Manage IAM Policies for GCP Secret Manager

The gcp:secretmanager/secretIamPolicy:SecretIamPolicy resource, part of the Pulumi GCP provider, controls IAM permissions for Secret Manager secrets. The resource family includes three variants: SecretIamPolicy (authoritative, replaces entire policy), SecretIamBinding (authoritative for one role), and SecretIamMember (non-authoritative, adds individual members). This guide focuses on four capabilities: authoritative policy replacement, role-level member management, individual member grants, and time-based access with IAM Conditions.

These resources manage permissions for existing secrets. SecretIamPolicy cannot be combined with SecretIamBinding or SecretIamMember, as they conflict over policy ownership. SecretIamBinding and SecretIamMember can coexist if they manage different roles. The examples are intentionally small. Combine them with your own secret resources and organizational access patterns.

Replace the entire IAM policy for a secret

When you need complete control over who can access a secret, SecretIamPolicy replaces the entire IAM policy with your specified 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"],
    }],
});
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 comes from the getIAMPolicy data source, which constructs a policy document from bindings. This resource is authoritative: it removes any existing IAM bindings not included in your policy. The secretId identifies which secret to manage.

Grant a role to multiple members

Teams often need to grant the same role to several users or service accounts at once.

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 this role. SecretIamBinding is authoritative for the specified role: it replaces all members for that role but preserves other roles on the secret. This is useful when managing team access as a unit.

Add a single member to a role

When onboarding individual users or service accounts, SecretIamMember adds one member without affecting others.

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 a single identity to grant access. Unlike SecretIamBinding, this resource is non-authoritative: it preserves existing members for this role and all other roles. Use this for incremental access grants that don’t require coordinating with other team members’ permissions.

Apply time-based access with IAM Conditions

Temporary access grants often require expiration dates to limit exposure.

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 role binding. The expression uses Common Expression Language (CEL) to define when access is allowed. Here, request.time < timestamp(“2020-01-01T00:00:00Z”) grants access only before the specified date. 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 solutions.

The examples reference pre-existing infrastructure such as Secret Manager secrets (by secretId) and a GCP project with Secret Manager API enabled. They focus on configuring IAM permissions rather than provisioning 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 impersonation and workload identity
Audit logging configuration for secret access

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. SecretIamMember is non-authoritative, adding a single member to a role without affecting other members.

Which IAM resources can I use together?

You cannot use SecretIamPolicy with SecretIamBinding or SecretIamMember, as they will conflict. However, you can use SecretIamBinding and SecretIamMember together if they grant different roles.

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

How do I add time-based access to a secret?

Use the condition property with title, description, and expression fields. For example, set expression to request.time < timestamp("2020-01-01T00:00:00Z") for access expiring at midnight on 2020-01-01.

Are there limitations with IAM Conditions?

Yes, IAM Conditions have known limitations. If you encounter issues, review the GCP IAM Conditions limitations documentation linked in the schema.

Configuration & Properties

What properties can't be changed after creation?

Both project and secretId are immutable and cannot be changed after the resource is created.

Using a different cloud?

Explore security guides for other cloud providers:

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