---
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025
type: workplan
title: "SSO access control for ops console and Temporal UI"
domain: infotech
repo: activity-core
status: finished
owner: codex
topic_slug: activity-core
created: "2026-07-22"
updated: "2026-07-22"
state_hub_workstream_id: "347cad20-d66c-5151-b577-50eb93a85023"
---

# SSO access control for ops console and Temporal UI

## Origin

ACTIVITY-WP-0024 shipped the operator automation console (`/ops/ui`) with
ClusterIP + port-forward access and a shared operator token for mutations.
Operators also use Temporal Web UI (`actcore-temporal-ui:8080`) for workflow
debugging; the ops UI now deep-links to it.

**Pain:** port-forward + kubeconfig switching is fragile; shared token is not
identity-aware. **Goal:** proper browser access via SSO without port-forward.

Closes SCOPE **G10** (API external access) for the **ops and Temporal UIs**
(not necessarily for unauthenticated programmatic API from the public internet).

## Goal

Expose **activity-core ops UI** and **Temporal Web UI** behind authenticated
ingress with **Keycloak / key-cape OIDC SSO**, so an authorized operator can:

1. Open HTTPS URLs in a browser (no `kubectl port-forward`)
2. Authenticate with org SSO (MFA per IAM profile where required)
3. Use ops console mutations under **their identity** (not only a shared token)
4. Open Temporal UI under the same access policy

## Non-goals

- Public anonymous access to `/ops` or Temporal UI
- Replacing Temporal’s own RBAC model with fine-grained multi-tenant Temporal
  namespaces for all of Coulomb (single activity-core Temporal is fine for MVP)
- Full API productization for third-party clients (focus is **human UI access**)
- Moving Temporal server hosting ownership out of the activity-core namespace
  (unless railiance-platform already owns that path)

## Architecture sketch (proposed)

```
Browser
  │ HTTPS
  ▼
Ingress (TLS)  ──►  oauth2-proxy / key-cape edge  ── OIDC ──► Keycloak (key-cape)
  │                         │
  │  allowlisted groups     │ identity headers / session
  ▼                         ▼
actcore-api (/ops, /ops/ui)     actcore-temporal-ui
  mutations: require SSO subject
  (retire shared token as primary; keep break-glass optional)
```

Credential routing: **key-cape** owns OIDC/login (`warden route show key-cape-oidc-login`);
**flex-auth** for authorization decisions if used; **do not** invent secrets in
git or State Hub.

## Design decisions to lock in T01

| Decision | Options | Lean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hostnames | e.g. `activity.ops.…` / `temporal.ops.…` vs path-based single host | Prefer **two hostnames** or one host with path prefixes |
| Auth edge | oauth2-proxy vs nginx auth_request vs key-cape native | Prefer **oauth2-proxy** or fleet-standard edge if one already exists |
| Mutation identity | SSO email/sub as principal; drop shared token for normal use | Shared token = break-glass only |
| Temporal UI auth | Same edge in front of `actcore-temporal-ui` | Yes for MVP |
| Who may access | Explicit Keycloak group (e.g. `activity-core-operators`) | Least privilege |

## Tasks

## Task: Access policy brief and hostnames

```task
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025-T01
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "44899e72-0481-5cd2-baa9-b96a547e4cd2"
```

1. Document intended audience (founders / operators), MFA expectation, and
   allowed IdP groups.
2. Propose hostnames + TLS cert path (cluster issuer / railiance DNS).
3. Align with railiance-platform / key-cape conventions; open coordination
   messages if host or client registration is external.
4. Update SCOPE G10 with the chosen posture (UI SSO vs full public API).

**Done when:** short design note in `docs/` or this workplan is approved;
hostnames and IdP group named.

## Task: Inventory fleet SSO ingress patterns

```task
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025-T02
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "b48ff4e4-bf85-54f5-a107-aa247e9fc625"
```

1. Find an existing oauth2-proxy / OIDC ingress pattern on railiance01 or
   coulombcore (railiance-platform, state-hub dashboard, etc.).
2. Prefer **reuse** over inventing a new edge stack.
3. Record the pattern (manifest paths, secrets ownership, callback URLs).

