Authentication and Authorization

All API calls to Couic require an authentication token. Couic provides a straightforward authentication and authorization mechanism to control access to its API.

Client file

Client definitions are stored as TOML files in Couic’s working directory.

- - - - couicctl.toml
        monitoring.toml

Each file is named after the client and contains its authentication token (UUIDv4) and associated group.

For security, client files must be restricted so that only the couic user has read/write access (chmod 600).

Couic verifies the validity of file permissions, the token format, and the uniqueness of tokens. If any errors are detected, Couic will refuse to start, or a log entry will be generated to indicate the issue.

Example of client file:

/var/lib/couic/rbac/clients/monitoring.toml

token = "ae976197-2602-447d-a281-b29e20abb7c1"
group = "monitoring"

Default client `couicctl`

When Couic starts, it automatically creates a default client file for couicctl if it does not already exist. This command-line tool is assigned to the admin group, granting it full administrative privileges (See RBAC).

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Each client/token is associated with a user group, which is currently hardcoded within the application according to the following matrix of permissions:

Action/Role	`admin`	`clientrw`	`clientro`	`peering`	`monitoring`
client `add`	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
client `get`	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
client `list`	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
client `delete`	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
drop/ignore `add`	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
drop/ignore `get`	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
drop/ignore `list`	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
drop/ignore `delete`	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
drop `peer`	✅	❌	❌	✅	❌
stats `get`	✅	❌	❌	❌	✅
stats `list`	✅	❌	❌	❌	✅
sets `add`	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
sets `get`	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
sets `list`	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
sets `delete`	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
sets `reload`	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌

Manage client using CLI

Add a new client to `clientrw` group

command

couicctl clients add -n superclient -g clientrw

output

┌─────────────┬──────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Name        ┆ Group    ┆ Token                                │
╞═════════════╪══════════╪══════════════════════════════════════╡
│ superclient ┆ clientrw ┆ 01115f88-fd3d-4fbd-b205-44c90e81dae5 │
└─────────────┴──────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘

List all clients

command

couicctl clients list

output

┌─────────────┬────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Name        ┆ Group      ┆ Token                                │
╞═════════════╪════════════╪══════════════════════════════════════╡
│ superclient ┆ clientrw   ┆ 01115f88-fd3d-4fbd-b205-44c90e81dae5 │
├╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌┼╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌┼╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌┤
│ prometheus  ┆ monitoring ┆ d6ac883a-8050-4408-bf1e-5b07e9965191 │
├╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌┼╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌┼╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌┤
│ couicctl    ┆ admin      ┆ 79deb94f-5dd1-417f-8842-667d8dff4480 │
└─────────────┴────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘

Delete a client

command

couicctl clients delete prometheus

couicctl provides full control of Couic through its REST API. For more details, see the couicctl reference.

Administration Reverse Proxy

Authentication and Authorization

Client file

Default client couicctl

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Manage client using CLI

Add a new client to clientrw group

List all clients

Delete a client

Default client `couicctl`

Add a new client to `clientrw` group