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Nomad’s API Without an Access Control List: What Happens and What to Check

With Nomad ACL enforcement off, the HTTP API does not check tokens, so reachability is set by the bind address and network controls. Here is how the disabled and anonymous states differ and how to check a cluster.
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If Nomad ACL enforcement is not active, the agent HTTP API does not check who is calling it. Anyone who can reach the API’s address and port can send requests to it. Whether that means the whole Internet or only one host depends on how the API is bound, not on ACLs.

“Without ACLs” can describe two different states, and they behave differently. In one, ACL enforcement is disabled. In the other, ACLs are enabled but unauthenticated requests are handled by the anonymous token, which is denied by default. Start by confirming which one you have.

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Two configurations that both get called “no ACLs”

The Nomad agent configuration reference lists ACL enforcement as optional and disabled by default. HashiCorp also states that all agents in a cluster should use the same acl.enabled value, so a single server with a different setting is not a safe way to test. When ACLs are enabled, a request without an X-Nomad-Token header is evaluated against the anonymous token instead of being rejected outright.

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Setting Does a request need a token? What an anonymous request receives What protects the API
ACL enforcement disabled (acl.enabled false) No token check is performed Not applicable; ACLs do not gate requests Only the bind address and network controls
ACLs enabled, no anonymous policy Yes, in effect Denied by default ACL policies, plus bind address and network controls
ACLs enabled, scoped anonymous policy Only for requests that need more than the anonymous policy grants The capabilities granted by that anonymous policy, and nothing more ACL policies, the anonymous policy’s grants, plus network controls

The third row is the one most often misread. An anonymous policy is an intentional grant of selected capabilities to unauthenticated callers. HashiCorp warns against giving anonymous callers overly permissive access, so treat it as a deliberate allowance, not a convenience.

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Who can reach the API depends on the bind address

The Nomad HTTP API is RESTful, is used to query and modify system state, and serves routes under the /v1/ prefix. Its default port is 4646. The configured address decides exposure: a loopback address limits access to the local host, while a public IP can expose the API to the public Internet. HashiCorp explicitly says that binding to a public address is not recommended.

This matters even when ACLs are fully enabled. An ACL denies anonymous requests, but it does not stop a request from reaching the listener, and it does not protect the agent from connection-level exposure. Confirm the bind address on every server and client, then confirm what your firewall or proxy allows to reach port 4646.

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What enabling ACLs changes

When ACL enforcement is on, requests are evaluated against tokens and the policies attached to them. Policies are defined in terms of capabilities. A caller presents a token either through the X-Nomad-Token header or through a Bearer authorization header:

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Authorization: Bearer <token>

HashiCorp recommends TLS whenever authentication is used, because tokens sent over plain HTTP can be read by anyone on the path. Enabling ACLs without TLS therefore protects against unauthenticated callers but not against traffic interception.

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Endpoints that can be reached without a token

Do not assume every endpoint requires an ACL token. HashiCorp’s Nomad Security Model identifies /v1/metrics and /v1/status/peers as endpoints that may be accessed without an ACL token. Whether they are exposed to anyone who can reach the HTTP address depends on TLS client verification: the documentation describes that exposure when tls.verify_https_client=false.

HashiCorp’s guidance for these endpoints is to place a reverse proxy or another external restriction in front of them. Mutual TLS, which HashiCorp recommends alongside ACLs, is the setting to check first, because it changes whether these two endpoints are reachable by any client that can connect.

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The Task API is a separate case

The Task API is not the same as the agent HTTP API. It always requires authentication, even when ACL enforcement is disabled. Once ACLs are enabled, normal endpoint authorization applies after authentication. Do not carry this exception over to the agent HTTP API; the rules above still govern that surface.

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How to check a cluster

  1. Confirm the Nomad release running on each server and client, and open the HashiCorp documentation for that exact version. Behavior and configuration keys can change between releases.
  2. Inspect the effective agent configuration on every server and client. Look for acl.enabled and make sure all agents report the same value.
  3. If ACLs are enabled, check whether an anonymous policy exists. If none is set, anonymous requests are denied by default. If one is set, list exactly which capabilities it grants and treat any broad grant as a finding.
  4. Verify the bind address. A loopback address keeps the API to the local host; a public address makes it reachable from wherever your network path allows.
  5. Test reachability of port 4646 from outside the intended network segment, and check any firewall rules or reverse proxy in the path.
  6. Check TLS settings. Confirm that TLS is in use for authenticated traffic, and review tls.verify_https_client, since it determines whether /v1/metrics and /v1/status/peers are reachable without a token.
  7. If either endpoint is reachable by clients that should not see it, restrict it with a reverse proxy or external control.
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What the security model says about the whole system

HashiCorp’s Nomad Security Model states: “Nomad’s security model is applicable only if all parts of the system are running with a secure configuration; Nomad is not secure-by-default.” The point is that ACLs are one control among several. A correct ACL setting on one agent does not compensate for an unsafe bind address, a permissive anonymous policy, or a token-free endpoint left open to the network.

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The official security guidance does not give a per-release list of which endpoints are token-free, so check the version-matched documentation before relying on any specific endpoint behavior in production.

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