---
title: Expression Policies
---

The passing of the policy is determined by the return value of the code. Use
```python
return True
```
to pass a policy and
```python
return False
```
to fail it.

## Available Functions

### `ak_message(message: str)`

Add a message, visible by the end user. This can be used to show the reason why they were denied.

Example:

```python
ak_message("Access denied")
return False
```

### `ak_user_has_authenticator(user: User, device_type: Optional[str] = None)` (2021.9+)

Check if a user has any authenticator devices. Only fully validated devices are counted.

Optionally, you can filter a specific device type. The following options are valid:

- `totp`
- `duo`
- `static`
- `webauthn`

Example:

```python
return ak_user_has_authenticator(request.user)
```

import Functions from '../expressions/_functions.md'

<Functions />

## Variables

import Objects from '../expressions/_objects.md'

<Objects />

- `request`: A PolicyRequest object, which has the following properties:
    - `request.user`: The current user, against which the policy is applied. See [User](../expressions/reference/user-object.md)
    - `request.http_request`: The Django HTTP Request. See ([Django documentation](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/3.0/ref/request-response/#httprequest-objects))
    - `request.obj`: A Django Model instance. This is only set if the policy is ran against an object.
    - `request.context`: A dictionary with dynamic data. This depends on the origin of the execution.
- `geoip`: GeoIP object, which is added when GeoIP is enabled. See [GeoIP](https://geoip2.readthedocs.io/en/latest/#geoip2.models.City)
- `ak_is_sso_flow`: Boolean which is true if request was initiated by authenticating through an external provider.
- `ak_client_ip`: Client's IP Address or 255.255.255.255 if no IP Address could be extracted. Can be [compared](#comparing-ip-addresses), for example

    ```python
    return ak_client_ip in ip_network('10.0.0.0/24')
    # or
    return ak_client_ip.is_private
    ```

    See also [Python documentation](https://docs.python.org/3/library/ipaddress.html#ipaddress.ip_address)

Additionally, when the policy is executed from a flow, every variable from the flow's current context is accessible under the `context` object.

This includes the following:

- `context['prompt_data']`: Data which has been saved from a prompt stage or an external source.
- `context['application']`: The application the user is in the process of authorizing.
- `context['pending_user']`: The currently pending user, see [User](/docs/expressions/reference/user-object)
- `context['auth_method']`: Authentication method set (this value is set by password stages)

    Depending on method, `context['auth_method_args']` is also set.

    Can be any of:

    - `password`: Standard password login
    - `app_password`: App password (token)

        Sets `context['auth_method_args']` to
        ```json
        {
            "token": {
                "pk": "f6d639aac81940f38dcfdc6e0fe2a786",
                "app": "authentik_core",
                "name": "test (expires=2021-08-23 15:45:54.725880+00:00)",
                "model_name": "token"
            }
        }
        ```
    - `ldap`: LDAP bind authentication

        Sets `context['auth_method_args']` to
        ```json
        {
            "source": {} // Information about the source used
        }
        ```