# OpenID Connect (OIDC) Integration > **For AI agents:** the complete documentation index is at [llms.txt](https://questdb.com/docs/llms.txt). Every page is available as markdown by appending `.md` to its URL, or by sending an `Accept: text/markdown` request header. Configure OIDC in QuestDB Enterprise: Web Console SSO, token authentication for clients and services, claim mapping, and Entra ID managed identities. OpenID Connect (OIDC) enables SSO and token authentication with external Identity Providers. OpenID Connect (OIDC) integrates with Identity Providers (IdP) external to QuestDB. It is a convenient way to integrate QuestDB into your enterprise environment. It provides SSO (Single Sign-On) for the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/), and token authentication for applications and services that connect to QuestDB. For Azure services that run as a managed identity or a service principal, see [Microsoft Entra ID managed identities and service principals](#accept-managed-identity-and-service-principal-tokens). Microsoft Active Directory and Azure AD, for example, can be turned into an Identity Provider. Specific installation steps depend on the type of the provider. ## Architecture overview Altogether, the architecture appears as such: [Screenshot: Overall architecture](https://questdb.com/docs/images/docs/guide/oidc/oidc-architecture.webp) We can break it down into core components. ### Web Console QuestDB's interactive UI. Users must authenticate before accessing the database via the interface. The [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) uses PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) to secure the authentication and authorization flow. In OAuth2/OIDC terms, the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) is referred to as the _client_, and it is assigned an identifier: the **Client Id**. Each application which integrates via OIDC should be given a different **Client Id**. ### OIDC Provider Typically consists of a number of modules. We are interested in two of them only. 1. The _Identity Provider_ holds user identities and user information, capable of authenticating users, and to issue an ID Token which uniquely identify them. 2. The _Authorization Server_ grants access to resources, such as a database, in the form of access tokens. The OIDC Provider usually integrates with a number of applications which require different access to a number of resources. These clients communicate with the OIDC Provider via its endpoints. It exposes a number of APIs, including the Authorization, Token and User Info endpoints. ### QuestDB The database, in OAuth2/OIDC terms the _protected resource_ or _resource server_. Only processes requests which contain a valid access token. ## Authentication and Authorization Flow The OAuth2/OIDC standard defines different ways of obtaining access and ID tokens from the OIDC Provider, referred to as the "_flow_". The goal of this flow is to get the user, who is sitting in front of the Web Console, authenticated. Then, it allows QuestDB to determine the user's permissions based on user information provided by the Identity Providers. Specifically, the QuestDB [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) uses the `Authorization Code Flow with PKCE` option. It consists of ten steps... ### 1. Secret generation First the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) generates a cryptographically strong random secret called the _code verifier_. The secret is hashed using the _SHA256 algorithm_. The result is the _code challenge_. After PKCE initialization the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) requests an _authorization code_ from the OIDC Provider. It calls the Authorization endpoint with a few parameters, including the: - **Client Id** - requested scopes (the list of scopes are configurable, default is `openid` only) - code challenge - algorithm used to generate the code challenge from the code verifier (SHA256) When the Authorization Server receives the request, it checks if the user has been authenticated already: - If the user has a valid session, it can be provided with an authorization code straight away, so we jump to step 4. - If the user does not have a valid session yet, it will be redirected to the Identity Provider for authentication. ```bash title="Authorization code request example" https://oidc.provider:443/as/authorization.oauth2?client_id=questdb&response_type=code&scope=openid&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fquestdb.host%3A9000&code_challenge=IwZ-WuypAY3fMtvismbj1MQUe5CzMgrBa87nYcgFoLQ&code_challenge_method=S256 ``` ### 2. Prove identity Next, the user must prove its identity. This could be a username with: - a password, - an OTP - facial recognition via a mobile app - or anything else supported by the Identity Provider. [Screenshot: Creating profiles](https://questdb.com/docs/images/docs/guide/oidc/oidc-setup-1.webp) ### 3. Scope consent After successful authentication, the user provides consent for the requested scopes. The list of scopes are configurable. By default the Web Console requests only the `openid` scope which is mandatory for OIDC. No ID Token is issued without it. The OIDC provider can be configured to provide the consent automatically, without presenting the user with an additional screen in the browser. [Screenshot: Openid and profile](https://questdb.com/docs/images/docs/guide/oidc/oidc-setup-2.webp) ### 4. Redirection Consent is granted! The Authorization Server redirects the user back to the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) with the _authorization code_: ```bash title="Authorization code response example" https://questdb.host:9000/?code=1L344XEY5XRka1j4ySNa8bVQSLf71as9uGLEuv_A ``` ### 5. Credential request Now, the QuestDB [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) requests the ID and access tokens from the Token endpoint of the OIDC Provider with the authorization code. It includes the Client ID and the PKCE code verifier together with the authorization code in the request. The endpoint then hashes the code verifier using the method specified previously in step 1. The result must match the code challenge, also provided in step 1. The matching code challenge proves that the token is requested by the client which requested the authorization code, and it was not stolen: ```bash title="Token request example" POST https://oidc.provider:443/as/token.oauth2 HTTP/1.1 Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded grant_type=authorization_code&code=1L344XEY5XRka1j4ySNa8bVQSLf71as9uGLEuv_A&client_id=questdb&&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fquestdb.host%3A9000&code_verifier=uGZh4sQffXLgRna7D-jtEAkuXzp7Lm_okZXBljzP38coAD44kEheIaz7Pdh98KxYtYLZHNiQPCczQYeF ``` ### 6. Credentials received If the PKCE check is passed, the Web Console receives the ID and access tokens. There is a third token in the response too, the refresh token. The refresh token is used by the Web Console to refresh the access token before it expires. Without the refresh token mechanism, the user would be forced to re-authenticate when the access token expires. The validity of the tokens are configurable inside the OIDC Provider. ```json title="Token response example" { "access_token": "gslpJtzmmi6RwaPSx0dYGD4tEkom", "refresh_token": "FUuAAqMp6LSTKmkUd5uZuodhiE4Kr6M7Eyv.eg83ge", "id_token": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6I...", "token_type": "Bearer", "expires_in": 300 // In seconds, thus 5 minutes } ``` ### 7. Database access With the tokens, the Web Console can interact with the database. The access token is in the header of every request sent to QuestDB. With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, the Web Console sends the ID token instead, as described in step 8. :::note Treat the token as a credential, and serve QuestDB over [TLS](/docs/security/tls/). An access token can be opaque, but an ID token is a signed JWT that anyone who holds it can decode, including the user's name and groups. ::: To carry out permission checks, the database has to know more about the user. For this, QuestDB has a User Info Cache. If it finds a valid entry with the access token in the cache, steps 8 and 9 are skipped: ```bash title="Query request example" https://questdb.host:9999/exec?query=select%20current_user() Authorization: Bearer gslpJtzmmi6RwaPSx0dYGD4tEkom ``` ### 8. Find user information No user information in the cache, or stale information? QuestDB uses the access token to request user information from the OIDC Provider's User Info endpoint. This call also serves as token validation. If the token is not real or has been expired, the User Info endpoint replies with an error: ```bash title="User info request example" https://oidc.provider:443/idp/userinfo.openid Authorization: Bearer gslpJtzmmi6RwaPSx0dYGD4tEkom ``` With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, the Web Console sends the ID