# Role-Based Access Control

TrueNAS uses a role-based access control (RBAC) system to restrict which API methods a session may call. Roles are grouped into privileges, and privileges are linked to local or directory-service groups. When a user authenticates, the TrueNAS resolves that user’s group memberships to a set of active roles, which are then checked against every API call the user makes.

Privilege management is performed via the `privilege.*` API namespace (`privilege.create`, `privilege.update`, `privilege.delete`, `privilege.query`).

## Role Concepts

### Individual roles (`builtin=true`)

Individual roles are fine-grained roles attached directly to individual API methods. Examples: `DISK_READ`, `SHARING_SMB_WRITE`, `ACCOUNT_READ`. They are provided to allow selective expansion of access beyond what the predefined group roles cover. Custom privileges can combine any set of these roles to grant precisely the access required for a given use case.

### Predefined group roles (`builtin=false`)

Predefined group roles are the four top-level roles surfaced in the UI and API for privilege assignment:

- `FULL_ADMIN`

- `READONLY_ADMIN`

- `SHARING_ADMIN`

- `REPLICATION_ADMIN`

`READONLY_ADMIN` is the minimum role required for UI access. A privilege that grants only individual roles — without including at least `READONLY_ADMIN` — will not be sufficient to log in to the web interface.

Use `privilege.roles` (filter `builtin=false`) to retrieve the current list of predefined group roles at runtime.

### Role inclusion

Roles can declare that they include other roles. Inclusion is expanded transitively, so a user assigned `SHARING_ADMIN` automatically gains all of the individual roles that `READONLY_ADMIN` expands into, plus the additional write roles specific to sharing.

As a general convention, write roles include their corresponding read role. For example, `ACCOUNT_WRITE` includes `ACCOUNT_READ`, so granting write access to a subsystem always implies read access to that same subsystem.

Roles are additive and cannot be scoped down. There is no way to grant a role while simultaneously excluding a subset of what it includes — for example, it is not possible to assign `FULL_ADMIN` while blocking `ACCOUNT_WRITE`. If finer-grained control is required, build a custom privilege from individual roles rather than starting from a broad predefined group role.

## Predefined Group Roles

Role | Description | Notable included roles
--- | --- | ---
`FULL_ADMIN` | Unrestricted access to all API methods | All roles
`READONLY_ADMIN` | Read-only access across all subsystems | All `*_READ` individual roles
`SHARING_ADMIN` | Manage datasets and all file-sharing protocols | `READONLY_ADMIN` + `DATASET_WRITE` + `SHARING_WRITE` + `FILESYSTEM_ATTRS_WRITE` + `SERVICE_READ`
`REPLICATION_ADMIN` | Manage replication, snapshots, and keychain credentials | `KEYCHAIN_CREDENTIAL_WRITE` + `REPLICATION_TASK_CONFIG_WRITE` + `REPLICATION_TASK_WRITE` + `SNAPSHOT_TASK_WRITE` + `SNAPSHOT_WRITE`

### FULL_ADMIN

`FULL_ADMIN` grants unrestricted access to every API method. It cannot be scoped down — a session holding this role may call any method regardless of what other roles are present or absent.

The local `root` and `truenas_admin` accounts implicitly hold this privilege.

Under GPOS STIG mode, any method not covered by a role becomes unreachable for all users.

### READONLY_ADMIN

`READONLY_ADMIN` expands into every `*_READ` individual role defined in the system. A session with this role can call any `*.query` or `*.get_instance` endpoint and any other read-only method, but cannot create, update, or delete any resource or change any configuration.

This role corresponds to the built-in `READONLY_ADMINISTRATOR` privilege.

GPOS STIG has no effect on this role — all `*_READ` individual roles are GPOS-available.

### SHARING_ADMIN

`SHARING_ADMIN` is a superset of `READONLY_ADMIN` with additional write access scoped to storage and sharing:

- Create, update, and delete ZFS datasets

- Manage all file-sharing protocols: SMB, NFS, iSCSI, NVMe-oF, FTP, WebShare

- Modify filesystem ACLs and other filesystem attributes

- Read service status (but not change service settings)

A session with `SHARING_ADMIN` cannot manage user accounts, system-level settings, network interfaces, storage pools, replication tasks, virtual machines, or applications.

This role corresponds to the built-in `SHARING_ADMINISTRATOR` privilege.

GPOS STIG has no effect on this role — all included roles are GPOS-available.

### REPLICATION_ADMIN

`REPLICATION_ADMIN` provides write access to the replication subsystem:

- Replication tasks (push and pull)

- Periodic snapshot tasks

- ZFS snapshots

- Keychain credentials (SSH keypairs and cloud credentials used by replication)

A session with `REPLICATION_ADMIN` cannot manage datasets or pools directly, configure sharing protocols, manage user accounts, or change system settings.

