open-telemetry / opentelemetry-dotnet

Security and Authentication in OpenTelemetry .NET

Overview

OpenTelemetry .NET is an open-source observability framework that allows developers to collect, export, and analyze telemetry data. Security and authentication are crucial aspects of any software project, including OpenTelemetry .NET. In this documentation, we will cover the security protocols and authentication mechanisms used in OpenTelemetry .NET.

What is Security and Authentication?

Security refers to the protection of data and systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. Authentication, on the other hand, is the process of verifying the identity of a user, device, or system.

OpenTelemetry .NET does not provide built-in security and authentication features. Instead, it relies on the underlying infrastructure and frameworks used to implement and run the application. For example, if you are using ASP.NET Core to build your application, you can leverage its built-in security and authentication features.

Why is Security and Authentication important?

Security and authentication are essential to protect sensitive data, maintain data privacy, and ensure the integrity and availability of your application. Without proper security and authentication measures, your application may be vulnerable to various attacks, such as data breaches, unauthorized access, and denial-of-service attacks.

Encryption

Encryption is the process of converting plaintext data into ciphertext to protect it from unauthorized access. OpenTelemetry .NET does not provide encryption features, but you can use encryption libraries and frameworks to secure your data.

For example, if you are using ASP.NET Core, you can use its built-in encryption features to encrypt sensitive data, such as connection strings and API keys.

using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
          using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Encrypting;
          
          // Load encrypted configuration file
          var configBuilder = new ConfigurationBuilder()
              .SetBasePath(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory())
              .AddJsonFile("appsettings.json", optional: true, reloadOnChange: true)
              .AddJsonFile("appsettings.Encrypt.json", optional: true, reloadOnChange: true)
              .AddEncryptingFiles("config.json", "config.Encrypt.json")
              .AddEnvironmentVariables();
          
          // Build configuration
          var config = configBuilder.Build();

Authentication

OpenTelemetry .NET does not provide authentication features, but you can use authentication libraries and frameworks to secure your application.

For example, if you are using ASP.NET Core, you can use its built-in authentication features to secure your application and protect your endpoints.

using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.JwtBearer;
          using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
          
          // Configure services
          services.AddAuthentication(options =>
          {
              options.DefaultAuthenticateScheme = JwtBearerDefaults.AuthenticationScheme;
              options.DefaultChallengeScheme = JwtBearerDefaults.AuthenticationScheme;
          })
          .AddJwtBearer(options =>
          {
              options.Authority = "https://your-identity-provider.com";
              options.Audience = "your-application-name";
          });

Authorization

Authorization is the process of granting or denying access to resources based on the identity and permissions of the user or system. OpenTelemetry .NET does not provide authorization features, but you can use authorization libraries and frameworks to secure your application.

For example, if you are using ASP.NET Core, you can use its built-in authorization features to secure your endpoints and protect your resources.

using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization;
          
          // Define authorization policy
          services.AddAuthorization(options =>
          {
              options.AddPolicy("AdminPolicy", policy => policy.RequireRole("Admin"));
          });
          
          // Apply authorization policy to endpoint
          [Authorize(Policy = "AdminPolicy")]
          public IActionResult AdminEndpoint()
          {
              // ...
          }

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