token instead of the access token, and QuestDB skips this call. It validates the ID token itself, as described in [Token validation](#token-validation), and reads the user information from the token's payload. ### 9. Receive user information If the access token is valid, QuestDB receives the required user information from the endpoint, then updates its cache. The cache improves performance, as QuestDB does not have to turn to the OIDC Provider on every single request. Do note that cache expiry is configurable: ```json title="User info response example with Active Directory groups" { "sub": "externalUser", "name": "External User", "groups": [ "CN=TestGroup1,OU=DC Users,DC=ad,DC=quest,DC=dev", "CN=TestGroup2,OU=DC Users,DC=ad,DC=quest,DC=dev" ] } ``` ### 10. Permission check With the help of the user information, QuestDB can carry out [permission checks](#user-permissions). If the permission check is successful, the database will process the request, and then sends the results back: ```json title="Query response example" { "query": "select current_user()", "columns": [ { "name": "current_user", "type": "STRING" } ], "dataset": [["externalUser"]], "count": 1, "timestamp": -1 } ``` ## Interactive clients Any interactive client - a UI, Jupyter notebook, CLI - can integrate with an OIDC provider. However, the level of support will vary between these tools. Interactive clients usually fall into one of the following categories: - Browser-based clients with support for HTTP redirects; this includes the Web Console or any javascript UI - Applications running in a browser without support for redirects, such as Jupyter notebooks - Non-browser based clients, usually some kind of command line interface (CLI) or a standalone application, such as Microsoft Access ### Browser-based clients If the tool is browser based and can handle HTTP redirects, it can implement two possible flows to request an access token.: 1. [Authorization Code](https://openid.net/specs/openid-connect-core-1_0.html#CodeFlowAuth) flow **(Recommended, more secure)** 2. [Implicit](https://openid.net/specs/openid-connect-core-1_0.html#ImplicitFlowAuth) flow The Web Console implements the [Authorization Code Flow with PKCE](https://oauth.net/2/pkce), which is a special version of the Authorization Code flow designed for mobile apps and single page applications. Regardless of which flow is used by the web or mobile application, the requested access token can be used for authentication and authorization when communicating with QuestDB as explained in the [above 7th step](#7-database-access). ### Jupyter notebook JupyterHub can integrate with OAuth2 providers using OAuthenticator, as described in its [documentation](https://jupyterhub.readthedocs.io/en/stable/explanation/oauth.html). The OAuthenticator documentation also contains [examples](https://oauthenticator.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tutorials/provider-specific-setup/index.html) using different identity providers. If Jupyter notebooks are used without JupyterHub, one option for OAuth2 integration is to use the Resource Owner Password Credentials (ROPC) flow. It is likely that enabling this flow in your OAuth2 provider will require additional setup. :::caution The Resource Owner Password Credentials flow is legacy, and should be used as a last resort. ::: We can use the code below to acquire an access token in our notebook: ```python from urllib import request, parse import json url = "https://oidc.provider:443/as/token.oauth2" data = parse.urlencode( { "grant_type": "password", "username": "testuser", "password": "testpwd", "scope": "openid", "client_id": "testclient" } ).encode() req = request.Request(url=url, data=data) req.add_header("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded") with request.urlopen(req) as f: body = f.read().decode(f.headers.get_content_charset()) resp = json.loads(body) access_token = resp["access_token"] ``` This token can be used to authenticate with QuestDB. With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, use the ID token, `resp["id_token"]`, instead. [Non-interactive clients](#non-interactive-clients) explains which token to send: ```python query = parse.urlencode({ "query": "select current_user()" }) req = request.Request(f"http://localhost:9000/api/v1/sql/execute?{query}") req.add_header("Authorization", f"Bearer {access_token}") with request.urlopen(req) as f: body = f.read().decode(f.headers.get_content_charset()) resp = json.loads(body) print(resp) ``` #### Externalizing credentials The above example saves the user's credentials into the notebook, potentially exposing them to others. One way to improve this is to use environment variables or files to externalize the username and password. Here is an example using the `dotenv` library. First we need to create a file named `.env` with the settings: ```python username=testuser password=testpwd ``` Then load it in our notebook, and use it to request tokens: ```python from dotenv import load_dotenv import os from urllib import request, parse import json load_dotenv() user = os.environ.get("username") pwd = os.environ.get("password") url = "https://oidc.provider:443/as/token.oauth2" data = parse.urlencode( { "grant_type": "password", "username": user, "password": pwd, "scope": "openid", "client_id": "testclient" } ).encode() req = request.Request(url=url, data=data) req.add_header("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded") with request.urlopen(req) as f: body = f.read().decode(f.headers.get_content_charset()) resp = json.loads(body) access_token = resp["access_token"] ``` #### Enable ROPC The Resource Owner Password Credentials flow can be enabled in QuestDB within `server.conf`: ``` acl.oidc.ropc.flow.enabled = true ``` > Note that the flow also has to be configured in the OAuth2/OIDC provider! Now we can use Basic Authentication to simplify our code. We send the credentials to QuestDB, and the database will validate the credentials against the OAuth2 provider. ```python from dotenv import load_dotenv import os from urllib import request import base64 load_dotenv() user = os.environ.get("username") pwd = os.environ.get("password") query = parse.urlencode({ "query": "select current_user()" }) req = request.Request(f"http://localhost:9000/api/v1/sql/execute?{query}") b64credentials = base64.standard_b64encode(f"{user}:{pwd}".encode()).decode() req.add_header("Authorization", f"Basic {b64credentials}") with request.urlopen(req) as f: body = f.read().decode(f.headers.get_content_charset()) resp = json.loads(body) print(resp) ``` We can also use a postgres client to connect to the database: :::note QuestDB never persists the user's credentials. ::: ```python import psycopg as pg from dotenv import load_dotenv import os load_dotenv() user = os.environ.get("username") pwd = os.environ.get("password") conn_str = f"user={user} password={pwd} host=localhost port=8812 dbname=qdb" with pg.connect(conn_str, autocommit=True) as connection: with connection.cursor() as cur: cur.execute("select current_user()") records = cur.fetchall() for row in records: print(row) ``` ### CLI, standalone applications When using CLI tools, such as `psql`, or standalone applications like Microsoft Access, the best option may be the Resource Owner Password Credentials flow. The user logs in with their SSO credentials, and the server validates the details with the OAuth2 provider: ```shell % psql -h localhost -p 8812 -U testuser Password for user testuser: psql (14.2, server 11.3) Type "help" for help. testldap=> testldap=> ``` ## Non-interactive clients Non-interactive clients are usually jobs or standalone applications, such as a client for ingesting data. It is practical to manage their credentials via an OAuth2 provider too. As seen in the Jupyter notebook examples, the clients can request a token themselves and then use it to authorise data ingestion: ```python import json import os import requests import pandas as pd from dotenv import load_dotenv from questdb.ingress import Sender load_dotenv() user = os.environ.get("username") pwd = os.environ.get("password") token_endpoint = "https://oidc.provider:443/as/token.oauth2" response = requests.post(token_endpoint, data={"grant_type": "password", "client_id": "testclient", "username": user, "password": pwd, "scope": "openid"}, headers={"Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"}) response_body = response.content.decode("utf-8") tokens = json.loads(response_body) access_token = tokens["access_token"] conf = f"http::addr=localhost:9000;token={access_token};" with Sender.from_conf(conf) as sender: df = pd.read_csv("data.csv") df["ts"] = pd.to_datetime(df["ts"]) sender.dataframe(df, table_name="foo", at="ts") ``` Alternatively, a user may rely on QuestDB to authenticate them via the OAuth2 provider when the Resource Owner Password Credentials flow is enabled on the server side: ```python import os import pandas as pd from dotenv import load_dotenv