Key Vault error the operation is not allowed by RBAC.

Question

Key Vault error the operation is not allowed by RBAC.

Answer 1

@Don Bowden I hope you are doing well,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A

You're trying to read/write a secret, key, or certificate in a Key Vault that uses Azure RBAC (not Access Policies), but:

• You don’t have the correct role assigned.
• The role doesn't cover the specific permission (e.g., "Get Secrets").
• How to Fix

Option 1: Assign an RBAC role with the correct scope

1. Go to Azure Portal > Key Vault > Access control (IAM).
2. Click “+ Add” > Add role assignment.
3. Choose one of these roles depending on what you need:
   • Key Vault Reader: Can list vault metadata but not secrets/keys.
   • Key Vault Secrets User: Can read secrets.
   • Key Vault Secrets Officer: Can read/write secrets.
   • Key Vault Administrator: Full access to secrets, keys, certs.
4. Assign to the appropriate identity (user, group, or app).
5. Click Review + assign.

Oficial Microsoft Documentations https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/key-vault/keys/about-keys-details

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Answer 2

Hello @Don Bowden ,

In addition to the information provided by @Jose Benjamin Solis Nolasco , please review my below suggested steps.

Please note that one must have Key Vault administrator role while using RBAC.

Using Azure RBAC secret, key, and certificate permissions with Key Vault

The new Azure RBAC permission model for key vault provides alternative to the vault access policy permissions model.

Prerequisites

You must have an Azure subscription. If you don't, you can create a free account before you begin.

To manage role assignments, you must have Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/write and Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/delete permissions, such as Key Vault Data Access Administrator (with restricted permissions to only assign/remove specific Key Vault roles), User Access Administrator, or Owner.

Enable Azure RBAC permissions on Key Vault

1.Enable Azure RBAC permissions on new key vault:

2.Enable Azure RBAC permissions on existing key vault:

Reference document which will be helpful:

Grant permission to applications to access an Azure key vault using Azure RBAC

Additionally answering to your further query regarding whether Global administrators in Microsoft Entra ID tenant having default Key Vault Administrator permissions ?

No, the Global Administrator role in a Microsoft Entra ID tenant does not have the Key Vault Administrator role by default. The Global Administrator role primarily provides administrative permissions within Microsoft Entra ID itself but does not grant permissions to manage Azure resources such as Key Vaults automatically.

Azure roles (like Key Vault Administrator) are distinct from Microsoft Entra ID roles(like Global Administrator).

I hope the above information provided is helpful. Please let me know if you have any additional queries.