There is no built-in local group for `REPLICATION_ADMIN`; it must be assigned through a custom privilege entry.

GPOS STIG has no effect on this role — all included roles are GPOS-available.

## Individual Roles Reference

The table below lists all individual roles available for use in custom privileges. Roles marked unavailable under STIG cannot be granted to any session when `system.security` has `enable_gpos_stig=true`.

Subsystem | Roles | Notes
--- | --- | ---
Local Accounts | `ACCOUNT_READ`, `ACCOUNT_WRITE` |
API Keys | `API_KEY_READ`, `API_KEY_WRITE` | `API_KEY_WRITE` unavailable under STIG
Auth Sessions | `AUTH_SESSIONS_READ`, `AUTH_SESSIONS_WRITE` |
Boot Environments | `BOOT_ENV_READ`, `BOOT_ENV_WRITE` |
Certificates | `CERTIFICATE_READ`, `CERTIFICATE_WRITE` |
Cloud Backup | `CLOUD_BACKUP_READ`, `CLOUD_BACKUP_WRITE` |
Cloud Sync | `CLOUD_SYNC_READ`, `CLOUD_SYNC_WRITE` |
Containers / LXC | `CONTAINER_READ`, `CONTAINER_WRITE`, `CONTAINER_DEVICE_READ`, `CONTAINER_DEVICE_WRITE`, `CONTAINER_IMAGE_READ`, `CONTAINER_IMAGE_WRITE`, `LXC_CONFIG_READ`, `LXC_CONFIG_WRITE` | All `*_WRITE` roles unavailable under STIG
Dataset | `DATASET_READ`, `DATASET_WRITE`, `DATASET_DELETE` |
Directory Services | `DIRECTORY_SERVICE_READ`, `DIRECTORY_SERVICE_WRITE` |
Disk | `DISK_READ`, `DISK_WRITE` |
Apps / Docker | `APPS_READ`, `APPS_WRITE`, `CATALOG_READ`, `CATALOG_WRITE`, `DOCKER_READ`, `DOCKER_WRITE` | All `*_WRITE` roles unavailable under STIG
Enclosure / JBOF | `ENCLOSURE_READ`, `ENCLOSURE_WRITE`, `JBOF_READ`, `JBOF_WRITE` |
Failover | `FAILOVER_READ`, `FAILOVER_WRITE` |
Filesystem | `FILESYSTEM_ATTRS_READ`, `FILESYSTEM_ATTRS_WRITE`, `FILESYSTEM_DATA_READ`, `FILESYSTEM_DATA_WRITE`, `FILESYSTEM_FULL_CONTROL` |
IPMI | `IPMI_READ`, `IPMI_WRITE` |
Keychain Credentials | `KEYCHAIN_CREDENTIAL_READ`, `KEYCHAIN_CREDENTIAL_WRITE` |
KMIP | `KMIP_READ`, `KMIP_WRITE` |
Mail | `MAIL_WRITE` |
Network | `NETWORK_GENERAL_READ`, `NETWORK_GENERAL_WRITE`, `NETWORK_INTERFACE_READ`, `NETWORK_INTERFACE_WRITE` |
Pool | `POOL_READ`, `POOL_WRITE`, `POOL_SCRUB_READ`, `POOL_SCRUB_WRITE` |
Privilege | `PRIVILEGE_READ`, `PRIVILEGE_WRITE` |
Replication | `REPLICATION_TASK_CONFIG_READ`, `REPLICATION_TASK_CONFIG_WRITE`, `REPLICATION_TASK_READ`, `REPLICATION_TASK_WRITE`, `REPLICATION_TASK_WRITE_PULL` |
Reporting | `REPORTING_READ`, `REPORTING_WRITE` |
Services | `SERVICE_READ`, `SERVICE_WRITE` |
Sharing — FTP | `SHARING_FTP_READ`, `SHARING_FTP_WRITE` |
Sharing — iSCSI | `SHARING_ISCSI_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_WRITE`, `SHARING_ISCSI_AUTH_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_AUTH_WRITE`, `SHARING_ISCSI_EXTENT_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_EXTENT_WRITE`, `SHARING_ISCSI_GLOBAL_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_GLOBAL_WRITE`, `SHARING_ISCSI_HOST_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_HOST_WRITE`, `SHARING_ISCSI_INITIATOR_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_INITIATOR_WRITE`, `SHARING_ISCSI_PORTAL_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_PORTAL_WRITE`, `SHARING_ISCSI_TARGET_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_TARGET_WRITE`, `SHARING_ISCSI_TARGETEXTENT_READ`, `SHARING_ISCSI_TARGETEXTENT_WRITE` |
Sharing — NFS | `SHARING_NFS_READ`, `SHARING_NFS_WRITE` |
Sharing — NVMe-oF | `SHARING_NVME_TARGET_READ`, `SHARING_NVME_TARGET_WRITE` |
Sharing — SMB | `SHARING_SMB_READ`, `SHARING_SMB_WRITE` |
Sharing — WebShare | `SHARING_WEBSHARE_READ`, `SHARING_WEBSHARE_WRITE` |
Sharing (aggregate) | `SHARING_READ`, `SHARING_WRITE` | Each expands into all `SHARING_*_READ` / `SHARING_*_WRITE` roles
Snapshots | `SNAPSHOT_READ`, `SNAPSHOT_WRITE`, `SNAPSHOT_DELETE`, `SNAPSHOT_TASK_READ`, `SNAPSHOT_TASK_WRITE` |
SSH | `SSH_READ`, `SSH_WRITE` |
Support | `SUPPORT_READ`, `SUPPORT_WRITE` |
System Audit | `SYSTEM_AUDIT_READ`, `SYSTEM_AUDIT_WRITE` |
System Settings | `SYSTEM_ADVANCED_READ`, `SYSTEM_ADVANCED_WRITE`, `SYSTEM_CRON_READ`, `SYSTEM_CRON_WRITE`, `SYSTEM_GENERAL_READ`, `SYSTEM_GENERAL_WRITE`, `SYSTEM_PRODUCT_READ`, `SYSTEM_PRODUCT_WRITE`, `SYSTEM_SECURITY_READ`, `SYSTEM_SECURITY_WRITE`, `SYSTEM_TUNABLE_READ`, `SYSTEM_TUNABLE_WRITE`, `SYSTEM_UPDATE_READ`, `SYSTEM_UPDATE_WRITE` |
TrueCommand | `TRUECOMMAND_READ`, `TRUECOMMAND_WRITE` | `TRUECOMMAND_WRITE` unavailable under STIG
TrueNAS Connect | `TRUENAS_CONNECT_READ`, `TRUENAS_CONNECT_WRITE` | `TRUENAS_CONNECT_WRITE` unavailable under STIG
Virtual Machines | `VM_READ`, `VM_WRITE`, `VM_DEVICE_READ`, `VM_DEVICE_WRITE` | All `*_WRITE` roles unavailable under STIG
ZFS Resources (filesystems, zvols) | `ZFS_RESOURCE_READ`, `ZFS_RESOURCE_WRITE`, `ZFS_RESOURCE_DELETE` |