from questdb.ingress import Sender load_dotenv() user = os.environ.get("username") pwd = os.environ.get("password") conf = f"http::addr=localhost:9000;username={user};password={pwd};" with Sender.from_conf(conf) as sender: df = pd.read_csv("data.csv") df["ts"] = pd.to_datetime(df["ts"]) sender.dataframe(df, table_name="foo", at="ts") ``` Which token to send depends on where QuestDB reads the user information from: - With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=false`, QuestDB sends the token to the provider's User Info endpoint, so send the access token. Some providers refuse tokens issued to applications at that endpoint. - With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, QuestDB validates the token itself, so send a JWT that passes [Token validation](#token-validation). For a user, that is the ID token, because the provider often issues the access token for another audience. The `aud` claim of an ID token is the client that requested it, so request the token with QuestDB's client ID, the value of `acl.oidc.client.id`. The examples above assume that it is `testclient`. With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, the first example above sends the ID token instead of the access token: ```python conf = f"http::addr=localhost:9000;token={tokens['id_token']};" ``` QuestDB cannot create a table or add a column on ingestion for an external user, so the examples above need the table `foo` to exist, with the columns of `data.csv`. See [Tables created by external users](#tables-created-by-external-users). Tokens that the provider issues to an application, rather than to a user, often carry the principal and the groups under different claim names. To accept both kinds of token with one configuration, list the claims of both. See [Fallback claim lists](#fallback-claim-lists), and for Microsoft Entra ID, [Microsoft Entra ID managed identities and service principals](#accept-managed-identity-and-service-principal-tokens). ## OIDC for the PGWire endpoint If the Resource Owner Password Credentials (ROPC) flow is not an option, we can still authenticate via OIDC on the PGWire endpoint. However, in this case the client's responsibility to source the token required for authentication. This method works wherever a Postgres client library is available, including jupyter notebooks. Token authentication for the PGWire endpoint should be enabled by adding the `acl.oidc.pg.token.as.password.enabled=true` setting to the server configuration. The token should be sent in the password field, while the username field should contain the string `_sso`, or left empty if that is an option: ```python import psycopg as pg token = "token_requested_from_the_oauth2_provider" conn_str = f"user=_sso password={token} host=localhost port=8812 dbname=qdb" with pg.connect(conn_str, autocommit=True) as connection: with connection.cursor() as cur: cur.execute('select current_user()') records = cur.fetchall() for row in records: print(row) ``` ## User permissions QuestDB requires additional user information to be able to construct the user's access list. As a reminder, the access list is the list of permissions that determines what the user can and cannot do. QuestDB itself does not persist external users, nor their passwords or any other authentication related detail. It keeps the groups of each external user's latest login in memory only, as described in [User and group claims](#user-and-group-claims). External users and their authentication methods are managed by the Identity Provider. Since external users are not managed by QuestDB, permissions cannot be granted to them directly. Instead, the database expects a list of groups, called the _groups claim_ to be present in the user information. These external group names are mapped to QuestDB's own groups. The access list of the external user consists of the permissions granted to those groups: [Screenshot: OpenID setup](https://questdb.com/docs/images/docs/guide/oidc/oidc-setup-3.webp) ### Mapping user permissions The mappings between external and QuestDB groups are managed with the following SQL commands: ```questdb-sql title="Create a group which is mapped to an Active Directory group" CREATE GROUP groupName WITH EXTERNAL ALIAS 'CN=TestGroup1,OU=DC Users,DC=ad,DC=quest,DC=dev'; ``` ```questdb-sql title="Map an Active Directory group to an already existing QuestDB group" ALTER GROUP groupName WITH EXTERNAL ALIAS 'CN=TestGroup1,OU=DC Users,DC=ad,DC=quest,DC=dev'; ``` ```questdb-sql title="Remove an Active Directory mapping without deleting the QuestDB group" ALTER GROUP groupName DROP EXTERNAL ALIAS 'CN=TestGroup1,OU=DC Users,DC=ad,DC=quest,DC=dev'; ``` See [`CREATE GROUP`](/docs/query/sql/acl/create-group/) and [`ALTER GROUP`](/docs/query/sql/acl/alter-group/) for the full syntax. External users cannot be given a query memory limit directly; `ALTER USER ... SET MEMORY LIMIT` is rejected for them. Set the limit on the mapped QuestDB group instead; see [memory limits](/docs/security/rbac/#memory-limits). QuestDB works the list of external groups out from the [user information](#user-and-group-claims). If we take the example used earlier, we will see that the message contains a claim called `groups`. This name is configurable in QuestDB, and QuestDB can fall back to other claims when a token does not carry it. See [User and group claims](#user-and-group-claims). If the groups claim is missing or holds no group name, QuestDB rejects the login. See [Troubleshooting OIDC logins](#troubleshooting-oidc-logins). If none of the user's groups is mapped to a QuestDB group, the user is authenticated, but has no permissions at all. The user has to have at least the `HTTP` permission to be able to successfully login via the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/). ```json title="User info response example with Active Directory groups" { "sub": "externalUser", "name": "External User", "groups": [ "CN=TestGroup1,OU=DC Users,DC=ad,DC=quest,DC=dev", "CN=TestGroup2,OU=DC Users,DC=ad,DC=quest,DC=dev" ] } ``` Any change made to the user's group membership in the Identity Provider, QuestDB will adjust the user's access list. :::note There may be a slight delay due to the User Info Cache. QuestDB will use the cached information until it becomes stale, and gets updated. ::: The same stands for changes made to the user's status within the Identity Provider. For example, a disabled user will not be kicked out of QuestDB immediately. The `acl.oidc.cache.ttl` config option drives how often user information should be synchronized with the Identity Providers. It should be set accordingly to your organization's policies. With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, QuestDB reads the groups from the token instead of asking the Identity Provider, so refreshing the cache does not pick up changes. A change to the user's groups or status takes effect when the client presents a new token. Until then, QuestDB accepts the old token for up to 60 seconds plus `acl.oidc.cache.ttl` after it expires, and connections that are already open stay open. See [Token validation](#token-validation). The HTTP session that the Web Console opens at login is not tied to the token. QuestDB accepts requests in the session, with the groups of the user's latest login, until the user logs out or the session has been idle for `http.session.timeout`, 30 minutes by default. ### Tables created by external users When a user creates a table or adds a column, QuestDB grants that user all permissions on it. Permissions cannot be granted to external users, so: - Ingestion, over ILP/HTTP or QWP, cannot create a table or add a column for an external user. Create the tables in advance, with every column that the client sends. - An external user that creates a table or adds a column with SQL must name one of its groups as the owner, with `OWNED BY`. See [`CREATE TABLE`](/docs/query/sql/create-table/#owned-by) and [`ALTER TABLE ADD COLUMN`](/docs/query/sql/alter-table-add-column/#owned-by). ## User and group claims :::warning Requires QuestDB Enterprise 4.0.2 This section describes QuestDB Enterprise 4.0.2 and later. For earlier versions, see [Versions before 4.0.2](#versions-before-402). ::: QuestDB reads two values from the user information of an external user: the principal, which identifies the user, and the groups the user belongs to. The user information is: - By default, the response of the provider's User Info endpoint. - With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, the payload of a JWT: the ID token, for Web Console logins and in the ROPC flow, or the token that a client presents, such as an Entra ID app-only access token. Two settings name the claims that QuestDB reads: - [`acl.oidc.sub.claim`](/docs/configuration/oidc/#acloidcsubclaim) names the claim that carries the principal, `sub` by default. The principal identifies the user in the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/), in