[GH-ISSUE #458] feature: automatic user group / wildcard ACL #840

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opened 2026-08-05 00:40:07 -04:00 by saavagebueno · 8 comments
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Originally created by @diegocn on GitHub (Sep 8, 2022).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/458

Hello. This is a feature request for netbird’s team.

As a regular user, I want all devices I add to the network to be peers within “my own group”.

As an admin, I would like to have an ACL that allows all devices added by users would be part of their own group by default, and then, all their devices would be peers.

Idea:

  • all users will automatically have their own group/tag created upon first login within the organization
  • all their devices will be part of this group/tag by default
  • an ACL rule could set this behavior by defining a “special/wildcard” group called “@user_group” (or other better naming) that will be evaluated as each user’s own group automatically

Related to: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/457

Originally created by @diegocn on GitHub (Sep 8, 2022). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/458 Hello. This is a feature request for netbird’s team. As a regular user, I want all devices I add to the network to be peers within “my own group”. As an admin, I would like to have an ACL that allows all devices added by users would be part of their own group by default, and then, all their devices would be peers. Idea: - all users will automatically have their own group/tag created upon first login within the organization - all their devices will be part of this group/tag by default - an ACL rule could set this behavior by defining a “special/wildcard” group called “@user_group” (or other better naming) that will be evaluated as each user’s own group automatically Related to: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/457
saavagebueno added the feature-requestwaiting-feedback labels 2026-08-05 00:40:08 -04:00
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@mlsmaycon commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2022):

Thanks, @diegocn, they are really good suggestions and we will be considering them for the next enhancements

<!-- gh-comment-id:1241018885 --> @mlsmaycon commented on GitHub (Sep 8, 2022): Thanks, @diegocn, they are really good suggestions and we will be considering them for the next enhancements
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@nazarewk commented on GitHub (Apr 16, 2025):

As an admin, I would like to have an ACL that allows all devices added by users would be part of their own group by default, and then, all their devices would be peers.

all their devices will be part of this group/tag by default

Those 2 are covered

all users will automatically have their own group/tag created upon first login within the organization

I'm pretty sure this is covered by IdP Sync feature

an ACL rule could set this behavior by defining a “special/wildcard” group called “@user_group” (or other better naming) that will be evaluated as each user’s own group automatically

Looks like the last thing not already covered in latest versions.
@diegocn sounds like you want a username-derived group creation? I think this has low chance of happening (the usernames aren't very stable across IdP integrations), but can keep the feature request opened for now.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2809954265 --> @nazarewk commented on GitHub (Apr 16, 2025): > As an admin, I would like to have an ACL that allows all devices added by users would be part of their own group by default, and then, all their devices would be peers. > all their devices will be part of this group/tag by default Those 2 are covered > all users will automatically have their own group/tag created upon first login within the organization I'm pretty sure this is covered by IdP Sync feature > an ACL rule could set this behavior by defining a “special/wildcard” group called “@user_group” (or other better naming) that will be evaluated as each user’s own group automatically Looks like the last thing not already covered in latest versions. @diegocn sounds like you want a username-derived group creation? I think this has low chance of happening (the usernames aren't very stable across IdP integrations), but can keep the feature request opened for now.
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@diegocn commented on GitHub (May 10, 2025):

Hi @nazarewk

The idea is not to rely on user’s name itself, but on the identity. So, a single identity would have this “self” group, and the peers added using this same identity would be automatically part of this “self” group.

For example: I first login using my laptop, then login using my smartphone using the same identity for both, so, both peers (devices) would be able to see each other automatically.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2869143584 --> @diegocn commented on GitHub (May 10, 2025): Hi @nazarewk The idea is not to rely on user’s name itself, but on the identity. So, a single identity would have this “self” group, and the peers added using this same identity would be automatically part of this “self” group. For example: I first login using my laptop, then login using my smartphone using the same identity for both, so, both peers (devices) would be able to see each other automatically.
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@Lochnair commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2025):

Just want to add that this is the missing feature for me to be able to move to NetBird from Tailscale.

Currently I have in my Tailscale policy:

{
	"src": ["autogroup:member"],
	"dst": ["autogroup:self"],
	"ip":  ["*"],
},

This lets me, and other members of my network do as @diegocn describes and reach all of our own devices tied to our identities automatically without adding them to any specific group.

The closest you can get today I guess, is use the API with a script running at regular intervals to automatically create/update groups and policies, should work, but it's not exactly ideal.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3112616656 --> @Lochnair commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2025): Just want to add that this is the missing feature for me to be able to move to NetBird from Tailscale. Currently I have in my Tailscale policy: ```json { "src": ["autogroup:member"], "dst": ["autogroup:self"], "ip": ["*"], }, ``` This lets me, and other members of my network do as @diegocn describes and reach all of our own devices tied to our identities automatically without adding them to any specific group. The closest you can get today I guess, is use the API with a script running at regular intervals to automatically create/update groups and policies, should work, but it's not exactly ideal.
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@masterjuggler commented on GitHub (Dec 9, 2025):

I also would really appreciate having this feature

The closest you can get today I guess, is use the API with a script running at regular intervals to automatically create/update groups and policies, should work, but it's not exactly ideal.

@Lochnair Is this something you ended up trying?

<!-- gh-comment-id:3634885422 --> @masterjuggler commented on GitHub (Dec 9, 2025): I also would really appreciate having this feature > The closest you can get today I guess, is use the API with a script running at regular intervals to automatically create/update groups and policies, should work, but it's not exactly ideal. @Lochnair Is this something you ended up trying?
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@Lochnair commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

@masterjuggler Afraid not. I've stuck to Tailscale for now, as it does everything I need it to.
This issue can likely be worked around like I suggested, but I also care about #4464, as I do not like the idea of lacking the option to force admin approval for new devices at all.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3841557715 --> @Lochnair commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): @masterjuggler Afraid not. I've stuck to Tailscale for now, as it does everything I need it to. This issue can likely be worked around like I suggested, but I also care about #4464, as I do not like the idea of lacking the option to force admin approval for new devices at all.
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@ZhongWwwHhh commented on GitHub (Mar 15, 2026):

I think we have the same feature request.
The member joining from IDP should can connect their own device in default.

an ACL rule could set this behavior by defining a “special/wildcard” group called “@user_group” (or other better naming) that will be evaluated as each user’s own group automatically

For security, the system manager might need this policy to allow/disallow this behavior.

If possible, I think this would be a very good idea. NetBird could then be used not only for organization-level networking, but also for individual members’ remote connections.

<!-- gh-comment-id:4063157164 --> @ZhongWwwHhh commented on GitHub (Mar 15, 2026): I think we have the same feature request. The member joining from IDP should can connect their own device in default. > an ACL rule could set this behavior by defining a “special/wildcard” group called “@user_group” (or other better naming) that will be evaluated as each user’s own group automatically For security, the system manager might need this policy to allow/disallow this behavior. If possible, I think this would be a very good idea. NetBird could then be used not only for organization-level networking, but also for individual members’ remote connections.
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@thaddeuskkr commented on GitHub (Jul 16, 2026):

This is what's stopping me from moving from my self-hosted headscale instance. There's no easy way to let users connect to their own devices by their identity. Right now you'd either have to use a setup key, or to create one group per user.

<!-- gh-comment-id:4997899524 --> @thaddeuskkr commented on GitHub (Jul 16, 2026): This is what's stopping me from moving from my self-hosted headscale instance. There's no easy way to let users connect to their own devices by their identity. Right now you'd either have to use a setup key, or to create one group per user.
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Reference: DYNR/netbird#840