Using a vault

NQRust-Identity 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 NQRust-Identity 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 NQRust-Identity first using the following build option:

bin/kc.[sh|bat] build --vault=file

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

bin/kc.[sh|bat] build --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:

bin/kc.[sh|bat] start --vault-dir=/my/path

Realm-specific secret files

Kubernetes/OpenShift Secrets are used on a per-realm basis in NQRust-Identity, which requires a naming convention for the file in place:

${vault.<realmname>_<secretname>}

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:

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 NQRust-Identity using the following runtime options:

bin/kc.[sh|bat] start  --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): ${vault.realm-name_alias}.

Using underscores in the secret names

To process the secret correctly, you double all underscores in the <secretname>. When REALM_UNDERSCORE_KEY key resolver is used, underscores in <realmname> are also doubled and <secretname> and <realmname> is separated by a single underscore.

• Realm Name: sso_realm
• Desired Name: ldap_credential
• Resulting file name:

sso__realm_ldap__credential

Note the doubled underscores between sso and realm and also between ldap and credential.

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

• 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 ${vault.ldapBc} as the value for the Bind Credential when configuring your LDAP User federation.

Relevant options