Role Based Access Control (RBAC)

This documentation is for the Envoy v3 API.

As of Envoy v1.18 the v2 API has been removed and is no longer supported.

If you are upgrading from v2 API config you may wish to view the v2 API documentation:

config/rbac/v2/rbac.proto

config.rbac.v3.RBAC

[config.rbac.v3.RBAC proto]

Role Based Access Control (RBAC) provides service-level and method-level access control for a service. Requests are allowed or denied based on the action and whether a matching policy is found. For instance, if the action is ALLOW and a matching policy is found the request should be allowed.

RBAC can also be used to make access logging decisions by communicating with access loggers through dynamic metadata. When the action is LOG and at least one policy matches, the access_log_hint value in the shared key namespace ‘envoy.common’ is set to true indicating the request should be logged.

Here is an example of RBAC configuration. It has two policies:

  • Service account “cluster.local/ns/default/sa/admin” has full access to the service, and so does “cluster.local/ns/default/sa/superuser”.

  • Any user can read (“GET”) the service at paths with prefix “/products”, so long as the destination port is either 80 or 443.

  1. action: ALLOW
  2. policies:
  3.   "service-admin":
  4.     permissions:
  5.       - any: true
  6.     principals:
  7.       - authenticated:
  8.           principal_name:
  9.             exact: "cluster.local/ns/default/sa/admin"
  10.       - authenticated:
  11.           principal_name:
  12.             exact: "cluster.local/ns/default/sa/superuser"
  13.   "product-viewer":
  14.     permissions:
  15.         - and_rules:
  16.             rules:
  17.               - header:
  18.                   name: ":method"
  19.                   string_match:
  20.                     exact: "GET"
  21.               - url_path:
  22.                   path: { prefix: "/products" }
  23.               - or_rules:
  24.                   rules:
  25.                     - destination_port: 80
  26.                     - destination_port: 443
  27.     principals:
  28.       - any: true
  1. {
  2.   "action": "...",
  3.   "policies": "{...}"
  4. }

action

(config.rbac.v3.RBAC.Action) The action to take if a policy matches. Every action either allows or denies a request, and can also carry out action-specific operations.

Actions:

  • ALLOW: Allows the request if and only if there is a policy that matches the request.

  • DENY: Allows the request if and only if there are no policies that match the request.

  • LOG: Allows all requests. If at least one policy matches, the dynamic metadata key access_log_hint is set to the value true under the shared key namespace ‘envoy.common’. If no policies match, it is set to false. Other actions do not modify this key.

policies

(repeated map<string, config.rbac.v3.Policy>) Maps from policy name to policy. A match occurs when at least one policy matches the request. The policies are evaluated in lexicographic order of the policy name.

Enum config.rbac.v3.RBAC.Action

[config.rbac.v3.RBAC.Action proto]

Should we do safe-list or block-list style access control?

ALLOW

(DEFAULT) ⁣The policies grant access to principals. The rest are denied. This is safe-list style access control. This is the default type.

DENY

⁣The policies deny access to principals. The rest are allowed. This is block-list style access control.

LOG

⁣The policies set the access_log_hint dynamic metadata key based on if requests match. All requests are allowed.

config.rbac.v3.Policy

[config.rbac.v3.Policy proto]

Policy specifies a role and the principals that are assigned/denied the role. A policy matches if and only if at least one of its permissions match the action taking place AND at least one of its principals match the downstream AND the condition is true if specified.

  1. {
  2.   "permissions": [],
  3.   "principals": [],
  4.   "condition": "{...}"
  5. }

permissions

(repeated config.rbac.v3.Permission, REQUIRED) Required. The set of permissions that define a role. Each permission is matched with OR semantics. To match all actions for this policy, a single Permission with the any field set to true should be used.

principals

(repeated config.rbac.v3.Principal, REQUIRED) Required. The set of principals that are assigned/denied the role based on “action”. Each principal is matched with OR semantics. To match all downstreams for this policy, a single Principal with the any field set to true should be used.

condition

(.google.api.expr.v1alpha1.Expr) An optional symbolic expression specifying an access control condition. The condition is combined with the permissions and the principals as a clause with AND semantics. Only be used when checked_condition is not used.

config.rbac.v3.Permission

[config.rbac.v3.Permission proto]

Permission defines an action (or actions) that a principal can take.

  1. {
  2.   "and_rules": "{...}",
  3.   "or_rules": "{...}",
  4.   "any": "...",
  5.   "header": "{...}",
  6.   "url_path": "{...}",
  7.   "destination_ip": "{...}",
  8.   "destination_port": "...",
  9.   "destination_port_range": "{...}",
  10.   "metadata": "{...}",
  11.   "not_rule": "{...}",
  12.   "requested_server_name": "{...}",
  13.   "matcher": "{...}"
  14. }

and_rules

(config.rbac.v3.Permission.Set) A set of rules that all must match in order to define the action.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

or_rules

(config.rbac.v3.Permission.Set) A set of rules where at least one must match in order to define the action.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

any

(bool) When any is set, it matches any action.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

