---
name: "slapacl"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "openldap"
version: "2.7.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/slapacl"
---

# slapacl(8)

Check access to a list of attributes.

## NAME

slapacl - Check access to a list of attributes.

## SYNOPSIS

**/usr/bin/slapacl** **-b** *DN* \[**-d** *debug-level\]* \[**-D** *authcDN \|* **-U** *authcID\]* \[**-f** *slapd.conf\]* \[**-F** *confdir\]* \[**-o** *option\[***=***value\]\]* \[**-u**\] \[**-v**\] \[**-X** *authzID \|* **-o  authzDN=***DN\]* \[*attr*\[**/***access*\]\[**:***value*\]\] \[...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**slapacl** is used to check the behavior of  [**slapd**(8)](/slapd/8.md) by verifying access to directory data according to the access control list directives defined in its configuration. It opens the [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md) configuration file or the  [**slapd-config**(5)](/slapd-config/5.md) backend, reads in the   **access**/**olcAccess** directives, and then parses the  **attr** list given on the command-line; if none is given, access to the **entry** pseudo-attribute is tested.

## OPTIONS

- **-b** *DN*

  specify the  *DN* which access is requested to; the corresponding entry is fetched  from the database, and thus it must exist. The *DN* is also used to determine what rules apply; thus, it must be in the naming context of a configured database. By default, the first database that supports the requested operation is used.  See also **-u**.

- **-d** *debug-level*

  enable debugging messages as defined by the specified *debug-level*; see [**slapd**(8)](/slapd/8.md) for details.

- **-D** *authcDN*

  specify a DN to be used as identity through the test session when selecting appropriate **\<by\>** clauses in access lists.

- **-f** *slapd.conf*

  specify an alternative [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md) file.

- **-F** *confdir*

  specify a config directory. If both **-f** and **-F** are specified, the config file will be read and converted to config directory format and written to the specified directory. If neither option is specified, an attempt to read the default config directory will be made before trying to use the default config file. If a valid config directory exists then the default config file is ignored.

- **-o** *option\[***=***value\]*

  Specify an *option* with a(n optional) *value*. Possible generic options/values are:

```
              syslog=<subsystems>  (see `-s' in slapd(8))
              syslog-level=<level> (see `-S' in slapd(8))
              syslog-user=<user>   (see `-l' in slapd(8))
```

Possible options/values specific to **slapacl** are:

```
              authzDN
              domain
              peername
              sasl_ssf
              sockname
              sockurl
              ssf
              tls_ssf
              transport_ssf
```

See the related fields in [**slapd.access**(5)](/slapd.access/5.md) for details.

- **-u**

  enable dry-run mode. Do not fetch any entries from the database. In this case, a fake entry with the *DN* given with the **-b** option is used, with no attributes. As a consequence, those rules that depend on the contents  of the target object or any other database objects will not behave as with the real object. The *DN* given with the **-b** option is still used to select what rules apply; thus, it must be in the naming context of a configured database. See also **-b**.

- **-U** *authcID*

  specify an ID to be mapped to a  **DN** as by means of  **authz-regexp** or **authz-rewrite** rules (see  [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md) for details); mutually exclusive with **-D**.

- **-v**

  enable verbose mode.

- **-X** *authzID*

  specify an authorization ID to be mapped to a **DN** as by means of **authz-regexp** or **authz-rewrite** rules (see [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md) for details); mutually exclusive with **-o** **authzDN=***DN*.

## EXAMPLES

The command

```
	/usr/bin/slapacl -f /etc/openldap/slapd.conf -v \
            -U bjorn -b "o=University of Michigan,c=US" \
	    "o/read:University of Michigan"
```

tests whether the user *bjorn* can access the attribute  *o* of the entry *o=University of Michigan,c=US* at *read* level.

## SEE ALSO

[**ldap**(3)](/ldap/3.md), [**slapd**(8)](/slapd/8.md), [**slaptest**(8)](/slaptest/8.md), [**slapauth**(8)](/slapauth/8.md)

"OpenLDAP Administrator's Guide" (http://www.OpenLDAP.org/doc/admin/)

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

**OpenLDAP Software** is developed and maintained by The OpenLDAP Project \<http://www.openldap.org/\>. **OpenLDAP Software** is derived from the University of Michigan LDAP 3.3 Release.