# How to Connect Ignition Kafka Connector to Kerberos-Secured Kafka (SASL/GSSAPI)?

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-connect-ignition-kafka-connector-to-kerberos-secured-kafka-sasl-gssapi/114794>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [March 31, 2026, 5:24am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-connect-ignition-kafka-connector-to-kerberos-secured-kafka-sasl-gssapi/114794 "2026-03-31T05:24:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alac3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@alac3](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/alac3)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 5:24am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-connect-ignition-kafka-connector-to-kerberos-secured-kafka-sasl-gssapi/114794/1 "2026-03-31T05:24:40Z")

</div>

**Hello everyone,**

I’m trying to connect Ignition (8.3.x) to a Kerberos-secured Kafka cluster using **SASL/GSSAPI**.  
I have:

- keytab file

- krb5.ini

- correct principal

- MIT Kerberos installed

- bootstrap servers reachable

- `kinit -kt` works successfully

But Ignition keeps failing with errors like:

```python
No serviceName defined in either JAAS or Kafka config
Value not specified for key 'null'

```

My **Custom Client Properties** currently looks like this (single-line JAAS):

```python
security.protocol=SASL_SSL
sasl.mechanism=GSSAPI
sasl.kerberos.service.name=kafka
sasl.jaas.config=com.sun.security.auth.module.Krb5LoginModule required useKeyTab=true storeKey=true keyTab="C:/Program Files/Inductive Automation/Ignition/data/pdmandon.keytab" principal="pdmandon@xxx.x.tr";

```

Has anyone successfully connected Ignition to a Kerberos-enabled Kafka cluster?  
Any working examples or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!