Using an Example: How Do You Secure Your Flask Admin?

Updated by Ashirafu Kibalama on April 02, 2024

Using an Example Learn: How To Secure Your Flask Admin?

Flask Admin is a valuable tool for managing your Flask app's data.

However, with great power comes great responsibility, and security should be your top priority.

Following best practices for securing your Flask Admin, you can keep your application safe from malicious attacks.

In this script, we will share some tips and examples to help you protect your Flask Admin and ensure your application remains secure.

First, the easiest way to secure your Flask Admin is to create a custom decorator in Flask to ensure routes are accessible only to the admin user.

Here's how you can implement it:

3 Steps To Secure Your Flask Admin

Step 1:
Import the requirements as illustrated below:


from functools import wraps
from flask import redirect, url_for, flash
from flask_login import current_user

Step 2:
Create a custom decorator in Flask to secure routes accessible only to admin users.



# Create admin-required decorator
def admin_required(func):
    @wraps(func)
    def decorated_function(*args, **kwargs):
        if current_user.is_authenticated:  # if a user is logged in
            if current_user.id != 1:  # and is not the admin
                flash("You need to login as an admin to access this page.",
                      "error")
                return redirect(url_for("login"))
        else:
            flash("You do not have permission to access this page.",
                  "error")
            return redirect(url_for("login"))
        return func(*args, **kwargs)  # only option left is the admin

    return decorated_function

In this code:

The admin_required decorator takes a function as an argument.

Within the decorated function, it checks whether the current user is authenticated and if they are not an admin.

If the user is authenticated and is not an admin, it flashes an error message and redirects them to the login page.

If the user is not authenticated or is not an admin, it flashes an error message and redirects them to the login page.

The only option left is the admin; it allows the user to access the admin-only route.

Make sure to replace 'login' with the actual URL endpoint for your login page.

Adjust the logic inside the decorator according to your specific authentication and authorization implementation.

Step 3:
You can then use this decorator to protect your admin routes like this:


@app.route('/admin/dashboard')
@admin_required
def admin_dashboard():
    return render_template('admin_dashboard.html')


@app.route('/users')
@admin_required
def show_all_users():
    return render_template('users.html')

Securing your Flask Admin is not just a matter of convenience; it's critical to maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of your application's data.

While Flask Admin offers powerful capabilities for managing your app's backend, overlooking security measures can leave your system vulnerable to malicious attacks.

You can significantly secure your Flask Admin interface by following the best practices outlined in this post.

Implementing a custom decorator to restrict access to admin-only routes is a fundamental step towards ensuring that sensitive functionalities are accessible only to authorized users.

This guide provides a clear roadmap for creating and applying the admin_required decorator to your Flask routes, safeguarding your admin interface from unauthorized access.

By leveraging Flask's flexibility and robust authentication mechanisms, you can establish granular access controls and protect your application against potential threats.

Securing your Admin is an ongoing process, and it's essential to stay vigilant against emerging vulnerabilities.

Regularly review and update your Admin security to adapt to evolving threats and maintain the trust of your users.

By prioritizing security and adopting proactive measures, you can enjoy the full potential of Flask Admin while keeping your application safe and resilient in the face of modern cybersecurity challenges.

Let us know how helpful this post is to you.

Happy coding!

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