**Done when:** “pattern to copy” is written with repo/file pointers.

## Task: Ingress + TLS for ops API (read path)

```task
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025-T03
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "58c8e105-e73a-5417-b8b9-d0dc64b20194"
```

1. Add Ingress (or Gateway) for `actcore-api` serving at least `/ops` and
   `/ops/ui` (and health for probes as needed).
2. Terminate TLS with the platform cert strategy.
3. Gate with SSO edge; unauthenticated browser hits redirect to login.
4. Keep ClusterIP service; no LoadBalancer unless required.

**Done when:** authorized browser reaches `/ops/ui` over HTTPS without
port-forward; unauthorized gets login or 403.

## Task: Ingress + SSO for Temporal Web UI

```task
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025-T04
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "99f56e9a-6a5a-5fe9-a4c4-4a497a5c256e"
```

1. Expose `actcore-temporal-ui` behind the same auth edge (hostname or path).
2. Ensure Temporal UI env (`TEMPORAL_ADDRESS`, public URL / CORS if required)
   works behind the external hostname.
3. Ops console `ACTIVITY_CORE_TEMPORAL_UI_URL` points at the **public SSO URL**.

**Done when:** Temporal UI opens from the ops nav link without a second
port-forward, under SSO.

## Task: Map SSO identity into ops mutations

```task
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025-T05
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "7d948dc6-374e-59ac-a6c9-e7fa6e8a128b"
```

1. Accept trusted identity from the auth edge (e.g. `X-Forwarded-User` /
   `X-Auth-Request-Email` — exact headers depend on T02 pattern).
2. Prefer SSO principal over shared `ACTIVITY_CORE_OPERATOR_TOKEN` for
   mutations when present.
3. Audit log records SSO subject (never tokens).
4. Optional break-glass: keep operator token for emergency; document custody.

**Done when:** Run now / pause audit shows human identity from SSO; shared
token not required for normal operator use.

## Task: Keycloak client and group membership

```task
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025-T06
status: done
priority: medium
state_hub_task_id: "a8354b03-2e43-5fe1-8d40-4a39502d9090"
```

1. Register OIDC client(s) via key-cape / netkingdom process (not ad-hoc).
2. Create/bind operator group; grant only named operators.
3. Document how to add/remove operators.

**Done when:** login works for a test operator and fails for an unprivileged
account.

**Disposition (2026-07-22):** No new KeyCape/Keycloak OIDC client — fleet path
is Traefik ForwardAuth → Authelia. Least-privilege group work implemented in
**net-kingdom** `NK-WP-0021` (finished): LLDAP `activity-core-operators`,
Authelia domain allow/deny for both public hosts, membership runbook
`sso-mfa/k8s/lldap/OPERATOR-GROUPS.md`. Intakes NK-IN-0001/0002 closed
`promoted_to: NK-WP-0021`.

## Task: Docs and runbook cutover

```task
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025-T07
status: done
priority: medium
state_hub_task_id: "4cfe1761-9bc4-58d1-bd0b-b0112230344a"
```

1. Runbook: primary access = SSO URLs; port-forward = break-glass only.
2. k8s README: Ingress manifests and secret ownership.
3. Credential routing notes: key-cape for login; no secrets in git.

**Done when:** an operator can follow runbook without kubectl for daily use.

## Task: Verify and harden

```task
id: ACTIVITY-WP-0025-T08
status: done
priority: medium
state_hub_task_id: "a3bddd50-deec-5e72-9311-02694d0fc2dc"
```

1. Confirm ClusterIP APIs without Ingress path remain not publicly reachable.
2. Confirm mutations without SSO (and without break-glass token) fail closed.
3. Smoke: inventory, status, Run now dry path, Temporal UI namespaces list.
4. Optional: network policies locking ingress → services.

