Fix forwarding refcount lifecycle, VLAN accept_ra escaping, and hotplug RA coverage

A user in the Pending Approval state could complete SSO and reach any
SSO-protected reverse proxy service distributed to a group they belong
to, including the All Users group. The reverse proxy authorization path
checked the session token signature, that the user exists, that the
user's account matches the service's account, and group membership —
never the user's account status. The REST API (`permissions/manager.go`)
and peer registration both gate on that state, but the proxy gRPC
service does not go through the permissions manager, so neither gate
applied. A pending user is persisted as blocked and pending approval, so
blocked users reached those services the same way.

`ValidateSession` now denies on account status, reporting
`pending_approval` or `user_blocked` so the proxy access log and the
denied page carry the cause rather than a generic refusal.
`GenerateSessionToken` refuses to mint a token for such a user at all,
so the browser never receives a session cookie and the OIDC callback can
tell the user why instead of showing "Service configuration error".
`ValidateUserGroupAccess` and `ValidateTunnelPeer` close the same gap;
for the tunnel path this covers a user blocked after their peer was
registered, since peer group membership alone kept mesh-origin access
open.

A single helper produces both the denied reason for the RPC responses
and the sentinel error for the error-returning callers, so the four
entry points cannot drift apart. A user the store cannot resolve is
denied rather than passed through.

One thing deliberately left out: session cookies are validated locally
by the proxy against the service public key with no management
round-trip, so a cookie issued before a user is blocked stays valid
until it expires (24h by default). That is a revocation-propagation
problem rather than this authorization gap, and every option for it
(per-request validation with a cache, short-lived tokens with refresh,
push-based revocation) changes the proxy hot path or the
proxy/management protocol. Worth its own ticket.