the server logs, and in the result of `current_user()`. - [`acl.oidc.groups.claim`](/docs/configuration/oidc/#acloidcgroupsclaim) names the claim that carries the groups, as an array of group names or as a single group name. It has no default and must be set when OIDC is enabled. QuestDB rejects the login when the user information carries no principal or no group. ### Choose the principal claim QuestDB keeps one in-memory external user for each principal, and every login replaces the groups of that user. Two people who resolve to the same principal therefore share one QuestDB user, and a session that is already open, such as a PGWire connection, can run with the groups of whoever logged in last. Pick a claim that identifies one user or service, and that the provider never gives to anyone else: - An object ID, such as `oid` in Microsoft Entra ID, never changes and is never reused, but the Web Console, the logs, and `current_user()` then show an opaque ID. - A username or an email address, such as `preferred_username` in Microsoft Entra ID, is readable, but the provider can change it, and can give the name of a former user to a new one. Microsoft [documents `preferred_username` as mutable](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/id-token-claims-reference). Use such a claim only if your organization never reuses names. Never use a display name, such as the `name` claim, because different people can share one. Changing the claim on an existing deployment gives every user a new principal. Permissions stay the same, because they come from the groups. ### Fallback claim lists Both settings accept a comma-separated list of claim names in priority order, so one configuration can accept tokens that carry the principal and the groups under different claim names. Tokens issued to users and tokens issued to applications often differ this way. For example, Microsoft Entra ID user tokens, configured as in the [Entra ID guide](#microsoft-entraid), carry `preferred_username` and `groups`, while its [app-only tokens](#accept-managed-identity-and-service-principal-tokens) carry `oid` and `roles`: ```ini title="server.conf" acl.oidc.sub.claim=preferred_username,oid acl.oidc.groups.claim=roles,groups ``` QuestDB takes the principal from the first claim on the list that carries a non-empty value, and the groups from the first claim on the list that carries at least one group name. With the configuration above, QuestDB reads these two token payloads, shortened to the relevant claims, as follows: ```json title="Entra ID user token payload" { "sub": "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIkzqFVrSaSaFHy782bbtaQ", "oid": "6f2d8c4e-31a7-4b5e-9c0d-8e1f2a3b4c5d", "preferred_username": "jane.smith@example.com", "groups": ["87654321-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc"] } ``` ```json title="Entra ID app-only token payload" { "sub": "4c9a4e3b-0d6f-4f43-9a8e-27d2b1f0c5a1", "oid": "4c9a4e3b-0d6f-4f43-9a8e-27d2b1f0c5a1", "roles": ["QuestDB.Ingest"] } ``` | Token | Principal | Groups | | -------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | | User | `jane.smith@example.com`, from `preferred_username` | `87654321-...`, from `groups` | | App-only | `4c9a4e3b-...`, from `oid` | `QuestDB.Ingest`, from `roles` | `roles` comes before `groups` because an app-only token can also carry a `groups` claim, and QuestDB takes the groups from the first claim on the list that holds one. See [Microsoft Entra ID managed identities and service principals](#accept-managed-identity-and-service-principal-tokens). ### How QuestDB picks a claim The following rules decide which claim QuestDB uses, for a single claim name and for a list: - The order of the list decides, not the order of the claims in the token. With the configuration in [Fallback claim lists](#fallback-claim-lists), a token that carries both `roles` and `groups` gets its groups from `roles` alone. QuestDB does not combine groups from several claims. - A claim that is missing, `null`, or empty falls through to the next claim on the list. Empty means an empty string, or an empty array for a groups claim. The string `"null"` counts as missing too. - Group names that are `null` or empty are skipped. A groups claim that holds nothing else falls through to the next claim. - Only top-level claims count. A claim nested in another claim is ignored, such as the `roles` that Keycloak puts inside its `realm_access` claim. To use such values, configure the provider to emit them as a top-level claim. - Claim names are case-sensitive. - A listed claim must have the expected shape: a single value, such as a string, for the principal, and a single value or a flat array of values for the groups. A listed claim of any other shape, such as an array in a principal claim or an object in a groups claim, fails the login, even when a claim earlier on the list carries a value. - Claims that are not listed are ignored, whatever their shape. With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, QuestDB validates the token before it applies these rules. See [Token validation](#token-validation). ### Startup validation With OIDC enabled, QuestDB checks both settings at startup. Spaces around claim names are trimmed and empty entries are skipped, so `preferred_username, oid,,sub` reads as `preferred_username,oid,sub`. QuestDB refuses to start when: - `acl.oidc.groups.claim` is not set, or either setting is empty: `required property is not set: acl.oidc.groups.claim`, or the same message for `acl.oidc.sub.claim`. An empty `acl.oidc.sub.claim` does not fall back to the default `sub`. - A setting lists the same claim twice: `claim is listed more than once in acl.oidc.sub.claim [claim=oid]`. - Both settings list the same claim: `claim cannot be listed in both acl.oidc.sub.claim and acl.oidc.groups.claim [claim=oid]`. ## Token validation With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, QuestDB validates the token itself before it reads any claim: - The token must be a JWT whose `kid` header names one of the signing keys that the provider publishes. - Its `aud` claim must match [`acl.oidc.audience`](/docs/configuration/oidc/#acloidcaudience), which defaults to the client ID. The setting takes a single value. A token whose `aud` claim is a list is accepted when the list contains that value. - It must carry an `exp` claim that has not passed. QuestDB allows 60 seconds of clock skew. Versions before 4.0.2 do not check `exp`. See [Versions before 4.0.2](#versions-before-402). - It must carry a non-empty `sub` claim, whatever claims `acl.oidc.sub.claim` lists. QuestDB does not check the issuer (`iss`) or the tenant of the token. It accepts any token that the provider's keys sign for the expected audience, so make sure that no one outside your organization can obtain tokens for the QuestDB application. With Microsoft Entra ID, register the application as single-tenant, as described in [Set up the client application in Entra ID](#set-up-the-client-application-in-entra-id). QuestDB checks a token when a request or a connection authenticates with it, and caches the result for up to [`acl.oidc.cache.ttl`](/docs/configuration/oidc/#acloidccachettl). Because of the clock skew and the cache, QuestDB can accept a token, on new connections too, for up to 60 seconds plus `acl.oidc.cache.ttl` after it expires. After that, it rejects every request and new connection that presents the token. A PGWire or WebSocket connection that is already open stays open when its token expires. With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=false`, QuestDB sends the token to the provider's User Info endpoint, which validates it. See [Find user information](#8-find-user-information). ## Troubleshooting OIDC logins When the user information carries none of the listed principal claims, or none of the listed groups claims, QuestDB rejects the login. HTTP clients receive `401 Unauthorized`, and PGWire clients receive `invalid username/password`. The server log contains `Failed to find required claims`, followed by both lists and the user information QuestDB received: ```text Failed to find required claims [subClaims=[preferred_username,oid], groupsClaims=[roles,groups], userInfo={...}] ``` Compare the claims in `userInfo` with the two lists to find the claim names that your provider uses. A listed claim of an unexpected shape, such as an object in a groups claim, is logged as `Request failed [error=unexpected input format ...]` instead. Versions before 4.0.2 log `Failed to find required claims [claims=sub,groups userInfo=...]