Fix: Azure Key Vault Secrets - The operation is not allowed by RBAC

Introduction

When working with Azure Key Vault secrets, you might encounter the error message: "The operation is not allowed by RBAC." This error typically occurs when the Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) settings do not permit the requested operation. This blog post will guide you through the steps to resolve this issue specifically for secrets.

Steps to Fix the Issue

Step 1: Verify Role Assignments

1. Navigate to the Azure portal.
2. Go to your Key Vault instance.
3. Select "Access control (IAM)" from the left-hand menu.
4. Check the role assignments for the user or service principal attempting to access the Key Vault secrets.
5. Ensure that the user or service principal has the necessary roles assigned, such as "Key Vault Secrets User" or "Key Vault Contributor."

Step 2: Add Required Roles

If the necessary roles are not assigned, follow these steps to add them:

1. In the "Access control (IAM)" section, click on "Add role assignment."

2. Select the appropriate role (e.g., "Key Vault Secrets User" or "Key Vault Contributor" or "Key Vault Secrets Officer").

I will choose Key Vault Secrets Officer & Key Vault Reader for the developer because I want to perform actions such as add, edit or delete secrets. For User Assigned Managed Identity, I will select Key Vault Secrets User & Key Vault Reader because, managed identity just need to read secrets.

3. Assign the role to the user or service principal or Managed Identity.

4. Click "Review + assign" to apply the changes.

Step 3: Wait for Role Assignments to Propagate

Role assignments in Azure can take a few minutes to propagate. If you have recently made changes to the role assignments, wait for a few minutes and then try accessing the Key Vault secrets again.

Step 4: Check for Deny Assignments

Deny assignments can override role assignments and prevent access to resources. Check for any deny assignments that might be affecting access:

1. In the Azure portal, go to "Access control (IAM)" for the Key Vault.
2. Select "Deny assignments" from the top menu.
3. Review any deny assignments and remove them if they are not required.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the "The operation is not allowed by RBAC" error when accessing Azure Key Vault secrets. Ensure that the necessary roles and access policies are correctly configured, and allow time for role assignments to propagate. If you continue to experience issues, consider reaching out to Azure support for further assistance.

Happy coding!