Security · Advanced Security
Harden Keycloak and the edge in front of it
We switch on and tune Keycloak's own defenses, isolate the admin console, and place your login endpoints behind an edge layer that absorbs floods, bots and credential-stuffing traffic before it reaches your identity provider.
- Brute-force detection & password policy
- WAF and DDoS protection at the edge
- Runs on upstream Keycloak 26.x
Standards & integrations
- TLS 1.2 / 1.3
- HSTS & CSP
- FAPI Client Policies
- reCAPTCHA
- Cloudflare
- AWS WAF
- NGINX / Envoy
Overview
Securing an identity provider takes two layers
Keycloak ships with solid controls — brute-force detection, password policies, security headers, client policies — but several are off or permissive by default. It is also not a web application firewall: it doesn't provide DDoS protection, rate limiting or bot filtering on its own. We harden Keycloak itself, then put it behind an edge layer such as Cloudflare, AWS WAF or an NGINX or Envoy proxy, with rules tuned for login, token and registration endpoints.
What we deliver
- Hardening assessment with ranked findings
- Brute-force, password and header settings as code
- Client policies for sensitive applications
- Private admin hostname and network restrictions
- Edge WAF, rate-limit and bot rules for auth endpoints
- Runbook for security advisories and patching
Capabilities
What Advanced Security covers
Configured, tested and documented on upstream Keycloak — then handed over or operated by us.
Brute-force and bot defenses
Temporary lockouts slow password guessing, with permanent lockout after repeated offences for high-risk realms, and reCAPTCHA on self-registration.
Password policy
Minimum length, password history, a blacklist of known-breached passwords and a modern hashing algorithm, set to match current guidance.
Strict client policies
Client policies enforce PKCE, confidential clients, secure signing algorithms and FAPI profiles for sensitive APIs, so one misconfigured app can't weaken the realm.
A smaller attack surface
Security headers and CSP set per realm, TLS from the edge to Keycloak and on to the database, and the admin console on a private hostname.
Edge WAF and DDoS protection
Keycloak sits behind Cloudflare, AWS WAF or an NGINX/Envoy proxy, with rate limits, bot filtering and rules tuned for authentication endpoints.
Patching and hardening reviews
Under a managed plan we track Keycloak security advisories, roll patch releases through staging first, and run periodic configuration reviews.
How it works
From first call to production
Assess the current setup
We review realm settings, flows, clients, hostnames, proxy configuration and network exposure against Keycloak hardening guidance and your threat model.
Harden Keycloak and the edge
Native controls are applied as code, the admin surface moves behind your network, and WAF, rate-limit and bot rules run in monitor mode before enforcement.
Operate and review
Blocked traffic and lockouts are watched in your SIEM, rules are tuned as attack patterns change, and patch releases go out through staging first.
Use cases
Where teams put it to work
Public sign-up and login pages
Consumer-facing realms that attract credential stuffing and fake registrations, protected by edge rules, lockout and CAPTCHA working together.
Financial and high-risk APIs
Client policies that enforce FAPI-style requirements — signed requests, sender-constrained tokens and PKCE — for clients handling sensitive data.
Closing security findings
Resolve penetration-test or security-questionnaire findings on your identity layer with documented, verifiable configuration changes.
FAQ
Advanced Security questions, answered
Does Keycloak include a WAF or DDoS protection?
No. Keycloak has application-level defenses such as brute-force detection, but volumetric attacks, rate limiting and bot filtering belong at the edge. We deploy and tune those controls on Cloudflare, AWS WAF or your own NGINX or Envoy proxy.
Won't brute-force detection lock out legitimate users?
It can if it's set too aggressively, and an attacker can deliberately lock out a known username. We favor temporary lockouts, pair them with edge rate limits and MFA, and give support staff a documented way to unlock accounts.
Should the admin console be reachable from the internet?
We recommend against it. Keycloak supports a separate admin hostname, and we restrict it at the proxy or network layer so only your team, over VPN or a private network, can reach it.
How are security patches handled?
Under a managed plan we monitor Keycloak security advisories, assess the impact on your configuration, and roll patch releases through staging before production, on a timeline agreed in your support terms.
Ready to roll out Advanced Security?
Walk us through your requirements on a free strategy call. We'll come back with an architecture, a delivery plan and a fixed scope.