# MQTT Distributor module and client certificate for access control

**URL:** <https://forum.cirrus-link.com/t/mqtt-distributor-module-and-client-certificate-for-access-control/382>\
**Category:** Ignition Modules\
**Tags:** mqtt-distributor\
**Created:** [June 29, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://forum.cirrus-link.com/t/mqtt-distributor-module-and-client-certificate-for-access-control/382 "2023-06-29T15:14:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zachroisum](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.cirrus-link.com/zachroisum/32/171_2.png) [@zachroisum](https://forum.cirrus-link.com/u/zachroisum)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://forum.cirrus-link.com/t/mqtt-distributor-module-and-client-certificate-for-access-control/382/1 "2023-06-29T15:14:38Z")

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I am using a Beckhoff PLC as a client connecting to the MQTT Distributor module in Ignition as a broker. Additionally I would like to make my Beckhoff PLC code public, but don’t want to do so with a plain text username and password in the PLC. Beckhoff’s MQTT library includes the option to authenticate with a client certificate instead of a username/password, this would allow me to publish the PLC code without publishing the client certificate (stored on OS, referenced by file path). Is it possible to use a client certificate in the MQTT Distributor module instead of username/password to gain the assigned topic permissions? If not, is that on the product roadmap? If not, is there a feature request form I can fill out?

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**Author:** ![wes.johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@wes.johnson](https://forum.cirrus-link.com/u/wes.johnson)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://forum.cirrus-link.com/t/mqtt-distributor-module-and-client-certificate-for-access-control/382/2 "2023-06-30T18:09:06Z")

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This is a feature we support in the Chariot MQTT Server.  
[https://docs.chariot.io/display/CHAR2x/Chariot+MQTT+Server+Installation](https://docs.chariot.io/display/CHAR2x/Chariot+MQTT+Server+Installation)

It is not supported by MQTT Distributor and at this point there are no plans to add it to Distributor.

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**Author:** ![zachroisum](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.cirrus-link.com/zachroisum/32/171_2.png) [@zachroisum](https://forum.cirrus-link.com/u/zachroisum)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.cirrus-link.com/t/mqtt-distributor-module-and-client-certificate-for-access-control/382/3 "2023-06-30T19:46:20Z")

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Thanks for the clarification!