# redis-security

Guides Redis hardening with authentication, TLS, ACLs and network restrictions. Use it when deploying or auditing a production Redis instance.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 2400 installs · ★ 170
- Author: Redis, Inc.
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/redis/agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/redis-security/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/redis-security

## What it does

This skill gives an agent a Redis security checklist covering passwords or ACL users, TLS connections, interface binding, `protected-mode` and firewall rules. It also covers disabling `FLUSHALL`, `DEBUG` and `CONFIG`.

It recommends dedicated ACL accounts for each application, with only the key patterns and commands that account needs. The included examples cover a cache reader, a writer without dangerous operations, and an administrator. A shared `requirepass` is treated as a shortcut for the `default` user.

The skill includes `redis.conf` settings, `ACL SETUSER` commands, a Python `redis.Redis` connection and `iptables` rules. Using `bind 0.0.0.0` with `protected-mode no` exposes Redis across the network, so check for that combination first.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add redis/agent-skills --skill redis-security -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/redis-security/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/redis-security/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add redis/agent-skills --skill redis-security -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/redis-security/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add redis/agent-skills --skill redis-security -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/redis-security/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install redis/agent-skills redis-security
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/redis-security/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add redis/agent-skills --skill redis-security -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/redis/agent-skills --path skills/redis-security
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/redis-security/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add redis/agent-skills --skill redis-security -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/redis/agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/redis-security/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- configure Redis passwords and TLS
- create least-privilege ACL users
- restrict Redis access with `bind` and firewall rules
- disable destructive Redis commands
- audit Redis for public network exposure

## Example prompts
- Review my `redis.conf` for production Redis security.
- Create an ACL user that can read `cache:*` but cannot run dangerous commands.
- Configure a TLS Redis connection in Python with `redis.Redis`.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 8eb78d37b9a8f526.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 8eb78d37b9a8f526
````text
---
name: redis-security
description: Redis security guidance covering authentication (requirepass and ACL users), TLS, ACL-based least-privilege access control, restricting network exposure via bind and protected-mode, firewall rules, and disabling dangerous commands. Use when deploying Redis to production, defining ACL users for an application, configuring TLS connections, locking down a Redis instance behind a firewall, or auditing a Redis deployment for security hardening.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: Redis, Inc.
  version: "0.1.0"
---

# Redis Security

Production hardening for Redis: authentication, ACL-based access control, and network exposure. Cover all three together — any one of them on its own leaves an exploitable gap.

## When to apply

- Deploying or reviewing a Redis instance destined for production.
- Setting up application credentials beyond a shared password.
- Auditing a Redis deployment against a security checklist.
- Receiving "Redis exposed to the internet" findings from a scanner.

## 1. Always authenticate (and use TLS)

Never run a production Redis without a password. Pair authentication with TLS so credentials and data aren't sent in clear text.

```
# redis.conf
requirepass your-strong-password
tls-port 6380
tls-cert-file /path/to/redis.crt
tls-key-file  /path/to/redis.key
```

```python
r = redis.Redis(
    host="localhost",
    port=6380,
    password="your-strong-password",
    ssl=True,
    ssl_cert_reqs="required",
)
```

If you can use ACL users (next section) instead of the single `requirepass`, do — `requirepass` is effectively the legacy "default user" shortcut.

See [references/auth.md](references/auth.md).

## 2. ACLs for least-privilege access

The `default` user with a shared password is fine for development. For production, give each application a dedicated ACL user with only the commands and key patterns it actually needs.

```
# Cache-only reader
ACL SETUSER app_readonly on >password ~cache:* +get +mget +scan

# Writer that can't run dangerous ops
ACL SETUSER app_writer   on >password ~*        +@all -@dangerous

# Admin (use sparingly, never for application traffic)
ACL SETUSER admin        on >strong-password ~* +@all
```

Useful command categories:

| Category | What it covers |
|---|---|
| `@read` | Read commands (`GET`, `MGET`, `HGET`, ...) |
| `@write` | Write commands (`SET`, `DEL`, `XADD`, ...) |
| `@dangerous` | `FLUSHALL`, `DEBUG`, `KEYS`, etc. |
| `@admin` | Administrative commands |

If app credentials leak, a tight ACL bounds the blast radius — the attacker can't `FLUSHALL` your DB just because they grabbed a cache reader's password.

See [references/acls.md](references/acls.md).

## 3. Restrict network access

The most common Redis breach is a public-internet Redis with no auth. Avoid that with three layers:

```
# redis.conf — bind to specific interfaces, keep protected-mode on
bind 127.0.0.1 192.168.1.100
protected-mode yes
```

```bash
# Firewall — allow only application subnets
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 6379 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 8eb78d37b9a8f526

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