Securing actuator endpoints in Spring Boot - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the purpose of securing actuator endpoints in Spring Boot?

Securing actuator endpoints protects sensitive application information and controls from unauthorized access, ensuring only trusted users can view or manage the app's health, metrics, and configurations.

intermediate

Which Spring Boot property enables security for actuator endpoints?

The property management.endpoints.web.exposure.include controls which endpoints are exposed, and management.endpoint.<endpoint>.enabled controls if an endpoint is active. Security is often configured with Spring Security to restrict access.

intermediate

How do you restrict actuator endpoints to authenticated users only?

Add Spring Security and configure HTTP security to require authentication for actuator endpoints, for example by matching /actuator/** and requiring login or specific roles.

beginner

What is the default exposure level of actuator endpoints in Spring Boot?

By default, only the health and info endpoints are exposed over HTTP. Other endpoints are not exposed unless explicitly configured.

beginner

Why should sensitive actuator endpoints like 'shutdown' be secured or disabled?

Endpoints like 'shutdown' can stop the application remotely. If left unsecured, attackers could disrupt service. Securing or disabling them prevents unauthorized control.

Which Spring Boot property controls which actuator endpoints are exposed over HTTP?

A spring.security.user.name

B management.endpoints.web.exposure.include

C server.port

D management.endpoint.enabled

The property management.endpoints.web.exposure.include defines which actuator endpoints are exposed over HTTP.

What is the best way to secure actuator endpoints in a Spring Boot app?

A Use Spring Security to require authentication for actuator URLs

B Disable all actuator endpoints

C Expose all endpoints publicly

D Change server port

Using Spring Security to require authentication ensures only authorized users can access actuator endpoints.

By default, which actuator endpoints are exposed over HTTP?

A health and info

B shutdown and metrics

C all endpoints

D none

Spring Boot exposes only the health and info endpoints by default.

What could happen if the 'shutdown' actuator endpoint is left unsecured?

A It will expose user data

B Nothing, it is safe by default

C Attackers could stop the application remotely

D It will slow down the app

An unsecured shutdown endpoint allows attackers to stop the app, causing downtime.

How can you disable a specific actuator endpoint like 'shutdown'?

A Remove Spring Security

B Delete the actuator dependency

C Set server.port=0

D Set management.endpoint.shutdown.enabled=false

Setting management.endpoint.shutdown.enabled=false disables the shutdown endpoint.

Explain how to secure actuator endpoints in a Spring Boot application.

Think about controlling who can see and use the actuator URLs.

Why is it important to limit access to actuator endpoints?

Consider what could happen if anyone could access these endpoints.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of securing Spring Boot actuator endpoints?

easy

A. To improve application performance by disabling endpoints

B. To automatically update actuator endpoints without manual configuration

C. To enable actuator endpoints for all users without restrictions

D. To protect sensitive application information from unauthorized access

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand actuator endpoints role

   Actuator endpoints provide information about the app's health, metrics, and configuration.

2. Step 2: Recognize security importance

   Since these endpoints expose sensitive data, securing them prevents unauthorized users from accessing this info.

3. Final Answer:

   To protect sensitive application information from unauthorized access -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Actuator security = protect info [OK]

Hint: Actuator endpoints show app info; protect them from strangers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking actuator endpoints improve performance
• Assuming all endpoints should be open
• Believing security auto-applies without config

2. Which property correctly exposes only the health and info actuator endpoints in application.properties?

easy

A. management.endpoints.web.expose=health,info

B. management.endpoints.web.exposure.include=health,info

C. management.endpoints.exposure.include=health,info

D. management.web.endpoints.include=health,info

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct property name

   The correct property to expose endpoints is management.endpoints.web.exposure.include.

2. Step 2: Verify property value format

   Comma-separated list of endpoints like health,info is correct.

3. Final Answer:

   management.endpoints.web.exposure.include=health,info -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Correct property = management.endpoints.web.exposure.include [OK]

Hint: Use 'management.endpoints.web.exposure.include' to list endpoints [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'expose' instead of 'exposure.include'
• Missing 'web' in the property path
• Incorrect property structure or spelling

3. Given this Spring Security config snippet, what is the effect on actuator endpoints?

http
  .authorizeHttpRequests(auth -> auth
    .requestMatchers("/actuator/**").hasRole("ADMIN")
    .anyRequest().authenticated()
  )

medium

A. Only users with ADMIN role can access any actuator endpoint

B. All users can access actuator endpoints without login

C. Actuator endpoints are disabled

D. Only unauthenticated users can access actuator endpoints

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze requestMatchers rule

   The matcher "/actuator/**" requires users to have role ADMIN to access.

2. Step 2: Understand anyRequest rule

   All other requests require authentication but no specific role.

3. Final Answer:

   Only users with ADMIN role can access any actuator endpoint -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Actuator access = ADMIN role required [OK]

Hint: Check role in requestMatchers for actuator URLs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming actuator is open to all
• Confusing authentication with authorization
• Ignoring the role requirement

4. What is wrong with this security configuration for actuator endpoints?

@Bean
public SecurityFilterChain filterChain(HttpSecurity http) throws Exception {
  http
    .authorizeHttpRequests(auth -> auth
      .requestMatchers("/actuator/**").authenticated()
      .anyRequest().permitAll()
    );
  return http.build();
}

medium

A. The requestMatchers pattern is incorrect syntax

B. The method should return void, not SecurityFilterChain

C. Actuator endpoints require login but other URLs are open, risking security

D. The configuration disables all security

Solution

1. Step 1: Review authorization rules order

   Actuator endpoints require authentication, but all other requests are permitted without login.

2. Step 2: Identify security risk

   This means non-actuator URLs are open, which might expose sensitive parts unintentionally.

3. Final Answer:

   Actuator endpoints require login but other URLs are open, risking security -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   PermitAll on anyRequest risks open access [OK]

Hint: Check if anyRequest().permitAll() opens unwanted URLs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking method return type is wrong
• Assuming requestMatchers syntax is invalid
• Believing security is fully disabled

5. You want to expose only the health endpoint publicly and secure all other actuator endpoints to ADMIN role. Which configuration achieves this correctly?

hard

A. Expose health only and configure security to permit all on /actuator/health and ADMIN role on /actuator/** except health

B. Expose all endpoints and secure only /actuator/health to ADMIN role

C. Expose health and info endpoints and allow anonymous access to all actuator URLs

D. Expose no endpoints and disable security for actuator URLs

Solution

1. Step 1: Set exposure property

   Use management.endpoints.web.exposure.include=health to expose only health publicly.

2. Step 2: Configure security rules

   Permit all access to /actuator/health and require ADMIN role for other actuator endpoints using requestMatchers.

3. Final Answer:

   Expose health only and configure security to permit all on /actuator/health and ADMIN role on /actuator/** except health -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Expose health public + secure others ADMIN [OK]

Hint: Expose health only, secure others with ADMIN role [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Exposing too many endpoints publicly
• Not securing non-health actuator endpoints
• Allowing anonymous access to sensitive endpoints