MongoDB User Management & Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

In this article will walk you through the creation, modification, and deletion of users, and how to implement role-based access control (RBAC) at the collection level a critical skill for backend engineers and database administrators.

Why User and Role Management Matters

Efficient user and role management is the backbone of secure application architecture. It:

• Prevents unauthorized access.

• Enables fine-grained access control.

• Enhances auditability and operational clarity.

• Supports compliance with data regulations.

Prerequisites

Before diving in, ensure you have:

• A running MongoDB instance (version 4.0+ preferred).

• Admin access to the database.

• Access control enabled ( flag or set to in ).

Creating Users

1. Admin-Level User Creation

This user has the ability to create other users and manage all databases.

2. Application-Level User Creation (Read/Write on Specific DB)

This user can only read and write data within .

Updating User Information

1. Change User Password

2. Update User Roles

Always ensure the least-privilege principle when updating roles.

Deleting Users

Cleanup user access when no longer needed to reduce the attack surface.

Custom Role-Based Collection Access

MongoDB supports custom roles for collection-level access using privileges.

Example: Role With Access to Specific Collection Only

Assign Role to a New User

This user can only read from the collection not write, delete, or access other collections.

Role Composition

You can even compose roles by assigning other roles to a custom role.

Verifying User Roles

Use this to audit or debug role assignments.

Best Practices

1. Use least privilege grant only necessary permissions.

2. Separate roles for admin, read, write, and analytics.

3. Rotate passwords periodically.

4. Enable auditing if available (MongoDB Enterprise).

5. Use LDAP or Kerberos for enterprise user authentication.

Conclusion

MongoDB's RBAC system offers fine-grained control over who can access what and how. By properly managing users and roles, you can safeguard your application data and ensure security compliance with minimal performance overhead.

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