Concepts - Access and identity in Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS) - Azure Kubernetes Service By palma21 Archived: 2026-04-05 13:57:57 UTC You can authenticate, authorize, secure, and control access to Kubernetes clusters in a variety of ways: Using Kubernetes role-based access control (Kubernetes RBAC), you can grant users, groups, and service accounts access to only the resources they need. With Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), you can further enhance the security and permissions structure using Microsoft Entra ID and Azure RBAC. Kubernetes RBAC and AKS help you secure your cluster access and provide only the minimum required permissions to developers and operators. This article introduces the core concepts that help you authenticate and assign permissions in AKS. Kubernetes RBAC Kubernetes RBAC provides granular filtering of user actions. With this control mechanism: You assign users or user groups permission to create and modify resources or view logs from running application workloads. You can scope permissions to a single namespace or across the entire AKS cluster. You create roles to define permissions, and then assign those roles to users with role bindings. For more information, see Using Kubernetes RBAC authorization. Roles and ClusterRoles Roles Before assigning permissions to users with Kubernetes RBAC, you'll define user permissions as a Role. Grant permissions within a namespace using roles. Note Kubernetes roles grant permissions; they don't deny permissions. To grant permissions across the entire cluster or to cluster resources outside a given namespace, you can instead use ClusterRoles. ClusterRoles A ClusterRole grants and applies permissions to resources across the entire cluster, not a specific namespace. RoleBindings and ClusterRoleBindings Once you've defined roles to grant permissions to resources, you assign those Kubernetes RBAC permissions with a RoleBinding. If your AKS cluster integrates with Microsoft Entra ID, RoleBindings grant permissions to Microsoft Entra users to perform actions within the cluster. See how in Control access to cluster resources using Kubernetes role-based access control and Microsoft Entra identities. RoleBindings https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 1 of 12 Assign roles to users for a given namespace using RoleBindings. With RoleBindings, you can logically segregate a single AKS cluster, only enabling users to access the application resources in their assigned namespace. To bind roles across the entire cluster, or to cluster resources outside a given namespace, you instead use ClusterRoleBindings. ClusterRoleBinding With a ClusterRoleBinding, you bind roles to users and apply to resources across the entire cluster, not a specific namespace. This approach lets you grant administrators or support engineers access to all resources in the AKS cluster. Note Microsoft/AKS performs any cluster actions with user consent under a built-in Kubernetes role aks-service and built-in role binding aks-service-rolebinding . This role enables AKS to troubleshoot and diagnose cluster issues, but can't modify permissions nor create roles or role bindings, or other high privilege actions. Role access is only enabled under active support tickets with just-in-time (JIT) access. Read more about AKS support policies. Kubernetes service accounts Service accounts are one of the primary user types in Kubernetes. The Kubernetes API holds and manages service accounts. Service account credentials are stored as Kubernetes secrets, allowing them to be used by authorized pods to communicate with the API Server. Most API requests provide an authentication token for a service account or a normal user account. Normal user accounts allow more traditional access for human administrators or developers, not just services and processes. While Kubernetes doesn't provide an identity management solution to store regular user accounts and passwords, you can integrate external identity solutions into Kubernetes. For AKS clusters, this integrated identity solution is Microsoft Entra ID. For more information on the identity options in Kubernetes, see Kubernetes authentication. Azure role-based access control Azure role-based access control (RBAC) is an authorization system built on Azure Resource Manager that provides fine-grained access management of Azure resources. RBAC system Description Kubernetes RBAC Designed to work on Kubernetes resources within your AKS cluster. Azure RBAC Designed to work on resources within your Azure subscription. With Azure RBAC, you create a role definition that outlines the permissions to be applied. You then assign a user or group this role definition via a role assignment for a particular scope. The scope can be an individual resource, a resource group, or across the subscription. For more information, see What is Azure role-based access control (Azure RBAC)? There are two levels of access needed to fully operate an AKS cluster: Access the AKS resource in your Azure subscription. Control scaling or upgrading your cluster using the AKS APIs. Pull your kubeconfig . Access to the Kubernetes API. This access is controlled by either: Kubernetes RBAC (traditionally). Integrating Azure RBAC with AKS for Kubernetes authorization. