Azure Container Registry Repository Permissions with Attribute-based Access Control (ABAC)
Enterprises are converging on centralized container registries that serve multiple business units and application domains. Azure role-based access control (RBAC) uses role assignments to control access to Azure resources. Each Azure RBAC role assignment specifies an identity (who will gain permissions), an Azure role with Entra actions and data actions (what permissions are granted), and an assignment scope (which resources). For Azure Container Registry (ACR), traditional Azure RBAC scopes are limited to the subscription, resource group, or registry level—meaning permissions apply to all repositories within a registry.
In this shared registry model, traditional Azure role-based access control (RBAC) forces an all-or-nothing choice: either grant broad registry-wide permissions or manage separate registries per team. Neither approach aligns with least-privilege principles or modern zero trust architectures.
Microsoft Entra attribute-based access control (ABAC) for Azure Container Registry solves this challenge. ABAC augments Azure RBAC with fine-grained conditions, enabling platform teams to scope permissions precisely to specific repositories or namespaces within a shared registry. CI/CD pipelines and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters can now access only their authorized repositories, eliminating overprivileged authorization while maintaining operational simplicity.
