• HashiCorp Developer

  • HashiCorp Cloud Platform
  • Terraform
  • Packer
  • Consul
  • Vault
  • Boundary
  • Nomad
  • Waypoint
  • Vagrant
Vault
  • Install
  • Tutorials
  • Documentation
  • API
  • Integrations
  • Try Cloud(opens in new tab)
  • Sign up
Vault Home

Documentation

Skip to main content
  • Documentation
  • What is Vault?
  • Use Cases

  • Browser Support
  • Installing Vault

    • Overview
    • Active Directory
    • AliCloud
    • AWS
    • Azure
    • Consul
    • Cubbyhole
      • Overview
      • Cassandra
      • Couchbase
      • Elasticsearch
      • HanaDB
      • IBM Db2
      • InfluxDB
      • MongoDB
      • MongoDB Atlas
      • MSSQL
      • MySQL/MariaDB
      • Oracle
      • PostgreSQL
      • Redis
      • Redis ElastiCache
      • Redshift
      • Snowflake
      • Custom
    • Google Cloud
    • Google Cloud KMS
    • KMIP
      ENTERPRISEENTERPRISE
    • Kubernetes
    • MongoDB Atlas
    • Nomad
    • LDAP
    • RabbitMQ
    • Terraform Cloud
    • TOTP
    • Venafi (Certificates)
  • Vault Integration Program
  • Vault Interoperability Matrix
  • Troubleshoot






  • Glossary


  • Resources

  • Tutorial Library
  • Certifications
  • Community Forum
    (opens in new tab)
  • Support
    (opens in new tab)
  • GitHub
    (opens in new tab)
  1. Developer
  2. Vault
  3. Documentation
  4. Secrets Engines
  5. Databases
  6. PostgreSQL
  • Vault
  • v1.11.x
  • v1.10.x
  • v1.9.x
  • v1.8.x
  • v1.7.x
  • v1.6.x
  • v1.5.x
  • v1.4.x

»PostgreSQL Database Secrets Engine

PostgreSQL is one of the supported plugins for the database secrets engine. This plugin generates database credentials dynamically based on configured roles for the PostgreSQL database, and also supports Static Roles.

See the database secrets engine docs for more information about setting up the database secrets engine.

The PostgreSQL secrets engine uses pgx, the same database library as the PostgreSQL storage backend. Connection string options, including SSL options, can be found in the pgx and PostgreSQL connection string documentation.

Capabilities

Plugin NameRoot Credential RotationDynamic RolesStatic RolesUsername Customization
postgresql-database-pluginYesYesYesYes (1.7+)

Setup

  1. Enable the database secrets engine if it is not already enabled:

    $ vault secrets enable database
    Success! Enabled the database secrets engine at: database/
    

    By default, the secrets engine will enable at the name of the engine. To enable the secrets engine at a different path, use the -path argument.

  2. Configure Vault with the proper plugin and connection information:

    $ vault write database/config/my-postgresql-database \
        plugin_name="postgresql-database-plugin" \
        allowed_roles="my-role" \
        connection_url="postgresql://{{username}}:{{password}}@localhost:5432/database-name" \
        username="vaultuser" \
        password="vaultpass"
    
  3. Configure a role that maps a name in Vault to an SQL statement to execute to create the database credential:

    $ vault write database/roles/my-role \
        db_name="my-postgresql-database" \
        creation_statements="CREATE ROLE \"{{name}}\" WITH LOGIN PASSWORD '{{password}}' VALID UNTIL '{{expiration}}'; \
            GRANT SELECT ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public TO \"{{name}}\";" \
        default_ttl="1h" \
        max_ttl="24h"
    Success! Data written to: database/roles/my-role
    

Usage

After the secrets engine is configured and a user/machine has a Vault token with the proper permission, it can generate credentials.

  1. Generate a new credential by reading from the /creds endpoint with the name of the role:

    $ vault read database/creds/my-role
    Key                Value
    ---                -----
    lease_id           database/creds/my-role/2f6a614c-4aa2-7b19-24b9-ad944a8d4de6
    lease_duration     1h
    lease_renewable    true
    password           SsnoaA-8Tv4t34f41baD
    username           v-vaultuse-my-role-x
    

API

The full list of configurable options can be seen in the PostgreSQL database plugin API page.

For more information on the database secrets engine's HTTP API please see the Database secrets engine API page.

Edit this page on GitHub

On this page

  1. PostgreSQL Database Secrets Engine
  2. Capabilities
  3. Setup
  4. Usage
  5. API
Give Feedback(opens in new tab)
  • Certifications
  • System Status
  • Terms of Use
  • Security
  • Privacy
  • Trademark Policy
  • Trade Controls
  • Give Feedback(opens in new tab)