:_mod-docs-content-type: ASSEMBLY

// This assembly is included in the following assemblies:
//
// assembly-securing-access.adoc

[id='assembly-securing-kafka-clients-{context}']
= Configuring user (client-side) security mechanisms

[role="_abstract"]
When configuring security mechanisms in clients, the clients are represented as users.
Use the `KafkaUser` resource to configure the authentication, authorization, and access rights for Kafka clients.

Authentication permits user access, and authorization constrains user access to permissible actions.
You can also create _super users_ that have unconstrained access to Kafka brokers.

The authentication and authorization mechanisms must match the xref:proc-securing-kafka-{context}[specification for the listener used to access the Kafka brokers].

For more information on configuring a `KafkaUser` resource to access Kafka brokers securely, see xref:setup-external-clients-str[].

include::../../modules/security/con-securing-client-labels.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
include::../../modules/security/con-securing-client-authentication.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
include::../../modules/security/con-securing-client-authorization.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
include::../../modules/security/con-securing-client-acls.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
include::../../modules/security/con-configuring-client-quotas.adoc[leveloffset=+1]