## GPOS STIG Mode

When `system.security` has `enable_gpos_stig=true`, the GPOS STIG profile is active. Under this profile certain write roles become unavailable, meaning sessions that hold only those roles lose write access to the corresponding subsystems. The matching read roles remain available in all cases.

The `stig` field in `privilege.roles` output indicates which STIG profiles permit a role. A value of `null` means the role is not permitted under any STIG profile; a non-null value identifies the profile(s) that allow it.

Unavailable role(s) | Affected area
--- | ---
`API_KEY_WRITE` | API key management (`API_KEY_READ` still permitted)
`VM_WRITE`, `VM_DEVICE_WRITE` | Virtual machines
`CONTAINER_WRITE`, `CONTAINER_DEVICE_WRITE`, `CONTAINER_IMAGE_WRITE`, `LXC_CONFIG_WRITE` | Containers and LXC
`DOCKER_WRITE` | Docker back-end
`APPS_WRITE`, `CATALOG_WRITE` | Applications catalog
`TRUECOMMAND_WRITE` | TrueCommand integration
`TRUENAS_CONNECT_WRITE` | TrueNAS Connect cloud service

For `FULL_ADMIN` specifically, see the note in the FULL_ADMIN section above.

## Managing Privileges

Use the following API methods to manage privileges:

- `privilege.create` — create a new privilege and link it to one or more local or directory-service groups

- `privilege.update` — modify an existing privilege (change roles or group membership)

- `privilege.delete` — remove a custom privilege

- `privilege.query` — list all privileges, including the three built-in ones

- `privilege.roles` — list all roles; pass `[["builtin", "=", false]]` as the filter argument to return only the predefined group roles

- `auth.me` — returns the currently authenticated session, including the full list of roles that have been granted to it

Note

Enterprise license requirement. Linking a privilege to a directory-service group (Active Directory or LDAP group) requires an Enterprise license. On Community Edition, privileges can only be assigned to local Unix groups.

Note

Secret field redaction. API responses automatically redact fields marked `secret` in the schema (for example, credentials and passwords) for any session that does not hold the `FULL_ADMIN` role. Such fields are replaced with a redacted placeholder rather than being omitted, so the response structure remains consistent.