Manage IAM Policies for GCP Secret Manager

The gcp:secretmanager/secretIamPolicy:SecretIamPolicy resource, part of the Pulumi GCP provider, manages IAM policies for Secret Manager secrets, controlling who can access secret values. This guide focuses on four capabilities: authoritative policy replacement (SecretIamPolicy), role-level member management (SecretIamBinding), individual member grants (SecretIamMember), and time-based access with IAM Conditions.

These resources reference existing Secret Manager secrets and operate within a GCP project context. The examples are intentionally small. Combine them with your own secret resources and member identities. Note that SecretIamPolicy cannot be used alongside SecretIamBinding or SecretIamMember, as they will conflict over policy state.

Replace the entire IAM policy for a secret

When you need complete control over secret access, SecretIamPolicy replaces the entire IAM policy with your configuration, removing any unexpected permissions.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as gcp from "@pulumi/gcp";

const admin = gcp.organizations.getIAMPolicy({
    bindings: [{
        role: "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
        members: ["user:jane@example.com"],
    }],
});
const policy = new gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamPolicy("policy", {
    project: secret_basic.project,
    secretId: secret_basic.secretId,
    policyData: admin.then(admin => admin.policyData),
});

import pulumi
import pulumi_gcp as gcp

admin = gcp.organizations.get_iam_policy(bindings=[{
    "role": "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
    "members": ["user:jane@example.com"],
}])
policy = gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamPolicy("policy",
    project=secret_basic["project"],
    secret_id=secret_basic["secretId"],
    policy_data=admin.policy_data)

package main

import (
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/organizations"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/secretmanager"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/pulumi"
)

func main() {
	pulumi.Run(func(ctx *pulumi.Context) error {
		admin, err := organizations.LookupIAMPolicy(ctx, &organizations.LookupIAMPolicyArgs{
			Bindings: []organizations.GetIAMPolicyBinding{
				{
					Role: "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
					Members: []string{
						"user:jane@example.com",
					},
				},
			},
		}, nil)
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		_, err = secretmanager.NewSecretIamPolicy(ctx, "policy", &secretmanager.SecretIamPolicyArgs{
			Project:    pulumi.Any(secret_basic.Project),
			SecretId:   pulumi.Any(secret_basic.SecretId),
			PolicyData: pulumi.String(admin.PolicyData),
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		return nil
	})
}

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Pulumi;
using Gcp = Pulumi.Gcp;

return await Deployment.RunAsync(() => 
{
    var admin = Gcp.Organizations.GetIAMPolicy.Invoke(new()
    {
        Bindings = new[]
        {
            new Gcp.Organizations.Inputs.GetIAMPolicyBindingInputArgs
            {
                Role = "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
                Members = new[]
                {
                    "user:jane@example.com",
                },
            },
        },
    });

    var policy = new Gcp.SecretManager.SecretIamPolicy("policy", new()
    {
        Project = secret_basic.Project,
        SecretId = secret_basic.SecretId,
        PolicyData = admin.Apply(getIAMPolicyResult => getIAMPolicyResult.PolicyData),
    });

});

package generated_program;

import com.pulumi.Context;
import com.pulumi.Pulumi;
import com.pulumi.core.Output;
import com.pulumi.gcp.organizations.OrganizationsFunctions;
import com.pulumi.gcp.organizations.inputs.GetIAMPolicyArgs;
import com.pulumi.gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamPolicy;
import com.pulumi.gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamPolicyArgs;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Map;
import java.io.File;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

public class App {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Pulumi.run(App::stack);
    }

    public static void stack(Context ctx) {
        final var admin = OrganizationsFunctions.getIAMPolicy(GetIAMPolicyArgs.builder()
            .bindings(GetIAMPolicyBindingArgs.builder()
                .role("roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor")
                .members("user:jane@example.com")
                .build())
            .build());

        var policy = new SecretIamPolicy("policy", SecretIamPolicyArgs.builder()
            .project(secret_basic.project())
            .secretId(secret_basic.secretId())
            .policyData(admin.policyData())
            .build());

    }
}

resources:
  policy:
    type: gcp:secretmanager:SecretIamPolicy
    properties:
      project: ${["secret-basic"].project}
      secretId: ${["secret-basic"].secretId}
      policyData: ${admin.policyData}
variables:
  admin:
    fn::invoke:
      function: gcp:organizations:getIAMPolicy
      arguments:
        bindings:
          - role: roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor
            members:
              - user:jane@example.com

The policyData property accepts output from getIAMPolicy, which defines bindings between roles and members. SecretIamPolicy is authoritative: it replaces the entire policy, so any bindings not specified are removed. The secretId identifies which secret to manage.

