keycloak-scim/docs/guides/server/vault.adoc

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<#import "/templates/kc.adoc" as kc>

<@tmpl.guide
title="Using a vault"
summary="Learn how to use and configure a vault in Keycloak"
priority=30
includedOptions="vault vault-*">

Keycloak provides two out-of-the-box implementations of the Vault SPI: a plain-text file-based vault and Java KeyStore-based vault.

The file-based vault implementation is especially useful for Kubernetes/OpenShift secrets. You can mount Kubernetes secrets into the Keycloak Container, and the data fields will be available in the mounted folder with a flat-file structure.

The Java KeyStore-based vault implementation is useful for storing secrets in bare metal installations. You can use the KeyStore vault, which is encrypted using a password.

== Available integrations
Secrets stored in the vaults can be used at the following places of the Administration Console:

* Obtain the SMTP Mail server Password
* Obtain the LDAP Bind Credential when using LDAP-based User Federation
* Obtain the OIDC identity providers Client Secret when integrating external identity providers

== Enabling a vault
For enabling the file-based vault you need to build Keycloak first using the following build option:

<@kc.build parameters="--vault=file"/>

Analogically, for the Java KeyStore-based you need to specify the following build option:

<@kc.build parameters="--vault=keystore"/>

== Configuring the file-based vault

=== Setting the base directory to lookup secrets
Kubernetes/OpenShift secrets are basically mounted files. To configure a directory where these files should be mounted, enter this command:

<@kc.start parameters="--vault-dir=/my/path"/>

=== Realm-specific secret files
Kubernetes/OpenShift Secrets are used on a per-realm basis in Keycloak, which requires a naming convention for the file in place:
[source, bash]
----
${r"${vault.<realmname>_<secretname>}"}
----

=== Using underscores in the Name
To process the secret correctly, you double all underscores in the <realmname> or the <secretname>, separated by a single underscore.

.Example
* Realm Name: `sso_realm`
* Desired Name: `ldap_credential`
* Resulting file Name:
[source, bash]
----
sso__realm_ldap__credential
----
Note the doubled underscores between __sso__ and __realm__ and also between __ldap__ and __credential__.

== Configuring the Java KeyStore-based vault

In order to use the Java KeyStore-based vault, you need to create a KeyStore file first. You can use the following command for doing so:
[source, bash]
----
keytool -importpass -alias <realm-name>_<alias> -keystore keystore.p12 -storepass keystorepassword
----
and then enter a value you want to store in the vault. Note that the format of the `-alias` parameter depends on the key resolver used. The default key resolver is `REALM_UNDERSCORE_KEY`.

This by default results to storing the value in a form of generic PBEKey (password based encryption) within SecretKeyEntry.

You can then start Keycloak using the following runtime options:

<@kc.start parameters=" --vault-file=/path/to/keystore.p12 --vault-pass=<value> --vault-type=<value>"/>

Note that the `--vault-type` parameter is optional and defaults to `PKCS12`.

Secrets stored in the vault can then be accessed in a realm via the following placeholder (assuming using the `REALM_UNDERSCORE_KEY` key resolver): `${r"${vault.realm-name_alias}"}`.

== Example: Use an LDAP bind credential secret in the Admin Console

.Example setup
* A realm named `secrettest`
* A desired Name `ldapBc` for the bind Credential
* Resulting file name: `secrettest_ldapBc`

.Usage in Admin Console
You can then use this secret from the Admin Console by using `${r"${vault.ldapBc}"}` as the value for the `Bind Credential` when configuring your LDAP User federation.

</@tmpl.guide>