Securing Your Apache Airflow Deployment: A Step-by-Step Guide to Role-Based Access Control

Intro:

Apache Airflow is a powerful tool for orchestrating complex workflows, but as teams scale, securing access to sensitive data and processes becomes critical. Without proper access controls, you risk accidental misconfigurations, security breaches, or unintended disruptions. In this guide, I’ll walk you through configuring Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) in Airflow to ensure teams only see and interact with the workflows they own.

Why RBAC Matters

When multiple teams share an Airflow instance, you need to:

?? Prevent unauthorized access to sensitive DAGs.

?? Isolate teams to avoid accidental edits or triggers.

?? Streamline auditing by tying actions to specific roles.

Let’s dive into the setup!

Step 1: Enable Role-Based Access Control

First, turn on RBAC in Airflow’s configuration:

1. Set rbac = True under the [webserver] section in airflow.cfg.

2. Restart the webserver with the --rbac flag if needed:

   airflow webserver --rbac          

Why this matters: RBAC replaces Airflow’s default “all-or-nothing” security model, giving you granular control.

Step 2: Create Custom Roles for Teams

Define roles like Team1Role and Team2Role to mirror your team structure. Use the Airflow UI:

- Navigate to Security > List Roles > Add New Role.

- Assign permissions programmatically via the CLI for consistency:

 airflow roles create -c '{"DAGs": ["can_read", "can_trigger"], "DAG Runs": ["can_create", "can_read"]}' Team1Role          

Step 3: Lock Down DAGs with Access Controls

Embed permissions directly into your DAG code using the access_control parameter. For example:

# DAG for Team 1  

with DAG(  
    'team1_dag',  
    access_control={'Team1Role': {'can_read', 'can_trigger'}},  
) as dag:  
    # Tasks go here         

Key tip: This ensures Team 1 can’t even see Team 2’s DAGs in the UI!

Step 4: Assign Users to Roles

Create users (e.g., [email protected]) and link them to roles:

1. Go to Security > List Users > Add User.

2. Assign the user to Team1Role or Team2Role.

For production setups, integrate with OAuth/LDAP to automate user management.

Step 5: Validate the Setup

Test with two accounts:

- User1 should only see team1_dag.

- User2 should only see team2_dag.

No more accidental triggers on another team’s workflow!

Pro Tips for Success

1. Least Privilege: Never grant broad permissions like can_edit or all_dags.

2. Audit Logs: Review roles quarterly to remove outdated access.

3. Backups: Export role definitions via CLI to avoid manual reconfiguration.

Final Thoughts

Implementing RBAC in Airflow isn’t just about security—it’s about enabling teams to work autonomously without stepping on each other’s toes. By following these steps, you’ll reduce risk, improve compliance, and create a cleaner workflow ecosystem.

Need help? Share your questions or war stories in the comments! ??

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