header

(config.route.v3.HeaderMatcher) A header (or pseudo-header such as :path or :method) on the incoming HTTP request. Only available for HTTP request. Note: the pseudo-header :path includes the query and fragment string. Use the url_path field if you want to match the URL path without the query and fragment string.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

url_path

(type.matcher.v3.PathMatcher) A URL path on the incoming HTTP request. Only available for HTTP.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

destination_ip

(config.core.v3.CidrRange) A CIDR block that describes the destination IP.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

destination_port

(uint32) A port number that describes the destination port connecting to.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

destination_port_range

(type.v3.Int32Range) A port number range that describes a range of destination ports connecting to.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

metadata

(type.matcher.v3.MetadataMatcher) Metadata that describes additional information about the action.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

not_rule

(config.rbac.v3.Permission) Negates matching the provided permission. For instance, if the value of not_rule would match, this permission would not match. Conversely, if the value of not_rule would not match, this permission would match.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

requested_server_name

(type.matcher.v3.StringMatcher) The request server from the client’s connection request. This is typically TLS SNI.

Attention

The behavior of this field may be affected by how Envoy is configured as explained below.

  • If the TLS Inspector filter is not added, and if a FilterChainMatch is not defined for the server name, a TLS connection’s requested SNI server name will be treated as if it wasn’t present.

  • A listener filter may overwrite a connection’s requested server name within Envoy.

Please refer to this FAQ entry to learn to setup SNI.

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

matcher

(config.core.v3.TypedExtensionConfig) Extension for configuring custom matchers for RBAC.

Tip

This extension category has the following known extensions:

Precisely one of and_rules, or_rules, any, header, url_path, destination_ip, destination_port, destination_port_range, metadata, not_rule, requested_server_name, matcher must be set.

config.rbac.v3.Permission.Set

[config.rbac.v3.Permission.Set proto]

Used in the and_rules and or_rules fields in the rule oneof. Depending on the context, each are applied with the associated behavior.

  1. {
  2.   "rules": []
  3. }

rules

(repeated config.rbac.v3.Permission, REQUIRED)

config.rbac.v3.Principal

[config.rbac.v3.Principal proto]

Principal defines an identity or a group of identities for a downstream subject.

  1. {
  2.   "and_ids": "{...}",
  3.   "or_ids": "{...}",
  4.   "any": "...",
  5.   "authenticated": "{...}",
  6.   "source_ip": "{...}",
  7.   "direct_remote_ip": "{...}",
  8.   "remote_ip": "{...}",
  9.   "header": "{...}",
  10.   "url_path": "{...}",
  11.   "metadata": "{...}",
  12.   "not_id": "{...}"
  13. }

and_ids

(config.rbac.v3.Principal.Set) A set of identifiers that all must match in order to define the downstream.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

or_ids

(config.rbac.v3.Principal.Set) A set of identifiers at least one must match in order to define the downstream.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

any

(bool) When any is set, it matches any downstream.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

authenticated

(config.rbac.v3.Principal.Authenticated) Authenticated attributes that identify the downstream.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

source_ip

(config.core.v3.CidrRange) A CIDR block that describes the downstream IP. This address will honor proxy protocol, but will not honor XFF.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

direct_remote_ip

(config.core.v3.CidrRange) A CIDR block that describes the downstream remote/origin address. Note: This is always the physical peer even if the remote_ip is inferred from for example the x-forwarder-for header, proxy protocol, etc.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

remote_ip

(config.core.v3.CidrRange) A CIDR block that describes the downstream remote/origin address. Note: This may not be the physical peer and could be different from the direct_remote_ip. E.g, if the remote ip is inferred from for example the x-forwarder-for header, proxy protocol, etc.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

header

(config.route.v3.HeaderMatcher) A header (or pseudo-header such as :path or :method) on the incoming HTTP request. Only available for HTTP request. Note: the pseudo-header :path includes the query and fragment string. Use the url_path field if you want to match the URL path without the query and fragment string.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

url_path

(type.matcher.v3.PathMatcher) A URL path on the incoming HTTP request. Only available for HTTP.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

metadata

(type.matcher.v3.MetadataMatcher) Metadata that describes additional information about the principal.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

not_id

(config.rbac.v3.Principal) Negates matching the provided principal. For instance, if the value of not_id would match, this principal would not match. Conversely, if the value of not_id would not match, this principal would match.

Precisely one of and_ids, or_ids, any, authenticated, source_ip, direct_remote_ip, remote_ip, header, url_path, metadata, not_id must be set.

config.rbac.v3.Principal.Set

[config.rbac.v3.Principal.Set proto]

Used in the and_ids and or_ids fields in the identifier oneof. Depending on the context, each are applied with the associated behavior.

  1. {
  2.   "ids": []
  3. }

ids

(repeated config.rbac.v3.Principal, REQUIRED)

config.rbac.v3.Principal.Authenticated

[config.rbac.v3.Principal.Authenticated proto]

Authentication attributes for a downstream.

  1. {
  2.   "principal_name": "{...}"
  3. }

principal_name

(type.matcher.v3.StringMatcher) The name of the principal. If set, The URI SAN or DNS SAN in that order is used from the certificate, otherwise the subject field is used. If unset, it applies to any user that is authenticated.