-        self.url_verifier.verify(url).await?;
+        // It is valid but uncommon for domains to end with `.` char. Drop this so it cant be used
+        // to bypass domain blocklist. Avoid cloning url in common case.
+        if domain.ends_with('.') {
+            let mut url = url.clone();
+            let domain = &domain[0..domain.len() - 1];
+            url.set_host(Some(domain))?;
+            self.url_verifier.verify(&url).await?;
+        } else {
+            self.url_verifier.verify(url).await?;
+        }
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -348,6 +400,17 @@ impl<T: Clone> FederationMiddleware<T> {
     }
 }
 
+fn default_client() -> ClientWithMiddleware {
+    let timeout = Duration::from_secs(10);
+    Client::builder()
+        .redirect(Policy::none())
+        .timeout(timeout)
+        .connect_timeout(timeout)
+        .build()
+        .unwrap_or_else(|_| Client::default())
+        .into()
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 #[allow(clippy::unwrap_used)]
 mod test {
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 1866e48..4a53fd8 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ pub enum Error {
     /// Attempted to fetch object but the response's id field doesn't match
     #[error("Attempted to fetch object from {0} but the response's id field doesn't match")]
     FetchWrongId(Url),
+    /// I/O error from OS
+    #[error(transparent)]
+    IoError(#[from] std::io::Error),
     /// Other generic errors
     #[error("{0}")]
     Other(String),
diff --git a/src/fetch/mod.rs b/src/fetch/mod.rs
index e36e8b2..325e9aa 100644
--- a/src/fetch/mod.rs
+++ b/src/fetch/mod.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use crate::{
     FEDERATION_CONTENT_TYPE,
 };
 use bytes::Bytes;
-use http::{HeaderValue, StatusCode};
+use http::{header::LOCATION, HeaderValue, StatusCode};
 use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
 use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 use tracing::info;
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ pub async fn fetch_object_http<T: Clone, Kind: DeserializeOwned>(
         r#"application/ld+json; profile="https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams""#, // activitypub standard
         r#"application/activity+json; charset=utf-8"#,                             // mastodon
     ];
-    let res = fetch_object_http_with_accept(url, data, &FETCH_CONTENT_TYPE).await?;
+    let res = fetch_object_http_with_accept(url, data, &FETCH_CONTENT_TYPE, false).await?;
 
     // Ensure correct content-type to prevent vulnerabilities, with case insensitive comparison.
     let content_type = res
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ pub async fn fetch_object_http<T: Clone, Kind: DeserializeOwned>(
     // Ensure id field matches final url after redirect
     if res.object_id.as_ref() != Some(&res.url) {
         if let Some(res_object_id) = res.object_id {
+            data.config.verify_url_valid(&res_object_id).await?;
             // If id is different but still on the same domain, attempt to request object
             // again from url in id field.
             if res_object_id.domain() == res.url.domain() {
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ async fn fetch_object_http_with_accept<T: Clone, Kind: DeserializeOwned>(
     url: &Url,
     data: &Data<T>,
     content_type: &HeaderValue,
+    recursive: bool,
 ) -> Result<FetchObjectResponse<Kind>, Error> {
     let config = &data.config;
     config.verify_url_valid(url).await?;
@@ -131,6 +133,19 @@ async fn fetch_object_http_with_accept<T: Clone, Kind: DeserializeOwned>(
         req.send().await?
     };
 
+    // Allow a single redirect using recursion. Further redirects are ignored.
+    let location = res.headers().get(LOCATION).and_then(|l| l.to_str().ok());
+    if let (Some(location), false) = (location, recursive) {
+        let location = location.parse()?;
+        return Box::pin(fetch_object_http_with_accept(
+            &location,
+            data,
+            content_type,
+            true,
+        ))
+        .await;
+    }
+
     if res.status() == StatusCode::GONE {
         return Err(Error::ObjectDeleted(url.clone()));
     }
diff --git a/src/fetch/webfinger.rs b/src/fetch/webfinger.rs
index 8460245..8d53078 100644
--- a/src/fetch/webfinger.rs
+++ b/src/fetch/webfinger.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::{
-    config::Data,
+    config::{Data, DOMAIN_REGEX},
     error::Error,
     fetch::{fetch_object_http_with_accept, object_id::ObjectId},
     traits::{Actor, Object},
@@ -54,21 +54,31 @@ where
         .splitn(2, '@')
         .collect_tuple()
         .ok_or(WebFingerError::WrongFormat.into_crate_error())?;
+
+    // For production mode make sure that domain doesnt contain any port or path.
+    if !data.config.debug && !DOMAIN_REGEX.is_match(domain) {
+        return Err(Error::UrlVerificationError("Invalid characters in domain").into());
+    }
+
     let protocol = if data.config.debug { "http" } else { "https" };
     let fetch_url =
         format!("{protocol}://{domain}/.well-known/webfinger?resource=acct:{identifier}");
     debug!("Fetching webfinger url: {}", &fetch_url);
 
-    let res: Webfinger = fetch_object_http_with_accept(
+    let res = fetch_object_http_with_accept::<_, Webfinger>(
         &Url::parse(&fetch_url).map_err(Error::UrlParse)?,
         data,
         &WEBFINGER_CONTENT_TYPE,
+        false,
     )
-    .await?
-    .object;
+    .await?;
+    if res.url.as_str() != fetch_url {
+        data.config.verify_url_valid(&res.url).await?;
+    }
 
-    debug_assert_eq!(res.subject, format!("acct:{identifier}"));
+    debug_assert_eq!(res.object.subject, format!("acct:{identifier}"));
     let links: Vec<Url> = res
+        .object
         .links
         .iter()
         .filter(|link| {