---
myst:
html_meta:
description: Install and configure an MIT Kerberos server on Ubuntu with primary and secondary KDC setup, including DNS and NTP prerequisites.
---
(install-a-kerberos-server)=
# How to install a Kerberos server
For this discussion, we will create an MIT Kerberos domain with the following features (edit them to fit your needs):
- **Realm**: `EXAMPLE.COM`
- **Primary KDC**: `kdc01.example.com`
- **Secondary KDC**: `kdc02.example.com`
- **User principal**: `ubuntu`
- **Admin principal**: `ubuntu/admin`
## Prerequisites
Before installing the Kerberos server, a properly configured {term}`DNS` server is needed for your domain. Since the Kerberos realm (by convention) matches the domain name, this section uses the `EXAMPLE.COM` domain configured in the primary server section of the {ref}`DNS documentation `.
Also, Kerberos is a time sensitive protocol. If the local system time between a client machine and the server differs by more than five minutes (by default), the workstation will not be able to authenticate. To correct the problem all hosts should have their time synchronized using the same Network Time Protocol (NTP) server. Check out the {ref}`NTP chapter ` for more details.
## Install the Kerberos packages
The first step in creating a Kerberos realm is to install the `krb5-kdc` and `krb5-admin-server` packages. From a terminal enter:
```bash
sudo apt install krb5-kdc krb5-admin-server
```
You will be asked at the end of the install to supply the {term}`hostname` for the Kerberos and Admin servers for the realm, which may or may not be the same server. Since we are going to create the realm, and thus these servers, type in the full hostname of this server.
```{note}
By default the realm name will be domain name of the Key Distribution Center (KDC) server.
```
Next, create the new realm with the `kdb5_newrealm` utility:
```bash
sudo krb5_newrealm
```
It will ask you for a database {spellexception}`master` password, which is used to encrypt the local database. Chose a secure password: its strength is not verified for you.
## Configure the Kerberos server
The questions asked during installation are used to configure the `/etc/krb5.conf` and `/etc/krb5kdc/kdc.conf` files. The former is used by the Kerberos 5 libraries, and the latter configures the KDC. If you need to adjust the KDC settings, edit the file and restart the `krb5-kdc` daemon. If you need to reconfigure Kerberos from scratch, perhaps to change the realm name, you can do so by typing:
```bash
sudo dpkg-reconfigure krb5-kdc
```
```{note}
The manual page for `krb5.conf` is in the `krb5-doc` package.
```
Let's create our first principal. Since there is no principal create yet, we need to use `kadmin.local`, which uses a local UNIX socket to talk to the KDC, and requires root privileges:
```bash
$ sudo kadmin.local
Authenticating as principal root/admin@EXAMPLE.COM with password.
kadmin.local: addprinc ubuntu
WARNING: no policy specified for ubuntu@EXAMPLE.COM; defaulting to no policy
Enter password for principal "ubuntu@EXAMPLE.COM":
Re-enter password for principal "ubuntu@EXAMPLE.COM":
Principal "ubuntu@EXAMPLE.COM" created.
kadmin.local: quit
```
To be able to use `kadmin` remotely, we should create an **admin principal**. Convention suggests it should be an **admin instance**, as that also makes creating a generic Access Control List ({term}`ACL`) easier. Let's create an admin instance for the `ubuntu` principal:
```bash
$ sudo kadmin.local
Authenticating as principal root/admin@EXAMPLE.COM with password.
kadmin.local: addprinc ubuntu/admin
WARNING: no policy specified for ubuntu/admin@EXAMPLE.COM; defaulting to no policy
Enter password for principal "ubuntu/admin@EXAMPLE.COM":
Re-enter password for principal "ubuntu/admin@EXAMPLE.COM":
Principal "ubuntu/admin@EXAMPLE.COM" created.
kadmin.local: quit
```
Next, the new admin principal needs to have the appropriate ACL permissions. The permissions are configured in the `/etc/krb5kdc/kadm5.acl` file:
```bash
ubuntu/admin@EXAMPLE.COM *
```
You can also use a more generic form for this ACL:
```bash
*/admin@EXAMPLE.COM *
```
The above will grant all privileges to any admin instance of a principal. See the {manpage}`kadm5.acl(5)` manual page for details.
Now restart the `krb5-admin-server` for the new ACL to take effect:
```bash
sudo systemctl restart krb5-admin-server.service
```
The new user principal can be tested using the `kinit` utility:
```bash
$ kinit ubuntu/admin
Password for ubuntu/admin@EXAMPLE.COM:
```
After entering the password, use the `klist` utility to view information about the Ticket Granting Ticket (TGT):
```bash
$ klist
Ticket cache: FILE:/tmp/krb5cc_1000
Default principal: ubuntu/admin@EXAMPLE.COM
Valid starting Expires Service principal
04/03/20 19:16:57 04/04/20 05:16:57 krbtgt/EXAMPLE.COM@EXAMPLE.COM
renew until 04/04/20 19:16:55
```
Where the cache filename `krb5cc_1000` is composed of the prefix `krb5cc_` and the user id (UID), which in this case is `1000`.
`kinit` will inspect `/etc/krb5.conf` to find out which KDC to contact, and the corresponding address. The KDC can also be found via DNS lookups for special TXT and SRV records. You can add these records to your `example.com` DNS zone:
```text
_kerberos._udp.EXAMPLE.COM. IN SRV 1 0 88 kdc01.example.com.
_kerberos._tcp.EXAMPLE.COM. IN SRV 1 0 88 kdc01.example.com.
_kerberos._udp.EXAMPLE.COM. IN SRV 10 0 88 kdc02.example.com.
_kerberos._tcp.EXAMPLE.COM. IN SRV 10 0 88 kdc02.example.com.
_kerberos-adm._tcp.EXAMPLE.COM. IN SRV 1 0 749 kdc01.example.com.
_kpasswd._udp.EXAMPLE.COM. IN SRV 1 0 464 kdc01.example.com.
```
See the {ref}`DNS chapter ` for detailed instructions on setting up DNS.
A very quick and useful way to troubleshoot what `kinit` is doing is to set the environment variable `KRB5_TRACE` to a file, or `stderr`, and it will show extra information. The output is quite verbose:
```bash
$ KRB5_TRACE=/dev/stderr kinit ubuntu/admin
[2898] 1585941845.278578: Getting initial credentials for ubuntu/admin@EXAMPLE.COM
[2898] 1585941845.278580: Sending unauthenticated request
[2898] 1585941845.278581: Sending request (189 bytes) to EXAMPLE.COM
[2898] 1585941845.278582: Resolving hostname kdc01.example.com
(...)
```
Your new Kerberos realm is now ready to authenticate clients.