An ACL (Access Control List) is a list of permissions used to control access rights in a system. In Kafka, ACLs can be applied to resources such as topics, clusters, and consumer groups to restrict access, so that only the authorized clients with specific permissions can access them.
Why is ACL configuration necessary?
Setting up ACLs in Kafka is crucial for security. Without ACLs, all users can access resources, which increases security risks. Moreover, if ACLs are enabled but no permissions are set for certain resources, only the super users can access those resources, while disabling regular users.
Thus, inaccurate ACL settings can lead to improper management of Kafka resources, so it is important to beware.
mKC provides an ACL management feature for clusters with authentication and authorization configured. Additionally, if the cluster security setup includes the SCRAM mechanism, it can be managed in integration with SCRAM Credentials.
To add new permissions, open the Access Control List page and click Add button to bring up the Add new permission modal.