# Field and Document Level Security Limitations

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [February 7, 2017, 8:21am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177 "2017-02-07T08:21:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jetnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@jetnet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jetnet)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2017, 8:21am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177/1 "2017-02-07T08:21:55Z")

</div>

Hi all,

I've got a question regarding the [security limitations](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/x-pack/current/security-limitations.html#_field_and_document_level_security_limitations): a normal user (even having `all` privileges to a particular index) cannot `_update` documents:

```
"type": "security_exception",
"reason": "Can't execute an update request if field or document level security is enabled"

```

But the super-user "elastic" account is able to `_update` anything!  
The question: if the `_update` API is not supported with doc-level security, why the "superuser" role can update? And what kind of privileges should be given to a normal user (role) in order to be a "superuser" for a particular index?

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jaymode](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jaymode/32/50103_2.png) [@jaymode](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jaymode)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2017, 12:28pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177/2 "2017-02-07T12:28:53Z")

</div>

Can you provide more details? The `superuser` role grants access to everything and the role itself does not use document and field level security. The error message is a bit misleading but what it really means is if a user's permissions for an index contains a query (document level security) or field restrictions then we consider document and field level security enabled for this request so the user cannot use the update API.

> [@jetnet](#):
>
> And what kind of privileges should be given to a normal user (role) in order to be a "superuser" for a particular index?

Simply assign a role that grants all privileges to this index and do not specify a query or fields in the role.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jetnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@jetnet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jetnet)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 7:22am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177/3 "2017-02-08T07:22:57Z")

</div>

> superuser role grants access to everything **and the role itself does not use document and field level security**.

I think, this is the key point, thank you for explaining that!

Could please clarify, when a role becomes a superuser role?

```auto
POST /_xpack/security/role/root
{
  "cluster": ["all"], // (1)
  "indices": [
    {
      "names": [
        "*" // (2)
      ],
      "privileges": [
        "all" // (3)
      ],
	  "query": """
		{
			"template": {
			   "inline": "{ \"bool\" : { \"should\": [{ \"terms\": { \"user.roles.keyword\": {{#toJson}}_user.roles{{/toJson}} } }, { \"match\": { \"user.username.keyword\": \"{{_user.username}}\" } }] } }"
			}
		}
	  """	  
    }
  ],
  "run_as": ["*"], // (4)
  "metadata": {},
  "transient_metadata": {
    "enabled": true
  }
}

```

(1) does not make the role a superuser  
(3) for a single index (e.g. `"names":["test"]`) and for all indices (as above) - does not make the role a superuser-role  
(4) does not make the role a superuser

Update request:

```auto
POST http://localhost:9200/test/t/1009/_update
{"doc":{"random": "111"}}

```

Response:

```auto
{
    "error": {
        "root_cause": [
            {
                "type": "security_exception",
                "reason": "Can't execute an update request if field or document level security is enabled"
            }
        ],
        "type": "security_exception",
        "reason": "Can't execute an update request if field or document level security is enabled"
    },
    "status": 400
}

```

Log:

```
[2017-02-08T08:13:06,883][DEBUG][o.e.x.s.a.l.LdapRealm] [host] authenticated user [sguy], with roles [[Domain Admins, Denied RODC Password Replication Group, root, Domain Users, Administrators, sales]]

```

So, how can a role be made a superuser role for a particular index?  
Thank you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jaymode](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jaymode/32/50103_2.png) [@jaymode](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jaymode)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 11:47am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177/4 "2017-02-08T11:47:08Z")

</div>

What do you mean by `superuser` role? Can you provide the output of `GET /_xpack/security/role/root` and `GET /_xpack/security/role/sales`

If you mean that the user has all privileges on a specific index:

```
{
  "indices": [
    {
      "names": [
        "*" 
      ],
      "privileges": [
        "all"
      ]
  ]
}

```

Notice that there is **no** query or fields key in the role.

If you mean for the whole cluster, then just use the `superuser` role that is provided.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jetnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@jetnet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jetnet)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 1:23pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177/5 "2017-02-08T13:23:40Z")

</div>

> [@jaymode](#):
>
> What do you mean by superuser role?

very good question! 🙂  
By `superuser` role I mean a role ( **not** the built-in one!), that can do any changes on a particular index.

I guess, I got it finally - if a role with "priviliges: all" has a role query, when it won't be able to perform \_update requests, right?  
Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jaymode](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jaymode/32/50103_2.png) [@jaymode](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jaymode)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177/6 "2017-02-08T13:43:43Z")

</div>

> [@jetnet](#):
>
> I guess, I got it finally - if a role with "priviliges: all" has a role query, when it won't be able to perform \_update requests, right?

Correct

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/field-and-document-level-security-limitations/74177/7 "2017-03-08T13:43:46Z")

</div>

This topic was automatically closed 28 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.