`, with the two configured claim names. With Microsoft Entra ID, a user who belongs to more than 200 groups, nested groups included, gets no `groups` claim in the token, so QuestDB rejects the login unless another listed claim carries groups. To avoid this, emit only the groups that are assigned to the application: in the _Token configuration_ of the QuestDB application, select _Groups assigned to the application_, then assign the mapped groups to the application under _Enterprise applications_. A token that fails [token validation](#token-validation) is rejected the same way, but the server log gives the reason instead of the claim lists, for example: ```text Request failed [errorMsg=Failed to decode JWT token Error(InvalidAudience)] Request failed [errorMsg=Failed to decode JWT token Error(ExpiredSignature)] Request failed [errorMsg=Unable to find public key with key id [...]] ``` `InvalidAudience` usually means that the token was requested for another API, or that Entra ID issued a v1.0 access token. See [Microsoft Entra ID managed identities and service principals](#accept-managed-identity-and-service-principal-tokens). Don't set `acl.oidc.audience` to the Application ID URI to work around it: the setting takes a single value, and the ID tokens of Web Console users carry the application ID, so their logins would fail. `Unable to find public key with key id` means that none of the signing keys that the provider publishes matches the token. QuestDB downloads the keys again when it meets a key ID that it does not know, so either another provider issued the token, or QuestDB cannot reach the provider's keys, which it logs as `Unable to download public keys from OIDC provider`. With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=false`, the provider's User Info endpoint rejects a token that is invalid or expired, and QuestDB rejects the login. If the login succeeds but every request is denied, check that at least one of the user's groups is mapped to a QuestDB group that has the endpoint permission. See [Mapping user permissions](#mapping-user-permissions). ## Versions before 4.0.2 QuestDB Enterprise versions before 4.0.2 differ as follows: - They read the whole value of each setting as a single claim name, so a claim list makes every OIDC login fail. - With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, they reject any token that does not carry a `groups` array, whatever `acl.oidc.groups.claim` names. They do not check the `exp` claim, so they accept expired tokens and tokens without an `exp` claim. - They read a `null` claim as the value `null`. Every account whose principal claim is `null` logs in as the same principal, `null`, and `null` and empty group names count as groups. - They reject a login when a claim that is not listed holds an array of objects or nested arrays. - They start with an empty `acl.oidc.sub.claim`, or with the same claim in both settings, and then reject every OIDC login. When you upgrade from an earlier version: - With `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, QuestDB rejects expired tokens and tokens without an `exp` claim. A client that keeps using a token after it expires, such as a client configured with a fixed token, must request a new token before the old one expires. - QuestDB refuses to start with an empty `acl.oidc.sub.claim`, or with a claim that is listed twice or in both settings. See [Startup validation](#startup-validation). - QuestDB rejects logins whose principal claim is `null`, or whose groups claim holds only `null` or empty group names, unless another listed claim carries a value. Earlier versions let them log in. - In a replicated cluster, upgrade every node before you change a setting to a claim list. Earlier versions reject every OIDC login when a setting lists more than one claim. ## Configuration options For all OIDC-related configuration options of QuestDB, see [Configuration](/docs/configuration/oidc/).
## Identity provider guides {#active-directory} The following sections are guides for setting up single sign-on (SSO) with various OAuth2 providers, and for authenticating services with app-only tokens from Microsoft Entra ID. ### PingFederate This document helps set up SSO authentication for the Web Console in [PingFederate](https://www.pingidentity.com/en/platform/capabilities/authentication-authority/pingfederate.html). It is assumed that the Azure Active Directory serves as the Identity Provider (IdP). #### Set up PingFederate client First thing first, let's pick a name for the client! [Screenshot: PingFederate image, naming the client.](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/1.webp) The QuestDB [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) is a SPA (Single Page App). As a result, it cannot store safely a client secret. Instead it can use PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) to secure the flow. As shown above, leave the client authentication disabled. We also have to white list the URL of the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) as a redirection URL: [Screenshot: PingFederate image, redirection URL](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/2.webp) We can instruct PingFederate to automatically authorize the scopes requested by the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/). The user will not be presented the extra window asking for consent after authentication: [Screenshot: PingFederate, bypass approval](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/3.webp) The [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) uses the [Authorization Code Flow](/docs/security/oidc/#authentication-and-authorization-flow), and refreshes tokens automatically. Next, enable the grant types required for this flow: [Screenshot: PingFederate, granting types](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/4.webp) We've selected: - Authorization Code - Refresh Token - Access Token Validation (Client is a Resource Server) After that, select the token manager for the client. The token manager is responsible for issuing access tokens. All token related settings should be configured in the token manager. [Screenshot: Enabling PKCE in the Active Directory OIDC token manager settings](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/5.webp) Finally, enable PKCE - as shown above - and save the settings. #### Access Token Manager settings QuestDB does not require any special setup regarding the access token. We recommend that you do not to use shorter tokens than the default 28 characters. As the QuestDB [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) refreshes the token automatically, there is no need for long-lived tokens: [Screenshot: PingFederate, access token management UI](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/6.webp) We've selected: - Token length: 28 - Token lifetime: 5 - Lifetime extension policy: None - Maximum token lifetime: Null - Lifetime extension threshold percentage: 30 For the next step, we tune the Authorization Server. #### Authorization Server settings These settings relate to the authorization code, refresh token and CORS. [Screenshot: PingFederate, auth server image](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/7.webp) In this section, we've entered: - Authorization code timeout: 60 - Authorization code entropy: 30 - Client secret retention period: 0 Next, ensure the `ROLL REFRESH TOKEN VALUES` option is selected: [Screenshot: PingFederate, auth server settings ui](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/8.webp) It is also important to whitelist the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/)'s URL on the CORS list: [Screenshot: PingFederate, authorization server ui](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/9.webp) #### Set up a Microsoft Entra ID Data Source PingFederate needs a Data Source setup. This is a secure LDAP connection to Microsoft Entra ID, formerly known as Azure Active Directory. The data source needs a: - name - hostname - port - username and password for the LDAP connection [Screenshot: PingFederate, data and credential storage](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/10.webp) We have given it the name EntraDS and it will be applied later. #### Set up a Password Credential Validator Now that PingFederate has an LDAP connection, we can use it for authentication. First, create a Password Credential Validator: [Screenshot: PingFederate, create a PCV view](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/11.webp) We've entered: - Instance name: EntraPCV - Instance ID: EntraPCV - Selected: LDAP Username Password Credential Validator - Parent instance: None Furthermore, we now declare our previously created data source (`EntraDS`): [Screenshot: PingFederate, additional PCV details](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/12.webp) This links our data store (`EntraDS`) to our PCV (`EntraPCV`). #### Set up an Identity Provider We can use our PCV once we set up an Identity Provider. The IdP will be used to authenticate users against Active Directory using the LDAP connection. We do this in the Type subsection: [Screenshot: PingFederate, IdP adapters](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/13.webp) Next, in the IdP Adapter section... Click: Add a new row to Credential Validators. Select the PCV (`EntraPCV`) we created. Optionally alter number of retries: [Screenshot: PingFederate, selecting PCV](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/14.webp) #### Add groups to OIDC policy management QuestDB now needs to know about the user's AD group memberships to find their permissions. Groups are passed to QuestDB inside the User Info object in a custom claim. This has to be added in the OpenID Connect Policy Management. The field is Multi-Valued, because it is a list of group names. Under the Attribute Contract subsection, see: [Screenshot: PingFederate, Attribute Contract subsection](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/15.webp) Next, click to the Attribute Scopes subsection. Ensure `groups` is among the `openid` attributes: [Screenshot: PingFederate, Attribute Scopes](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/16.webp) Onwards to the Attribute Sources & User Lookup Section. From this view, you can add local data stores. Note item `test` of type of LDAP: [Screenshot: PingFederate, Attribute Sources & User Lookup ui](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/17.webp) We created it via the following choices in Add Attribute Source: [Screenshot: PingFederate, Add Attribute Source ui](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/18.webp) Note where we specified the Data Store (`EntraDS`). This is also where the directory search parameters are defined. Back at the Attribute Sources & User Lookup Section section, note we have set `email`. The source is `LDAP (test)`, while the value is `usePrincipalName`: [Screenshot: PingFederate, Policy Management ui](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/19.webp) And finally! In the same Attribute Sources & User Lookup Section... Find `groups`. Note the definition of Source (`LDAP (test)`) that bridges our various parts. The value is `memberOf`. [Screenshot: PingFederate, associating groups with the source](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory/20.webp) #### Enable Resource Owner Password Credentials (ROPC) flow As described in the [OIDC operations document](/docs/security/oidc/#enable-ropc) tools - such as `psql` - can be integrated with the OIDC provider using the ROPC flow. When setting this flow up, enable the Resource Owner Password Credentials flow in the client settings. Next, create a Resource Owner Credentials Grant Mapping to map values obtained from the Password Credential Validator (PCV) into the persistent grants. When setting this up, select the previously created LDAP Data Source and IdP Adapter, which links to the existing PCV. Then select the `username` attribute of the PCV as `USER_KEY`. #### Confirm QuestDB mappings and login QuestDB requires a mapping, as laid out in the [OIDC operations document](/docs/security/oidc/#mapping-user-permissions). If a given user has the HTTP permission, they will be able to now login via the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/). To test, head to `http://localhost:9000` and login. If all has been wired up well, then login will succeed.
### Microsoft Entra ID {#microsoft-entraid} This document sets up SSO authentication for the [QuestDB Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) in [Microsoft Entra ID](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/business/identity-access/microsoft-entra-id), formerly known as Azure AD. To also let services that run as a managed identity or a service principal call QuestDB with app-only tokens, complete this setup, then follow [Microsoft Entra ID managed identities and service principals](#accept-managed-identity-and-service-principal-tokens). :::tip To enlarge the images, click or tap them. ::: #### Set up the client application in Entra ID First thing first, let's pick a name for the client! Then head to _Microsoft Entra Admin Center_, and register the application under _Identity - App registrations - New registration_. Under _Supported account types_, select _Accounts in this organizational directory only_. QuestDB does not check which tenant issued a token, so the application must not accept accounts from other tenants. See [Token validation](#token-validation). [Screenshot: EntraID image, app registration.](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/1_app_registration.webp) The QuestDB [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) is a SPA (Single Page App). As a result, it cannot store safely a client secret. Instead, it can use PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) to secure the flow. When registering the application, select the SPA platform. We also have to specify the URL of the [Web Console](/docs/getting-started/web-console/overview/) as Redirect URI. [Screenshot: EntraID image, SPA and redirection URI](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/2_spa_redirect_uri.webp) After clicking _Register_, we have created a client application with the name _QuestDB_. Each application is assigned a unique id (known as Client ID in the OAuth2 - OIDC standard). The client will identify itself with this id when sending requests to Entra ID. [Screenshot: EntraID image, application ID](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/3_application_id.webp) We find the platform configurations under _Authentication_. This is the place where the previously set redirect URI can be viewed and modified. We can also specify additional redirect URIs, if necessary. The redirect URIs of the application are automatically eligible for the _Authorization Code Flow with PKCE_, which is a special version of the OAuth2 standard's Authorization Code Flow. It is specifically designed for applications where a client secret (e.g. a password) could not be kept safely. As single page applications run in the browser, they fall into this category. The redirect URIs are also added to the _CORS_ (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) policy of Entra ID. CORS is a mechanism to allow a web page, such as the Web Console, to access resources from a different domain than the one that served the page. In this context this means that we let the Web Console to access Entra ID, while its origin is the HTTP endpoint of QuestDB. [Screenshot: EntraID image, PKCE and CORS](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/4_cors_pkce.webp) If we scroll down to the bottom of this page, we can also find a section where we can enable the _Resource Owner Password Credential Flow_. This OAuth2 flow is legacy, and should be enabled only if there is a requirement of connecting to QuestDB using SSO (Single Sign-On) via clients not supporting redirect based web flows. This could mean a Postgres client without OAuth2 integration, such as _psql_, or a standalone in-house client application, or could be just a jupyter notebook. The main issue with this flow is that the client application has to be trusted with the user's login details. The user's credentials are passed to the application, in this case to QuestDB, and the client application uses these credentials to authenticate the user by forwarding them to the identity provider, in this case to Entra ID. It is guaranteed that QuestDB does not store the user's credentials in any way. They are not persisted into the database, not even in encrypted form. The login details are treated as passthrough information. Only exception is that server logs can contain the username, logged for audit purposes. [Screenshot: EntraID image, enable ROPC](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/5_ropc.webp) Our next stop is the _Token configuration_, where the OAuth2/OIDC access and ID tokens can be customized. Note that users can be authenticated without customized tokens, but authorization would prove to be challenging. The user's security groups are not included in the tokens by default. QuestDB can be configured to request the user's groups from the UserInfo endpoint of the OAuth2 server, but Entra ID cannot be configured to provide this information via the UserInfo endpoint. Therefore, we choose to customize the tokens, QuestDB will decode and validate the ID token, and take the group information from there. QuestDB authorization relies on receiving the group memberships of the user. Entra ID groups should be mapped to QuestDB groups, and permissions can be granted to the QuestDB groups. Detailed information about group mappings can be found in the [OIDC integration](/docs/security/oidc/#user-permissions) documentation. [Screenshot: EntraID image, token customization](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/6_token_customization.webp) The customized tokens contain user information which cannot be accessed without permission. User information is provided by Microsoft Graph, so the client application needs specific permissions to access Microsoft Graph APIs. These permissions can be configured under _API permissions_. It is important to note that we will be setting _Delegated_ permissions here, meaning we are not granting actual permissions to access user data. Instead, each user logging into QuestDB will have to consent to accessing their user profile. [Screenshot: EntraID image, API permissions](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/7_API_permissions.webp) By default, the _User.Read_ permission is added to the list, but what we really need is: - openid: to be able to issue ID tokens - profile: to access user information - offline_access: to be able to issue refresh tokens By clicking on _Microsoft Graph_ we can select and add these permissions. [Screenshot: EntraID image, add openid permissions](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/8_add_openid_permissions.webp) The _User.Read_ permission is not needed. It can be removed by clicking on the `...