X-Pack security is a module that has been created out of the requirement of having a proper authorization mechanism to access the data present in the cluster. It initially started with the need for secure the Elasticsearch cluster, and it has grown beyond that to even secure the Kibana UI and provide access to authorized users only.
Whenever we talk about security, we tend to discuss the three As:
Authentication: Used to authenticate users based on their identity
Authorization: Describes the roles/permissions granted to an authenticated user
Accountability: Logging user session information, usage information, and so on
Considering the three As, Elastic Team is using Shield as an X-Pack Security model, which makes sure that the 3A's are covered.
For Authentication, it provides restrictions on unauthorized access with basic password protection, organization-level user management, and IP-based authorization.
For Authorization, it provides role-based access control, which defines what roles...