ACL-based authorization in Kafka - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does ACL stand for in Kafka's authorization?

ACL stands for Access Control List. It is a list that defines who can access Kafka resources and what actions they can perform.

beginner

How does Kafka use ACLs to control access?

Kafka checks ACLs to decide if a user or client is allowed to perform an action like reading or writing on a topic or group.

beginner

Name two common Kafka resource types that ACLs can protect.

Topics and Consumer Groups are two common Kafka resources protected by ACLs.

intermediate

What is the command to add an ACL in Kafka for a user to write to a topic?

Use kafka-acls.sh with --add, --allow-principal, --operation=Write, and --topic options. Example: kafka-acls.sh --add --allow-principal User:Alice --operation Write --topic my-topic

beginner

Why is ACL-based authorization important in Kafka?

It protects Kafka data by ensuring only authorized users or applications can read or write data, preventing unauthorized access and data leaks.

What does an ACL in Kafka specify?

A The replication factor of topics

B The network settings for Kafka brokers

C Who can perform which actions on Kafka resources

D The data format of Kafka messages

ACLs specify which users or clients can perform actions like read or write on Kafka resources.

Which Kafka resource can you protect with ACLs?

A Network routers

B Operating system files

C Database tables

D Topic

Kafka ACLs protect Kafka resources such as topics and consumer groups.

Which command option is used to add an ACL in Kafka?

A --remove

B --add

C --list

D --describe

The --add option is used with kafka-acls.sh to add a new ACL.

What operation would you specify to allow a user to read from a topic?

A Read

B Write

C Delete

D Create

The Read operation allows a user to consume messages from a topic.

If no ACL exists for a user on a topic, what happens when they try to access it?

A Access is denied

B Access is granted by default

C Kafka crashes

D User is prompted for a password

Kafka denies access if no matching ACL allows the user to perform the action.

Explain how ACL-based authorization works in Kafka and why it is important.

Think about who can do what with Kafka topics and why controlling this matters.

Describe the steps to add an ACL that allows a user to write to a Kafka topic.

Focus on the command and options needed.