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Access Control in Game Warden

Game Warden uses identity federation and token-based authentication to control access to applications. The implementation varies by environment — select your environment below to find the relevant guidance.


How access control works in Game Warden

Regardless of environment, Game Warden access control is built on three core concepts.

  • Identity federation: Users authenticate through an external Identity Provider (IdP) federated with Keycloak. Game Warden does not manage local credentials — all authentication is delegated to the configured IdP. In DoW environments this is P1 SSO; in FedRAMP environments this is a FedRAMP-authorized IdP.

  • Token-based authorization: Upon successful authentication, the IdP issues a JSON Web Token (JWT). Game Warden validates the JWT on each request and uses its claims to enforce access decisions. Applications should validate JWTs and apply the Principle of Least Privilege when scoping access to claims.

  • Policy enforcement: Istio authorization policies enforce access controls at the service mesh level. Custom OIDC client integrations are supported for applications with additional access control requirements.


Key differences by environment

Concept DoW FedRAMP
Primary IdP P1 SSO FedRAMP-authorized IdP
Local authentication Permitted with configuration Not permitted
Keycloak integration Optional (custom OIDC) Mandatory
Periodic access reviews Recommended Required
Account lockout policy Configurable Required