` at the end of the row, and selecting _Remove permission_ from the popup menu. [Screenshot: EntraID image, permissions final](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/9_permissions_final.webp) With this we have finished setting up the QuestDB client application in Entra ID, and now we can wire QuestDB and Entra ID together by adding OIDC configuration to QuestDB. #### QuestDB configuration The below should be set in QuestDB's `server.conf`: ```shell # enable OIDC acl.oidc.enabled=true # the claim contains the user's sign-in name acl.oidc.sub.claim=preferred_username # the claim contains the user's group memberships acl.oidc.groups.claim=groups # groups are encoded in the token acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true # OIDC configuration endpoint of Entra ID acl.oidc.configuration.url=https://login.microsoftonline.com/12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc/v2.0/.well-known/openid-configuration # application ID taken from Entra ID acl.oidc.client.id=8de84b90-1ea5-4e41-9e84-dba860aa01a6 # redirect URI, QuestDB's HTTP endpoint acl.oidc.redirect.uri=http://localhost:9000 # OAuth scopes the user has to consent to acl.oidc.scope=openid profile offline_access # enable ROPC flow # optional, required only if ROPC is enabled in Entra ID acl.oidc.ropc.flow.enabled=true ``` `preferred_username` shows the user's sign-in name in the Web Console and in the logs. Entra ID can change a sign-in name, and can give it to a new user later. To identify users by an object ID that never changes, set `acl.oidc.sub.claim=oid`. See [Choose the principal claim](#choose-the-principal-claim). The application ID and the OIDC configuration endpoint's URL can be found in the Overview of the application in Entra ID. The application ID is displayed right under the application's name, the OIDC configuration endpoint is displayed on the panel which opens up when the _Endpoints_ button is clicked. [Screenshot: EntraID image, overview](https://questdb.com/docs/images/guides/active-directory-entraid/10_overview.webp) #### Map groups and grant permissions Now we can start QuestDB, and login with the built-in admin to create group mappings. As mentioned earlier, authorization works by mapping Entra ID groups to QuestDB groups. When the user logs in, QuestDB decodes Entra ID group memberships from the token, then finds the QuestDB groups mapped to them, and the user gets the permissions based on the mapped groups. ```questdb-sql title="Create a group which is mapped to an Entra ID group" CREATE GROUP extUsers WITH EXTERNAL ALIAS '87654321-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc'; ``` The above command maps the Entra ID group identified by object id `87654321-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc` to a QuestDB group called `extUsers`. We should grant the necessary QuestDB endpoint permissions first to make sure users can access the Web Console, Postgres and ILP interfaces as required. [Read more about endpoint permissions](/docs/security/rbac/#endpoint-permissions). ```questdb-sql title="Grant endpoint permissions" GRANT HTTP, PGWIRE TO groupName; ``` Now we can grant the rest of the permissions as required. We can grant access to tables, for example. ```questdb-sql title="Grant database permissions" GRANT SELECT ON table1, table2 to groupName; ``` #### Confirm group mappings and login To test, head to the Web Console and login. If all has been wired up well, then login will succeed, and the user will have the access granted to them. ### Microsoft Entra ID managed identities and service principals {#accept-managed-identity-and-service-principal-tokens} Azure services that run as a managed identity or a service principal can authenticate to QuestDB with app-only access tokens from Entra ID, next to the users who log in to the Web Console. Each service gets the permissions of the QuestDB groups that its app roles map to. :::warning Requires QuestDB Enterprise 4.0.2 Accepting app-only tokens requires QuestDB Enterprise 4.0.2 or later. On earlier versions, the configuration below rejects every OIDC login, user logins included. ::: This setup builds on the Web Console setup above: the application registered in [Set up the client application in Entra ID](#set-up-the-client-application-in-entra-id), and the [QuestDB configuration](#questdb-configuration). App-only tokens identify the caller by the object ID of its service principal, in the `oid` claim, and list the [app roles](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/howto-add-app-roles-in-apps) assigned to it in the `roles` claim. They carry no `name` or `preferred_username` claim. If the service principal is a member of a security group, its token also carries a `groups` claim, because the QuestDB application emits group claims, as set up under _Token configuration_ in [Set up the client application in Entra ID](#set-up-the-client-application-in-entra-id). QuestDB treats the service as an external user, not as a QuestDB [service account](/docs/security/rbac/#users-and-service-accounts), so permissions cannot be granted to it directly. With the configuration below, when its token carries no role but carries a `groups` claim, the service gets the permissions of its Entra ID security groups instead. See [Restrict access to app roles](#restrict-access-to-app-roles). #### Configure the application in Entra ID 1. Make sure that the application is single-tenant, as described in [Token validation](#token-validation). An app role has the same value in every tenant that uses the application, so with a multitenant registration, another tenant could assign the role to its own service principals, and QuestDB would map their tokens to the same QuestDB groups. 2. Under _Expose an API_, set the Application ID URI, which defaults to `api://`. Services request their tokens for the scope `/.default`. A token requested for any other API, such as Microsoft Graph, carries that API in `aud`, and QuestDB rejects it. 3. Make the application issue v2.0 access tokens: in its _Manifest_, set `api.requestedAccessTokenVersion` to `2`. The legacy manifest format calls this property `accessTokenAcceptedVersion`. The `aud` claim of a v2.0 token always carries the application ID, which [Token validation](#token-validation) checks. A v1.0 token, the default for applications that accept organizational accounts only, can carry the Application ID URI instead. Web Console logins are not affected, because the Web Console presents ID tokens. 4. Under _App roles_, define a role for each kind of access, with the _Applications_ member type. The examples below use the value `QuestDB.Ingest`. 5. Assign a role to each managed identity or service principal that needs access. Assign the role to the identity itself: Entra ID does not add a role assigned to a group to the tokens of the service principals in that group. - For the service principal of an app registration, open that registration, not the QuestDB one. Under _API permissions_, select _Add a permission_, _APIs my organization uses_, the QuestDB application, and _Application permissions_. Add the role, and grant admin consent. - For a managed identity, assign the role through Microsoft Graph, as described in [Assign a managed identity to an application role](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/managed-identities-azure-resources/how-to-assign-app-role-managed-identity). #### Configure QuestDB Replace the two claim settings of the [QuestDB configuration](#questdb-configuration) with fallback lists, and restart QuestDB. Keep `acl.oidc.groups.encoded.in.token=true`, so that QuestDB validates app-only tokens against the signing keys of Entra ID, the same way as ID tokens: ```ini title="server.conf" # user tokens carry preferred_username, app-only tokens carry oid acl.oidc.sub.claim=preferred_username,oid # app-only tokens carry roles, user tokens carry groups acl.oidc.groups.claim=roles,groups ``` User logins take the principal from `preferred_username` and the groups from `groups`, as before. Their tokens carry no `roles` claim, as long as the app roles of the QuestDB application admit applications only. App-only