AKS Azure AD Authentication Flow

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) can be secured by integrating Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) for authentication and using Kubernetes RBAC for authorization. OpenID Connect (OIDC) is the protocol that lets AKS trust Azure AD to authenticate users and applications. This integration enforces identity-based access control and supports the principle of least privilege. By combining these features, you ensure that only the right people and services can access your cluster.

To start, you must register two applications in Azure AD: a server application and a client application. The server application represents the AKS API server and needs the following:

• Client ID and Client Secret
• Redirect URI for token issuance The client application represents administrative tools like kubectl and requires:
• Client ID for user authentication
• Permission to request tokens Registering both apps ensures that AKS and users can securely exchange tokens.