# Setting up User Authentication **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Tags:** elastic-stack-security\ **Created:** [February 25, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/setting-up-user-authentication/169902 "2019-02-25T20:34:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![manoj\_faria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@manoj\_faria](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/manoj_faria)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/setting-up-user-authentication/169902/1 "2019-02-25T20:34:13Z")
Hi - I am setting up user authentication on a docker based cluster (single node elasticsearch and a single kibana container at the moment)....per the documentation listed here: [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/x-pack/current/setting-up-authentication.html](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/x-pack/current/setting-up-authentication.html) xpack.security.enabled is set to true in elasticsearch.yml file. On cluster startup: 1. I was expecting that I should be able to setup the password(s) for built-in users via Kibana. However, I do not see any options within Kibana-\> Management to set password(s) for built-in users. 2. I was expecting that, I should be able to set up users using the native realm (which I understood is the default). However, I do not see any options to setup users using the native realm. I bet i am missing some security setup steps/config. I tried following elastic documentation ..but it ain't helping me much. Any pointers/thoughts on what I may be missing? ---
**Author:** ![ikakavas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ikakavas/32/34430_2.png) [@ikakavas](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ikakavas)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/setting-up-user-authentication/169902/2 "2019-02-25T20:54:24Z")
Hi there 1. The document you shared above includes instructions on how to set the passwords of the built in users : [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/x-pack/current/setting-up-authentication.html#set-built-in-user-passwords](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/x-pack/current/setting-up-authentication.html#set-built-in-user-passwords) It's nowhere mentioned that this can be done within Kibana ,and this is true. 2. When you navigate to Management -\> Users in kibana as you mention in 1. , you can setup ( create / edit / delete ) users in the native realm . Hope this helps ! Unless you are using version 6.2 specifically, ( and given this is a new cluster you should better use the latest version - 6.6 at this time and) use the latest version of the documentation: [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elastic-stack-overview/current/elasticsearch-security.html](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elastic-stack-overview/current/elasticsearch-security.html) ---
**Author:** ![manoj\_faria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@manoj\_faria](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/manoj_faria)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/setting-up-user-authentication/169902/3 "2019-02-25T21:16:39Z")
Thanks Ioannis. Here is what worked for me. 1. enabled xpack security within elasticsearch.yml file 2. enabled 30-day trial license 3. setup bootstrap password using - bin/elasticsearch-keystore add "bootstrap.password" 4. configure kibana.yml to connect to elastic using elastic as the user name and the password set using step #3 listed above With the above stated steps, I can now see the "Users" and "Roles" option under Kibana -\> Management -\> "Security". ---
**Author:** ![manoj\_faria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@manoj\_faria](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/manoj_faria)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/setting-up-user-authentication/169902/4 "2019-02-25T21:20:49Z")
Is there a way to refer to the keystore password key from kibana.yml (instead of specifying the elastic search password in plain text within kibana.yml file)? ---
**Author:** ![ikakavas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ikakavas/32/34430_2.png) [@ikakavas](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ikakavas)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/setting-up-user-authentication/169902/5 "2019-02-26T07:00:08Z")
Yes, this is also [described in our documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/kibana/current/secure-settings.html) In general, more often than not, starting from [https://www.elastic.co/search](https://www.elastic.co/search) will get you most of the information/feedback you need - in our documentation. For whatever is missing or unclear, we'll be happy to answer here too ---
**Author:** ![manoj\_faria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@manoj\_faria](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/manoj_faria)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/setting-up-user-authentication/169902/6 "2019-02-27T01:56:17Z")
Thanks, Ioannis. I was able to obscure the password and pass it via ${elasticsearch.password} within kibana.yml as follows: 1. For elasticsearch, setup passwords for built-in users using: bin/elasticsearch-setup-passwords interactive For Kibana 2. Create the kibana keystore bin/kibana-keystore create 1. Add the key "elasticsearch.password" to kibana keystore bin/kibana-keystore add "elasticsearch.password" 2. bin/kibana-keystore list elasticsearch.password 3. config/kibana.yml elasticsearch.password: ${elasticsearch.password} Thanks! -Manoj ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 2:01am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/setting-up-user-authentication/169902/7 "2019-03-27T02:01:46Z")
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