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 2 of 12 With Azure RBAC, you can provide your users (or identities) with granular access to AKS resources across one or more subscriptions. For example, you could use the Azure Kubernetes Service Contributor role to scale and upgrade your cluster. Meanwhile, another user with the Azure Kubernetes Service Cluster Admin role only has permission to pull the Admin kubeconfig . Use Azure RBAC to define access to the Kubernetes configuration file in AKS. Azure RBAC for Kubernetes Authorization With the Azure RBAC integration, AKS will use a Kubernetes Authorization webhook server so you can manage Microsoft Entra integrated Kubernetes cluster resource permissions and assignments using Azure role definition and role assignments. As shown in the above diagram, when using the Azure RBAC integration, all requests to the Kubernetes API will follow the same authentication flow as explained on the Microsoft Entra integration section. If the identity making the request exists in Microsoft Entra ID, Azure will team with Kubernetes RBAC to authorize the request. If the identity exists outside of Microsoft Entra ID (i.e., a Kubernetes service account), authorization will defer to the normal Kubernetes RBAC. In this scenario, you use Azure RBAC mechanisms and APIs to assign users built-in roles or create custom roles, just as you would with Kubernetes roles. With this feature, you not only give users permissions to the AKS resource across subscriptions, but you also configure the role and permissions for inside each of those clusters controlling Kubernetes API access. For example, you can grant the Azure Kubernetes Service RBAC Reader role on the subscription scope. The role recipient will be able to list and get all Kubernetes objects from all clusters without modifying them. Built-in roles AKS provides the following four built-in roles. They are similar to the Kubernetes built-in roles with a few differences, like supporting CRDs. See the full list of actions allowed by each Azure built-in role. Role Description Azure Kubernetes Service RBAC Reader Allows read-only access to see most objects in a namespace. Doesn't allow viewing roles or role bindings. Doesn't allow viewing Secrets . Reading the Secrets contents enables access to ServiceAccount credentials in the namespace, which would allow API access as any ServiceAccount in the namespace (a form of privilege escalation). Azure Kubernetes Service RBAC Writer Allows read/write access to most objects in a namespace. Doesn't allow viewing or modifying roles, or role bindings. Allows accessing Secrets and running pods as any ServiceAccount in the namespace, so it can be used to gain the API access levels of any ServiceAccount in the namespace. Azure Kubernetes Service RBAC Admin Allows admin access, intended to be granted within a namespace. Allows read/write access to most resources in a namespace (or cluster scope), including the https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 3 of 12 Role Description ability to create roles and role bindings within the namespace. Doesn't allow write access to resource quota or to the namespace itself. Azure Kubernetes Service RBAC Cluster Admin Allows super-user access to perform any action on any resource. Gives full control over every resource in the cluster and in all namespaces. Microsoft Entra integration Enhance your AKS cluster security with Microsoft Entra integration. Built on decades of enterprise identity management, Microsoft Entra ID is a multi-tenant, cloud-based directory and identity management service that combines core directory services, application access management, and identity protection. With Microsoft Entra ID, you can integrate on-premises identities into AKS clusters to provide a single source for account management and security. With Microsoft Entra integrated AKS clusters, you can grant users or groups access to Kubernetes resources within a namespace or across the cluster. 1. To obtain a kubectl configuration context, a user runs the az aks get-credentials command. 2. When a user interacts with the AKS cluster with kubectl , they're prompted to sign in with their Microsoft Entra credentials. This approach provides a single source for user account management and password credentials. The user can only access the resources as defined by the cluster administrator. Microsoft Entra authentication is provided to AKS clusters with OpenID Connect. OpenID Connect is an identity layer built on top of the OAuth 2.0 protocol. For more information on OpenID Connect, see the OpenID Connect documentation. From inside of the Kubernetes cluster, Webhook Token Authentication is used to verify authentication tokens. Webhook token authentication is configured and managed as part of the AKS cluster. Webhook and API server https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 4 of 12 As shown in the graphic above, the API server calls the AKS webhook server and performs the following steps: 1. kubectl uses the Microsoft Entra client application to sign in users with OAuth 2.0 device authorization grant flow. 2. Microsoft Entra ID provides an access_token, id_token, and a refresh_token. 3. The user makes a request to kubectl with an access_token from kubeconfig . 4. kubectl sends the access_token to API Server. 5. The API Server is configured with the Auth WebHook Server to perform validation. 6. The authentication webhook server confirms the JSON Web Token signature is valid by checking the Microsoft Entra public signing key. 7. If the user is a member of more than 200 groups, the server application uses user-provided credentials to query group memberships of the logged-in user from the MS Graph API. For users with group memberships of 200 or fewer the groups claim already exists in the client token. No query will be performed. 8. A response is sent to the API Server with user information such as the user principal name (UPN) claim of the access token, and the group membership of the user based on the object ID. 9. The API performs an authorization decision based on the Kubernetes Role/RoleBinding. 10. Once authorized, the API server returns a response to kubectl . 