Why Self-Host Kerberos

Kerberos stands between your services and intruders. It runs on math, tickets, and trust. When you self-host Kerberos, you decide exactly how that trust is built and where the keys live. No cloud dependency. No shared control.

Why Self-Host Kerberos
Self-hosting gives you control over the Key Distribution Center (KDC). You define the realm names, encryption types, and ticket lifetimes. This control lets you meet strict compliance rules and performance needs. It also reduces attack vectors tied to external providers.

Core Deployment Steps

1. Plan the Realm — Choose a realm name that matches your DNS.
2. Install the KDC — Use packages from your OS repo or compile from source for maximal control.
3. Create Principals — Add service principals for apps and host principals for servers.
4. Set Up the Admin Tool — Configure kadmind and secure access to it.
5. Distribute Keytabs — Place encrypted credentials only on authorized systems.
6. Test End-to-End — Use kinit, klist, and actual service logins to confirm ticket flow.

Security and Performance Considerations
Run the KDC on hardened hardware in a protected network segment. Use strong encryption like AES256-CTS-HMAC-SHA1. Configure ticket lifetimes to balance convenience and risk. Monitor logs for failed authentications. Keep time in sync across all nodes with NTP to prevent ticket issues.

Integrating Kerberos with Existing Services
For web apps, configure reverse proxies or application servers to use Kerberos negotiation. For databases, enable GSSAPI authentication. For microservices, manage service principals and leverage mutual authentication for every request.

Self-hosted Kerberos is stable, predictable, and under your command. Once deployed, it becomes the silent guard at the edge of your systems.

Deploy Kerberos with full control. Test it. Harden it. Then connect it to your workflows. See it live in minutes at hoop.dev.