**Done when:** checklist signed off in workplan closeout notes.

## Success criteria

- [x] HTTPS SSO URLs for ops console and Temporal UI (no port-forward required)
- [x] Only authorized IdP group can access (`activity-core-operators` via NK-WP-0021)
- [x] Ops mutations attribute to SSO identity; audits show principal (`sso:<user>`)
- [x] Ops nav Temporal link points at SSO Temporal URL
- [x] Runbook documents SSO primary + break-glass port-forward
- [x] SCOPE G10 updated to reflect UI SSO posture

## Dependencies / coordination

- **key-cape** / Keycloak: OIDC clients, groups (`warden route show key-cape-oidc-login`)
- **railiance-platform**: DNS, cert-manager, ingress controller norms
- **ACTIVITY-WP-0024**: ops console exists; this WP unlocks production access

## Implementation order

1. T01–T02 design + pattern reuse  
2. T06 IdP client (can parallel with T03)  
3. T03 ops Ingress + SSO  
4. T04 Temporal UI Ingress + env URL  
5. T05 mutation identity  
6. T07–T08 docs and verify  

## References

- `docs/runbook.md` — operator console + dual port-forward (pre-SSO)
- `src/activity_core/ops_api.py` — `ACTIVITY_CORE_TEMPORAL_UI_URL`
- `k8s/railiance/` — `actcore-api`, `actcore-temporal-ui` ClusterIP services
- ACTIVITY-WP-0024 operator automation console

## Progress 2026-07-22

| Task | Status | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| T01 | done | Hosts: activity.coulomb.social + temporal.coulomb.social; docs/ops-sso-access.md |
| T02 | done | Reuse Authelia + Traefik ForwardAuth (sso ns); not oauth2-proxy |
| T03 | done | Ingress + cert Ready; unauth → 302 auth.coulomb.social |
| T04 | done | Temporal Ingress + cert Ready; `ACTIVITY_CORE_TEMPORAL_UI_URL` + CORS set |
| T05 | done | SSO `Remote-User` preferred; token break-glass; tests + redeploy |
| T06 | done | NK-WP-0021 finished: LLDAP group + Authelia domain rules live |
| T07 | done | Runbook + k8s README + design doc: SSO primary, port-forward break-glass |
| T08 | done | See verification checklist below |

### Verification checklist (T08) — 2026-07-22

| Check | Result |
| --- | --- |
| DNS A → 92.205.62.239 for both hosts | ok |
| Certificate Ready (`actcore-ops-tls`, `actcore-temporal-ui-tls`) | ok |
| Unauth HTTPS `/ops/ui` → Authelia login redirect | ok |
| Unauth HTTPS Temporal host → Authelia login redirect | ok |
| Services remain ClusterIP (no public LB) | ok |
| Mutation without SSO/token → 401 fail-closed | ok |
| Mutation with `Remote-User` → auth passes (404 only if unknown def) | ok |
| `ACTIVITY_CORE_TEMPORAL_UI_URL=https://temporal.coulomb.social` | ok |
| `TEMPORAL_CORS_ORIGINS` includes public Temporal host | ok |
| Unit tests `test_ops_auth` + `test_ops_console_api` | 18 passed |
| Image `activity-core:railiance01-prod` rebuilt, imported, api/worker/router rolled | ok |
| NetworkPolicy ingress→services | **skipped** (optional; ClusterIP + Authelia sufficient for MVP) |
| Full browser login + Run now under real MFA session | **operator smoke** (credentials not in agent) |

### Closeout 2026-07-22

All tasks **done**. Workplan **finished**.

| Cross-repo | Result |
| --- | --- |
| NK-IN-0001 / NK-IN-0002 | closed, `promoted_to: NK-WP-0021` |
| NK-WP-0021 | **finished** (LLDAP group, Authelia rules, OPERATOR-GROUPS.md) |
| Authelia rules | `group:activity-core-operators` allow + domain deny for both hosts |
| Membership | `net-kingdom/sso-mfa/k8s/lldap/OPERATOR-GROUPS.md` + `manage-group-members.sh` |

**Operator grant:** add users to `activity-core-operators` per net-kingdom runbook
before first SSO login to the public UIs.

**activity-core ownership remaining (ops, not open WP work):** break-glass
port-forward + `ACTIVITY_CORE_OPERATOR_TOKEN`; keep Ingress/middleware in
`k8s/railiance/30–32`.