# System Index Access Restriction

**URL:** https://forum.opensearch.org/t/system-index-access-restriction/27675
**Category:** Security
**Tags:** discuss
**Created:** [January 7, 2026, 11:30am UTC](https://forum.opensearch.org/t/system-index-access-restriction/27675 "2026-01-07T11:30:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Chandana\_EP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@Chandana\_EP](https://forum.opensearch.org/u/Chandana_EP)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2026, 11:30am UTC](https://forum.opensearch.org/t/system-index-access-restriction/27675/1 "2026-01-07T11:30:21Z")

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**Versions** : Opensearch 3.4

**Describe the issue** : [Breaking changes - OpenSearch Documentation](https://docs.opensearch.org/latest/breaking-changes/#system-index-access) Explains the Access to system indexes through the REST API is no longer provided pointing to PR [Block access to system indices from REST APIs · Issue #7936 · opensearch-project/OpenSearch · GitHub](https://github.com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/issues/7936) which is still Open.  
Additonally, In this doc [System indexes - OpenSearch Documentation](https://docs.opensearch.org/latest/security/configuration/system-indices/) it says “ Even with a user account that has read permissions for all indexes, you can’t directly access the data in this system index. “

Can clarity be provided on exactly what operations are now restricted to what user(s) on system Indices ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chandana\_EP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@Chandana\_EP](https://forum.opensearch.org/u/Chandana_EP)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2026, 10:37am UTC](https://forum.opensearch.org/t/system-index-access-restriction/27675/2 "2026-01-27T10:37:11Z")

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Any Updates ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![pablo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.opensearch.org/pablo/32/9946_2.png) [@pablo](https://forum.opensearch.org/u/pablo)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2026, 12:26pm UTC](https://forum.opensearch.org/t/system-index-access-restriction/27675/3 "2026-02-19T12:26:17Z")

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@Chandana_EP As per the GitHub comment, system indices are already protected against API calls via the security plugin.  
You can access any of the system indices using the admin certificate defined in the admin\_dn in opensearch.yml

> <https://github.com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/issues/7936#issuecomment-2614192643>
>
> Access to system indices via the REST APIs \[has been deprecated\](https://github.…com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/commit/5c8b0662df09a5d7a53fd0d98b1d37b1d831ddbc) since OpenSearch 1.x (and ES 7.10 before that). This issue is to complete the deprecation and block access to system indices via the REST API. This is obviously a breaking change and can only be completed in the next major version (3.0).

Could you tell me what your use case is?