11. kubectl provides feedback to the user. Learn how to integrate AKS with Microsoft Entra ID with our AKS-managed Microsoft Entra integration how-to guide. AKS service permissions When creating a cluster, AKS generates or modifies resources it needs (like VMs and NICs) to create and run the cluster on behalf of the user. This identity is distinct from the cluster's identity permission, which is created during cluster creation. Identity creating and operating the cluster permissions The following permissions are needed by the identity creating and operating the cluster. Permission Reason Microsoft.Compute/diskEncryptionSets/read Required to read disk encryption set ID. Microsoft.Compute/proximityPlacementGroups/write Required for updating proximity placement groups. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 5 of 12 Permission Reason Microsoft.Network/applicationGateways/read Microsoft.Network/applicationGateways/write Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/subnets/join/action Required to configure application gateways and join the subnet. Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/subnets/join/action Required to configure the Network Security Group for the subnet when using a custom VNET. Microsoft.Network/publicIPAddresses/join/action Microsoft.Network/publicIPPrefixes/join/action Required to configure the outbound public IPs on the Standard Load Balancer. Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/sharedkeys/read Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/read Microsoft.OperationsManagement/solutions/write Microsoft.OperationsManagement/solutions/read Microsoft.ManagedIdentity/userAssignedIdentities/assign/action Required to create and update Log Analytics workspaces and Azure monitoring for containers. Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/joinLoadBalancer/action Required to configure the IP-based Load Balancer Backend Pools. AKS cluster identity permissions The following permissions are used by the AKS cluster identity, which is created and associated with the AKS cluster. Each permission is used for the reasons below: Permission Rea Microsoft.ContainerService/managedClusters/* Req crea and the Microsoft.Network/loadBalancers/delete Microsoft.Network/loadBalancers/read Microsoft.Network/loadBalancers/write Req con load for Loa serv Microsoft.Network/publicIPAddresses/delete Microsoft.Network/publicIPAddresses/read Microsoft.Network/publicIPAddresses/write Req find con pub a Loa serv Microsoft.Network/publicIPAddresses/join/action Req con pub a Loa serv Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/read Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/write Req crea dele https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 6 of 12 Permission Rea secu for Loa serv Microsoft.Compute/disks/delete Microsoft.Compute/disks/read Microsoft.Compute/disks/write Microsoft.Compute/locations/DiskOperations/read Req con Azu Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/delete Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/listKeys/action Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/read Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/write Microsoft.Storage/operations/read Req con stor acco Azu Azu Microsoft.Network/routeTables/read Microsoft.Network/routeTables/routes/delete Microsoft.Network/routeTables/routes/read Microsoft.Network/routeTables/routes/write Microsoft.Network/routeTables/write Req con rout and nod Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/read Req find info for v mac VM as z faul size disk Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/write Req atta Azu to a mac VM Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/read Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/virtualMachines/read Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/virtualmachines/instanceView/read Req find info for v mac virtu mac scal such zon dom and disk https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 7 of 12 Permission Rea Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces/write Req add mac VM load back add Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/write Req add mac scal load back add and nod virtu mac scal Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/delete Req dele virtu mac scal load back add and dow in a mac scal Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/virtualmachines/write Req atta Azu and virtu mac a vi mac scal the bala Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces/read Req sear inte and bala back add https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 8 of 12 Permission Rea for v mac VM Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/virtualMachines/networkInterfaces/read Req sear inte and bala back add for mac virtu mac scal Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachineScaleSets/virtualMachines/networkInterfaces/ipconfigurations/publicipaddresses/read Req find IPs virtu mac virtu mac scal Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/read Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/subnets/read Req veri subn for t inte bala ano reso grou Microsoft.Compute/snapshots/delete Microsoft.Compute/snapshots/read Microsoft.Compute/snapshots/write Req con snap Azu Microsoft.Compute/locations/vmSizes/read Microsoft.Compute/locations/operations/read Req find mac for Azu volu limi Additional cluster identity permissions When creating a cluster with specific attributes, you will need the following additional permissions for the cluster identity. Since these permissions are not automatically assigned, you must add them to the cluster identity after it's created. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 9 of 12 Permission Reason Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/write Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/read Required if using a network security group in another resource group. Required to configure security rules for a LoadBalancer service. Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/subnets/read Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/subnets/join/action Required if using a subnet in another resource group such as a custom VNET. Microsoft.Network/routeTables/routes/read Microsoft.Network/routeTables/routes/write Required if using a subnet associated with a route table in another resource group such as a custom VNET with a custom route table. Required to verify if a subnet already exists for the subnet in the other resource group. Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/subnets/read Required if using an internal load balancer in another resource group. Required to verify if a subnet already exists for the internal load balancer in the resource group. Microsoft.Network/privatednszones/* Required if using a private DNS zone in another resource group such as a custom privateDNSZone. AKS Node Access By default Node Access is not required for AKS. The following access is needed for the node if a specific component is leveraged. Access Reason kubelet Required to grant MSI access to ACR. http app routing Required for write permission to "random name".aksapp.io. container insights Required to grant permission to the Log Analytics workspace. Summary View the table for a quick summary of how users can authenticate to Kubernetes when Microsoft Entra integration is enabled. In all cases, the user's sequence of commands is: 1. Run az login to authenticate to Azure. 2. Run az aks get-credentials to download credentials for the cluster into .kube/config . 3. Run kubectl commands. The first command may trigger browser-based authentication to authenticate to the cluster, as described in the following table. In the Azure portal, you can find: The Role Grant (Azure RBAC role grant) referred to in the second column is shown on the Access Control tab. The Cluster Admin Microsoft Entra group is shown on the Configuration tab. Also found with parameter name --aad-admin-group-object-ids in the Azure CLI. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 10 of 12 Description Role grant required Cluster admin Microsoft Entra group(s) When to use Legacy admin login using client certificate Azure Kubernetes Service Cluster Admin Role. This role allows az aks get-credentials to be used with the -- admin flag, which downloads a legacy (non-Microsoft Entra) cluster admin certificate into the user's .kube/config . This is the only purpose of "Azure Kubernetes Service Cluster Admin Role". n/a If you're permanently blocked by not having access to a valid Microsoft Entra group with access to your cluster. Microsoft Entra ID with manual (Cluster)RoleBindings Azure Kubernetes Service Cluster User Role. The "User" role allows az aks get-credentials to be used without the --admin flag. (This is the only purpose of "Azure Kubernetes Service Cluster User Role".) The result, on a Microsoft Entra ID-enabled cluster, is the download of an empty entry into .kube/config , which triggers browser-based authentication when it's first used by kubectl . User is not in any of these groups. Because the user is not in any Cluster Admin groups, their rights will be controlled entirely by any RoleBindings or ClusterRoleBindings that have been set up by cluster admins. The (Cluster)RoleBindings nominate Microsoft Entra users or Microsoft Entra groups as their subjects . If no such bindings have been set up, the user will not be able to excute any kubectl commands. If you want fine-grained access control, and you're not using Azure RBAC for Kubernetes Authorization. Note that the user who sets up the bindings must log in by one of the other methods listed in this table. Microsoft Entra ID by member of admin group Same as above User is a member of one of the groups listed here. AKS automatically generates a ClusterRoleBinding that binds all of the listed groups to the cluster-admin Kubernetes role. So users in these groups can run all kubectl commands as cluster-admin . If you want to conveniently grant users full admin rights, and are not using Azure RBAC for Kubernetes authorization. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 11 of 12 Description Role grant required Cluster admin Microsoft Entra group(s) When to use Microsoft Entra ID with Azure RBAC for Kubernetes Authorization Two roles: First, Azure Kubernetes Service Cluster User Role (as above). Second, one of the "Azure Kubernetes Service RBAC..." roles listed above, or your own custom alternative. The admin roles field on the Configuration tab is irrelevant when Azure RBAC for Kubernetes Authorization is enabled. You are using Azure RBAC for Kubernetes authorization. This approach gives you fine-grained control, without the need to set up RoleBindings or ClusterRoleBindings. Next steps To get started with Microsoft Entra ID and Kubernetes RBAC, see Integrate Microsoft Entra ID with AKS. For associated best practices, see Best practices for authentication and authorization in AKS. To get started with Azure RBAC for Kubernetes Authorization, see Use Azure RBAC to authorize access within the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Cluster. To get started securing your kubeconfig file, see Limit access to cluster configuration file. To get started with managed identities in AKS, see Use a managed identity in AKS. For more information on core Kubernetes and AKS concepts, see the following articles: Kubernetes / AKS clusters and workloads Kubernetes / AKS security Kubernetes / AKS virtual networks Kubernetes / AKS storage Kubernetes / AKS scale Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-identity Page 12 of 12