From version 5.0 onward, Shield is part of X-Pack. For more information, see
Securing the Elastic Stack.
User Authentication
editUser Authentication
editAuthentication identifies an individual. To gain access to restricted resources, a user must prove their identity, via passwords, credentials, or some other means (typically referred to as authentication tokens).
Authenticated users can submit requests on behalf of other users if they
have the appropriate run_as privilege. For more information, see
Submitting Requests on Behalf of Other
Users.
You can use Shield’s native support for managing and authenticating users, or integrate with external user management systems such as LDAP and Active Directory. For information about managing native users, see Managing Native Users.