[[security-files]]
=== Security Files

The {security} uses the following files:

* `CONFIG_DIR/x-pack/roles.yml` defines the roles in use on the cluster
  (read more <<roles-management-file, here>>).

* `CONFIG_DIR/x-pack/users` defines the users and their hashed passwords for
  the <<file-realm,`file` realm>>.

* `CONFIG_DIR/x-pack/users_roles` defines the user roles assignment for the
  the <<file-realm, `file` realm>>.

* `CONFIG_DIR/x-pack/role_mapping.yml` defines the role assignments for a
  Distinguished Name (DN) to a role. This allows for LDAP and Active Directory
  groups and users and PKI users to be mapped to roles (read more
  <<mapping-roles, here>>).

* `CONFIG_DIR/x-pack/log4j2.properties` contains audit information (read more
  <<logging-file, here>>).

* `CONFIG_DIR/x-pack/system_key` holds a cluster secret key that's used to
  authenticate messages during node to node communication. For more information,
  see <<enable-message-authentication, Enabling Message Authentication>>.

[[security-files-location]]

IMPORTANT:  Any files that {security} uses must be stored in the Elasticsearch
            configuration directory. Elasticsearch runs with restricted permissions
            and is only permitted to read from the locations configured in the
            directory layout for enhanced security.

Several of these files are in the YAML format. When you edit these files, be
aware that YAML is indentation-level sensitive and indentation errors can lead
to configuration errors. Avoid the tab character to set indentation levels, or
use an editor that automatically expands tabs to spaces.

Be careful to properly escape YAML constructs such as `:` or leading exclamation
points within quoted strings. Using the `|` or `>` characters to define block
literals instead of escaping the problematic characters can help avoid problems.
