Security is a fundamental aspect of any database, and MongoDB offers multiple features to manage access and protect data. In this chapter, we will learn how to manage users, roles, and permissions in MongoDB to ensure a secure and controlled environment.

User Creation

In MongoDB, we can create users with different levels of access using the createUser() method. Each user can have specific roles that determine what operations they can perform.

User Creation Example

javascript

This command creates a user with privileges to read and write on the my_database.

Roles and Privileges in MongoDB

MongoDB manages access through roles, which are sets of privileges associated with a user. Roles determine what operations a user can perform, such as reading data, writing, or administering the system.

Common Roles

• read: Allows reading data from the database.
• readWrite: Allows reading and writing data in the database.
• dbAdmin: Allows performing administrative tasks on the database, such as creating collections or indexes.
• userAdmin: Allows managing users and roles in the database.

Example of Assigning Multiple Roles

A user can have multiple roles. Below is an example of how to assign several roles to a user:

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Authentication and Authorization

Authentication

MongoDB allows configuring authentication using users and passwords, ensuring that only authorized users can access the database. To enable authentication, we must add the following configuration to the mongod.conf file:

yaml

After enabling authentication, it is necessary to restart the MongoDB server.

Authorization

Authorization defines what operations each user can perform. Once authentication is enabled, MongoDB will verify the roles and permissions of each user before allowing any operation.

TLS/SSL Configuration

To protect communication between clients and the MongoDB server, we can enable encrypted connections using TLS/SSL. This is especially important if we access MongoDB remotely.

SSL Configuration Example

To enable SSL, we must add the following configuration to the mongod.conf file:

yaml

After making these changes, it is necessary to restart the server for the configuration to take effect.

Auditing and Monitoring

It is important to monitor database usage to detect suspicious or unauthorized activities. MongoDB offers several auditing tools that log who accesses what and when.

Basic Audit Example

To enable auditing in MongoDB, we can add the following configuration:

yaml

Auditing helps track activities within the database, which is crucial for maintaining security and detecting unauthorized access.

Summary

In this chapter, we have learned how to manage users and roles in MongoDB, enable authentication and authorization, configure secure connections via TLS/SSL, and how to implement auditing to monitor database usage.