Grant a role to multiple members at once

Teams often grant the same role to several users or service accounts simultaneously. SecretIamBinding manages all members for one role while preserving other roles.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as gcp from "@pulumi/gcp";

const binding = new gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamBinding("binding", {
    project: secret_basic.project,
    secretId: secret_basic.secretId,
    role: "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
    members: ["user:jane@example.com"],
});

import pulumi
import pulumi_gcp as gcp

binding = gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamBinding("binding",
    project=secret_basic["project"],
    secret_id=secret_basic["secretId"],
    role="roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
    members=["user:jane@example.com"])

package main

import (
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/secretmanager"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/pulumi"
)

func main() {
	pulumi.Run(func(ctx *pulumi.Context) error {
		_, err := secretmanager.NewSecretIamBinding(ctx, "binding", &secretmanager.SecretIamBindingArgs{
			Project:  pulumi.Any(secret_basic.Project),
			SecretId: pulumi.Any(secret_basic.SecretId),
			Role:     pulumi.String("roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor"),
			Members: pulumi.StringArray{
				pulumi.String("user:jane@example.com"),
			},
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		return nil
	})
}

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Pulumi;
using Gcp = Pulumi.Gcp;

return await Deployment.RunAsync(() => 
{
    var binding = new Gcp.SecretManager.SecretIamBinding("binding", new()
    {
        Project = secret_basic.Project,
        SecretId = secret_basic.SecretId,
        Role = "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
        Members = new[]
        {
            "user:jane@example.com",
        },
    });

});

package generated_program;

import com.pulumi.Context;
import com.pulumi.Pulumi;
import com.pulumi.core.Output;
import com.pulumi.gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamBinding;
import com.pulumi.gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamBindingArgs;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Map;
import java.io.File;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

public class App {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Pulumi.run(App::stack);
    }

    public static void stack(Context ctx) {
        var binding = new SecretIamBinding("binding", SecretIamBindingArgs.builder()
            .project(secret_basic.project())
            .secretId(secret_basic.secretId())
            .role("roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor")
            .members("user:jane@example.com")
            .build());

    }
}

resources:
  binding:
    type: gcp:secretmanager:SecretIamBinding
    properties:
      project: ${["secret-basic"].project}
      secretId: ${["secret-basic"].secretId}
      role: roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor
      members:
        - user:jane@example.com

The members array lists all identities that should have the specified role. SecretIamBinding is authoritative for its role: it replaces all members for that role but leaves other roles untouched. You can use multiple SecretIamBinding resources for different roles on the same secret.

Add a single member to a role incrementally

When you need to grant access to one user without affecting existing permissions, SecretIamMember adds a single member non-authoritatively.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as gcp from "@pulumi/gcp";

const member = new gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamMember("member", {
    project: secret_basic.project,
    secretId: secret_basic.secretId,
    role: "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
    member: "user:jane@example.com",
});

import pulumi
import pulumi_gcp as gcp

member = gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamMember("member",
    project=secret_basic["project"],
    secret_id=secret_basic["secretId"],
    role="roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
    member="user:jane@example.com")

package main

import (
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/secretmanager"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/pulumi"
)

func main() {
	pulumi.Run(func(ctx *pulumi.Context) error {
		_, err := secretmanager.NewSecretIamMember(ctx, "member", &secretmanager.SecretIamMemberArgs{
			Project:  pulumi.Any(secret_basic.Project),
			SecretId: pulumi.Any(secret_basic.SecretId),
			Role:     pulumi.String("roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor"),
			Member:   pulumi.String("user:jane@example.com"),
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		return nil
	})
}

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Pulumi;
using Gcp = Pulumi.Gcp;

return await Deployment.RunAsync(() => 
{
    var member = new Gcp.SecretManager.SecretIamMember("member", new()
    {
        Project = secret_basic.Project,
        SecretId = secret_basic.SecretId,
        Role = "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
        Member = "user:jane@example.com",
    });