tokens take the principal from `oid` and the groups from `roles`, even when they also carry a `groups` claim. QuestDB rejects a token that carries neither a role nor a group. See [How QuestDB picks a claim](#how-questdb-picks-a-claim). If your QuestDB configuration sets `acl.oidc.sub.claim=oid`, as described in [Choose the principal claim](#choose-the-principal-claim), keep it: app-only tokens carry `oid` too, so only `acl.oidc.groups.claim` needs a list. #### Map app roles to QuestDB groups QuestDB cannot create a table or add a column on ingestion for the service, because the service is an external user. See [Tables created by external users](#tables-created-by-external-users). As the admin, create the tables that the service writes to, with every column that it sends: ```questdb-sql title="Create fx_trades before the service writes to it" CREATE TABLE fx_trades ( timestamp TIMESTAMP_NS, symbol SYMBOL, side SYMBOL, price DOUBLE, quantity DOUBLE ) TIMESTAMP(timestamp) PARTITION BY DAY; ``` Map each app role to a QuestDB group by the role's value, the same way as an Entra ID group, and grant the group what the service needs. A service that ingests over HTTP or [QWP](/docs/connect/wire-protocols/qwp-ingress-websocket/) needs the `HTTP` endpoint permission and `INSERT` on its tables: ```questdb-sql title="Map an app role to a group that ingests into fx_trades" CREATE GROUP ingestApps WITH EXTERNAL ALIAS 'QuestDB.Ingest'; GRANT HTTP TO ingestApps; GRANT INSERT ON fx_trades TO ingestApps; ``` A service that queries its tables also needs `SELECT` on them, and a service that connects to the [PGWire endpoint](#oidc-for-the-pgwire-endpoint) also needs the `PGWIRE` endpoint permission. See [Endpoint permissions](/docs/security/rbac/#endpoint-permissions) for the other endpoints. #### Restrict access to app roles Unless _Assignment required_ is enabled for the QuestDB application, any service principal in the tenant can get a token for QuestDB. A token without a role falls back to the `groups` claim, so a service principal in a mapped security group gets the permissions of that group without an app role. To make an app role the only way for a service to get permissions, do one of the following: - Keep managed identities and service principals out of the security groups that are mapped to QuestDB groups. - Enable _Assignment required_ in the _Properties_ of the QuestDB application, under _Enterprise applications_. Users then need an assignment too, directly or through a group, to log in to the Web Console. Entra ID also stops asking users for consent, so [grant tenant-wide admin consent](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/enterprise-apps/grant-admin-consent) to the QuestDB application, or users cannot log in. #### Request a token in the service The service requests its token for the QuestDB application. With the [Azure Identity library](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/python/api/overview/azure/identity-readme) for Python, `DefaultAzureCredential` requests the token as the managed identity of the Azure resource that the service runs on, or as a service principal set up in environment variables. For a user-assigned managed identity, set the `AZURE_CLIENT_ID` environment variable to the client ID of the identity. Otherwise, the credential uses the system-assigned identity. The examples use the QWP API of the `questdb` package, version 5.0 or later. Install the libraries with `python3 -m pip install -U questdb azure-identity pandas`. pandas is only needed for `to_pandas()` in [Verify the setup](#verify-the-setup): ```python title="Ingest into fx_trades with an app-only token" import questdb from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential from questdb import TimestampNanos # Application ID URI of the QuestDB application, followed by /.default scope = "api://8de84b90-1ea5-4e41-9e84-dba860aa01a6/.default" credential = DefaultAzureCredential() token = credential.get_token(scope) conf = f"wss::addr=questdb.example.com:9000;token={token.token};" with questdb.connect(conf) as db: with db.sender() as sender: sender.row( "fx_trades", symbols={"symbol": "EURUSD", "side": "buy"}, columns={"price": 1.0842, "quantity": 100000.0}, at=TimestampNanos.now(), ) sender.flush(wait=True) ``` `flush(wait=True)` returns when the server has accepted the rows. Rows that the server rejects, for example because the group lacks `INSERT` on the table, go to the error handler of the connection, which logs them by default. See [Server rejections](/docs/connect/clients/python/#server-rejections). The client presents the same token on every connection that it opens: the first one, the additional connections of its pool, and the connections that replace a failed one. Shortly after the token expires, QuestDB rejects these new connections, as described in [Token validation](#token-validation). A long-running service must therefore switch to a new token before the old one expires: it connects with the new token, then closes the old handle. `token.expires_on` is a Unix timestamp. The credential caches the token in memory, and requests a new one when the cached token expires within 5 minutes, or earlier when the token's refresh time has passed, so calling `get_token()` often is cheap. The following example looks for a new token in the last 10 minutes of the old one. When it cannot get a new token or connect with it, it keeps the old token and handle, and tries again with the next batch: ```python title="Keep ingesting across token expiry" import time import questdb from azure.core.exceptions import AzureError from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential from questdb import QuestDBError, TimestampNanos SCOPE = "api://8de84b90-1ea5-4e41-9e84-dba860aa01a6/.default" ADDR = "questdb.example.com:9000" # look for a new token when the old one expires within this many seconds REFRESH_MARGIN_SECONDS = 600 credential = DefaultAzureCredential() def on_rejection(error): # rows that the server rejected, for example for a missing grant print("rejected:", error.category.tag, error.message) def connect(token): conf = f"wss::addr={ADDR};token={token.token};" return questdb.connect(conf, error_handler=on_rejection) def renew(token, db): # returns the token and the handle to use from now on try: new_token = credential.get_token(SCOPE) # the credential returns the cached token until it renews it if new_token.token == token.token: return token, db new_db = connect(new_token) except (AzureError, QuestDBError) as e: # keep the old token and handle, and try again with the next batch print("token renewal failed:", e) return token, db db.close() return new_token, new_db def next_trades(): # replace with your source of trades time.sleep(1) return [("EURUSD", "buy", 1.0842, 100000.0)] token = credential.get_token(SCOPE) db = connect(token) try: while True: trades = next_trades() if time.time() > token.expires_on - REFRESH_MARGIN_SECONDS: token, db = renew(token, db) with db.sender() as sender: for symbol, side, price, quantity in trades: sender.row( "fx_trades", symbols={"symbol": symbol, "side": side}, columns={"price": price, "quantity": quantity}, at=TimestampNanos.now(), ) sender.flush(wait=True) finally: db.close() ``` See [Authentication and TLS](/docs/connect/clients/python/#authentication-and-tls) for the client options. For the [PGWire endpoint](#oidc-for-the-pgwire-endpoint), enable `acl.oidc.pg.token.as.password.enabled`, and send the token as the password of the `_sso` user. #### Verify the setup `current_user()` returns the principal that QuestDB sees for the service: the object ID of its service principal, from the `oid` claim. For a managed identity, that is the _Object (principal) ID_ that the Azure portal shows for the identity, not its client ID. Run the query from the service while it is connected: ```python title="Check the principal of the service" with db.query("SELECT current_user()") as result: print(result.to_pandas()) ``` If the service cannot connect, the server log gives the reason, as described in [Troubleshooting OIDC logins](#troubleshooting-oidc-logins). For a token that carries neither a role nor a group, the log lists the claims that the token carries. #### Change or revoke access QuestDB reads the roles from the token, so a change to the roles of a service takes effect when the service presents a new token. Azure caches managed identity tokens for around 24 hours, so a role assigned to, or removed from, a managed identity can take hours to reach QuestDB. See the [managed identity best practices](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/managed-identities-azure-resources/managed-identity-best-practice-recommendations). To cut a service off without waiting for its token to expire, revoke the permissions of its QuestDB group. This cuts off every service that holds the app role, so to cut off one service at a time, give each service an app role, and a QuestDB group, of its own.