14 Configuring Kerberos with Zabbix

Overview

Kerberos authentication can be used in web monitoring and HTTP items in Zabbix since version 4.4.0.

This section describes an example of configuring Kerberos with Zabbix server to perform web monitoring of www.example.com with user ‘zabbix’.

Steps

Step 1

Install Kerberos package.

For Debian/Ubuntu:

  1. apt install krb5-user

For RHEL:

  1. dnf install krb5-workstation
Step 2

Configure Kerberos configuration file (see MIT documentation for details)

  1. cat /etc/krb5.conf 
  2.        [libdefaults]
  3.            default_realm = EXAMPLE.COM
  6.        # The following krb5.conf variables are only for MIT Kerberos.
  7.            kdc_timesync = 1
  8.            ccache_type = 4
  9.            forwardable = true
  10.            proxiable = true
  12.        [realms]
  13.            EXAMPLE.COM = {
  14.            }
  16.        [domain_realm]
  17.            .example.com=EXAMPLE.COM
  18.            example.com=EXAMPLE.COM
Step 3

Create a Kerberos ticket for user zabbix. Run the following command as user zabbix:

  1. kinit zabbix

It is important to run the above command as user zabbix. If you run it as root the authentication will not work.

Step 4

Create a web scenario or HTTP agent item with Kerberos authentication type.

Optionally can be tested with the following curl command:

  1. curl -v --negotiate -u : http://example.com

Note that for lengthy web monitoring it is necessary to take care of renewing the Kerberos ticket. Default time of ticket expiration is 10h.