});

package generated_program;

import com.pulumi.Context;
import com.pulumi.Pulumi;
import com.pulumi.core.Output;
import com.pulumi.gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamMember;
import com.pulumi.gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamMemberArgs;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Map;
import java.io.File;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

public class App {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Pulumi.run(App::stack);
    }

    public static void stack(Context ctx) {
        var member = new SecretIamMember("member", SecretIamMemberArgs.builder()
            .project(secret_basic.project())
            .secretId(secret_basic.secretId())
            .role("roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor")
            .member("user:jane@example.com")
            .build());

    }
}

resources:
  member:
    type: gcp:secretmanager:SecretIamMember
    properties:
      project: ${["secret-basic"].project}
      secretId: ${["secret-basic"].secretId}
      role: roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor
      member: user:jane@example.com

The member property specifies one identity to grant access. SecretIamMember is non-authoritative: it adds this member to the role without removing other members. You can combine multiple SecretIamMember resources for the same role, and they won’t conflict.

Apply time-based access with IAM Conditions

Temporary access requirements often need expiration dates. IAM Conditions attach time constraints or other logic to bindings.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as gcp from "@pulumi/gcp";

const admin = gcp.organizations.getIAMPolicy({
    bindings: [{
        role: "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
        members: ["user:jane@example.com"],
        condition: {
            title: "expires_after_2019_12_31",
            description: "Expiring at midnight of 2019-12-31",
            expression: "request.time < timestamp(\"2020-01-01T00:00:00Z\")",
        },
    }],
});
const policy = new gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamPolicy("policy", {
    project: secret_basic.project,
    secretId: secret_basic.secretId,
    policyData: admin.then(admin => admin.policyData),
});

import pulumi
import pulumi_gcp as gcp

admin = gcp.organizations.get_iam_policy(bindings=[{
    "role": "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
    "members": ["user:jane@example.com"],
    "condition": {
        "title": "expires_after_2019_12_31",
        "description": "Expiring at midnight of 2019-12-31",
        "expression": "request.time < timestamp(\"2020-01-01T00:00:00Z\")",
    },
}])
policy = gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamPolicy("policy",
    project=secret_basic["project"],
    secret_id=secret_basic["secretId"],
    policy_data=admin.policy_data)

package main

import (
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/organizations"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi-gcp/sdk/v9/go/gcp/secretmanager"
	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/pulumi"
)

func main() {
	pulumi.Run(func(ctx *pulumi.Context) error {
		admin, err := organizations.LookupIAMPolicy(ctx, &organizations.LookupIAMPolicyArgs{
			Bindings: []organizations.GetIAMPolicyBinding{
				{
					Role: "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
					Members: []string{
						"user:jane@example.com",
					},
					Condition: {
						Title:       "expires_after_2019_12_31",
						Description: pulumi.StringRef("Expiring at midnight of 2019-12-31"),
						Expression:  "request.time < timestamp(\"2020-01-01T00:00:00Z\")",
					},
				},
			},
		}, nil)
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		_, err = secretmanager.NewSecretIamPolicy(ctx, "policy", &secretmanager.SecretIamPolicyArgs{
			Project:    pulumi.Any(secret_basic.Project),
			SecretId:   pulumi.Any(secret_basic.SecretId),
			PolicyData: pulumi.String(admin.PolicyData),
		})
		if err != nil {
			return err
		}
		return nil
	})
}

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Pulumi;
using Gcp = Pulumi.Gcp;

return await Deployment.RunAsync(() => 
{
    var admin = Gcp.Organizations.GetIAMPolicy.Invoke(new()
    {
        Bindings = new[]
        {
            new Gcp.Organizations.Inputs.GetIAMPolicyBindingInputArgs
            {
                Role = "roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor",
                Members = new[]
                {
                    "user:jane@example.com",
                },
                Condition = new Gcp.Organizations.Inputs.GetIAMPolicyBindingConditionInputArgs
                {
                    Title = "expires_after_2019_12_31",
                    Description = "Expiring at midnight of 2019-12-31",
                    Expression = "request.time < timestamp(\"2020-01-01T00:00:00Z\")",
                },
            },
        },
    });

    var policy = new Gcp.SecretManager.SecretIamPolicy("policy", new()
    {
        Project = secret_basic.Project,
        SecretId = secret_basic.SecretId,
        PolicyData = admin.Apply(getIAMPolicyResult => getIAMPolicyResult.PolicyData),
    });

});

package generated_program;

import com.pulumi.Context;
import com.pulumi.Pulumi;
import com.pulumi.core.Output;
import com.pulumi.gcp.organizations.OrganizationsFunctions;
import com.pulumi.gcp.organizations.inputs.GetIAMPolicyArgs;
import com.pulumi.gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamPolicy;
import com.pulumi.gcp.secretmanager.SecretIamPolicyArgs;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Map;
import java.io.File;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

public class App {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Pulumi.run(App::stack);
    }

    public static void stack(Context ctx) {
        final var admin = OrganizationsFunctions.getIAMPolicy(GetIAMPolicyArgs.builder()
            .bindings(GetIAMPolicyBindingArgs.builder()
                .role("roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor")
                .members("user:jane@example.com")
                .condition(GetIAMPolicyBindingConditionArgs.builder()
                    .title("expires_after_2019_12_31")
                    .description("Expiring at midnight of 2019-12-31")
                    .expression("request.time < timestamp(\"2020-01-01T00:00:00Z\")")
                    .build())
                .build())
            .build());

        var policy = new SecretIamPolicy("policy", SecretIamPolicyArgs.builder()
            .project(secret_basic.project())
            .secretId(secret_basic.secretId())
            .policyData(admin.policyData())
            .build());

    }
}

resources:
  policy:
    type: gcp:secretmanager:SecretIamPolicy
    properties:
      project: ${["secret-basic"].project}
      secretId: ${["secret-basic"].secretId}
      policyData: ${admin.policyData}
variables:
  admin:
    fn::invoke:
      function: gcp:organizations:getIAMPolicy
      arguments:
        bindings:
          - role: roles/secretmanager.secretAccessor
            members:
              - user:jane@example.com
            condition:
              title: expires_after_2019_12_31
              description: Expiring at midnight of 2019-12-31
              expression: request.time < timestamp("2020-01-01T00:00:00Z")

The condition block adds constraints to the binding. The expression uses Common Expression Language (CEL) to define when access is granted. Here, request.time checks the current timestamp against a deadline. The title and description document the condition’s purpose. IAM Conditions work with all three resource types (Policy, Binding, Member) but have known limitations documented by Google Cloud.

Beyond these examples

These snippets focus on specific IAM management features: authoritative vs non-authoritative IAM management, role-based access control, and time-based IAM Conditions. They’re intentionally minimal rather than full access control configurations.

The examples reference pre-existing infrastructure such as Secret Manager secrets (by secretId) and GCP project context. They focus on configuring IAM policies rather than creating the secrets themselves.

To keep things focused, common IAM patterns are omitted, including:

Combining SecretIamBinding with SecretIamMember for different roles
Complex IAM Condition expressions (resource attributes, request context)
Service account and group member types
Custom role definitions

These omissions are intentional: the goal is to illustrate how each IAM resource type is wired, not provide drop-in access control modules. See the Secret Manager SecretIamPolicy resource reference for all available configuration options.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Resource Selection & Conflicts

What's the difference between SecretIamPolicy, SecretIamBinding, and SecretIamMember?

SecretIamPolicy is authoritative and replaces the entire IAM policy. SecretIamBinding is authoritative for a specific role, preserving other roles in the policy. SecretIamMember is non-authoritative, adding a single member to a role while preserving other members.

Can I use SecretIamPolicy with SecretIamBinding or SecretIamMember?

No, SecretIamPolicy cannot be used with SecretIamBinding or SecretIamMember because they will conflict over what the policy should be.

Can I use SecretIamBinding with SecretIamMember?

Yes, but only if they don’t grant privileges to the same role. Using both for the same role will cause conflicts.

Which IAM resource should I use for my secret?

Use SecretIamPolicy when you need full control over the entire policy. Use SecretIamBinding to manage all members for a specific role. Use SecretIamMember to add individual members without affecting existing permissions.

IAM Conditions

What are the limitations of IAM Conditions?

IAM Conditions are supported but have known limitations. If you’re experiencing issues with IAM Conditions, review the limitations documentation.

Using a different cloud?

Explore security guides for other cloud providers:

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