client/firewall/iptables/dnat_refcount_linux_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,239 @@
+//go:build privileged
+
+package iptables
+
+import (
+	"net/netip"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	fw "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/firewall/manager"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface/wgaddr"
+)
+
+func iptRefcountIfaceV4() *iFaceMock {
+	return &iFaceMock{
+		NameFunc: func() string { return "wt-refcount" },
+		AddressFunc: func() wgaddr.Address {
+			return wgaddr.Address{
+				IP:      netip.MustParseAddr("10.20.0.1"),
+				Network: netip.MustParsePrefix("10.20.0.0/24"),
+			}
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func iptRefcountIfaceDual() *iFaceMock {
+	return &iFaceMock{
+		NameFunc: func() string { return "wt-refcount" },
+		AddressFunc: func() wgaddr.Address {
+			return wgaddr.Address{
+				IP:      netip.MustParseAddr("10.20.0.1"),
+				Network: netip.MustParsePrefix("10.20.0.0/24"),
+				IPv6:    netip.MustParseAddr("fd00::1"),
+				IPv6Net: netip.MustParsePrefix("fd00::/64"),
+			}
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func newIptRefcountManager(t *testing.T, dual bool) *Manager {
+	t.Helper()
+	var ifMock *iFaceMock
+	if dual {
+		ifMock = iptRefcountIfaceDual()
+	} else {
+		ifMock = iptRefcountIfaceV4()
+	}
+	m, err := Create(ifMock, iface.DefaultMTU)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "create manager")
+	require.NoError(t, m.Init(nil), "init manager")
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		require.NoError(t, m.Close(nil), "close manager")
+	})
+	return m
+}
+
+func iptDnatV4(port uint16) fw.ForwardRule {
+	return fw.ForwardRule{
+		Protocol:          fw.ProtocolTCP,
+		DestinationPort:   fw.Port{Values: []uint16{port}},
+		TranslatedAddress: netip.MustParseAddr("10.20.0.2"),
+		TranslatedPort:    fw.Port{Values: []uint16{80}},
+	}
+}
+
+func iptDnatV6(port uint16) fw.ForwardRule {
+	return fw.ForwardRule{
+		Protocol:          fw.ProtocolTCP,
+		DestinationPort:   fw.Port{Values: []uint16{port}},
+		TranslatedAddress: netip.MustParseAddr("fd00::2"),
+		TranslatedPort:    fw.Port{Values: []uint16{80}},
+	}
+}
+
+// TestIptablesRouting_RepeatedEnableSingleReference verifies that EnableRouting
+// (called on every network-map update) holds at most one reference per family
+// and a single DisableRouting drops both back to zero.
+func TestIptablesRouting_RepeatedEnableSingleReference(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newIptRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.EnableRouting(), "first enable")
+	require.NoError(t, m.EnableRouting(), "second enable")
+	require.NoError(t, m.EnableRouting(), "third enable")
+	v4, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "repeated enable holds a single v4 reference")
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6, "repeated enable holds a single v6 reference")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DisableRouting(), "disable")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "single disable releases the v4 reference")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "single disable releases the v6 reference")
+}
+
+// TestIptablesRouting_DisableKeepsDNATReference verifies that an unpaired
+// DisableRouting does not release references held by active DNAT rules.
+func TestIptablesRouting_DisableKeepsDNATReference(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newIptRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(iptDnatV6(9095))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v6 dnat")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DisableRouting(), "unpaired disable")
+	_, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6, "DNAT-held reference survives unpaired DisableRouting")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "delete v6 dnat")
+	_, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "delete releases the DNAT reference")
+}
+
+// TestIptablesDNAT_RefcountBalancedV4 covers a Balanced Add/Delete pair on v4.
+func TestIptablesDNAT_RefcountBalancedV4(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newIptRefcountManager(t, false)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(iptDnatV4(7081))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v4 dnat 1")
+	v4, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "v4 refcount after first add")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unchanged")
+
+	r2, err := m.AddDNATRule(iptDnatV4(7082))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v4 dnat 2")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 2, v4, "v4 refcount after second add")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unchanged")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1))
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "v4 refcount after first delete")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unchanged")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r2))
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "v4 refcount after second delete")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unchanged")
+}
+
+// TestIptablesDNAT_RefcountBalancedV6 checks the v6 path increments v6 only and
+// decrements back to zero.
+func TestIptablesDNAT_RefcountBalancedV6(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newIptRefcountManager(t, true)
+	require.NotNil(t, m.router6, "v6 router")
+	require.Same(t, m.router.ipFwdState, m.router6.ipFwdState, "shared state")
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(iptDnatV6(9081))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v6 dnat 1")
+	v4, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4)
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6, "v6 refcount after first add")
+
+	r2, err := m.AddDNATRule(iptDnatV6(9082))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v6 dnat 2")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "v4 refcount unchanged")
+	require.Equal(t, 2, v6, "v6 refcount after second add")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1))
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "v4 refcount unchanged")
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6, "v6 refcount after first delete")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r2))
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4)
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount after second delete")
+}
+
+// TestIptablesDNAT_DuplicateAddNoLeak verifies the duplicate-rule path returns
+// without bumping the refcount.
+func TestIptablesDNAT_DuplicateAddNoLeak(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newIptRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	rule := iptDnatV4(7083)
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(rule)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	v4, _ := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4)
+
+	_, err = m.AddDNATRule(rule)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "duplicate add")
+	v4, _ = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "duplicate add must not increment")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1))
+	v4, _ = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "single delete must drop to zero")
+}
+
+// TestIptablesDNAT_DeleteMissingNoUnderflow verifies Delete on an unknown rule
+// neither errors nor releases the refcount.
+func TestIptablesDNAT_DeleteMissingNoUnderflow(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newIptRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	phantom := iptDnatV4(7099)
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(&phantom), "delete missing v4")
+	v4, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4)
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6)
+
+	phantom6 := iptDnatV6(9099)
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(&phantom6), "delete missing v6")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4)
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6)
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(iptDnatV4(7100))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	v4, _ = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "real add still increments after phantom delete")
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1))
+}
+
+// TestIptablesDNAT_DoubleDeleteNoUnderflow verifies a second Delete on the same
+// rule is a no-op.
+func TestIptablesDNAT_DoubleDeleteNoUnderflow(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newIptRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(iptDnatV6(9083))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6)
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "first delete")
+	_, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6)
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "second delete must be no-op")
+	_, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "double delete must not underflow")
+}

client/firewall/iptables/manager_linux.go

@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func (m *Manager) createIPv6Components(wgIface iFaceMapper, mtu uint16) error {
 	}
 
 	// Share the same IP forwarding state with the v4 router, since
-	// EnableIPForwarding controls both v4 and v6 sysctls.
+	// Forwarding refcounter is per-family but shared between v4 and v6 routers.
 	m.router6.ipFwdState = m.router.ipFwdState
 
 	m.aclMgr6, err = newAclManager(ip6Client, wgIface)
@@ -402,17 +402,12 @@ func (m *Manager) SetLogLevel(log.Level) {
 }
 
 func (m *Manager) EnableRouting() error {
-	if err := m.router.ipFwdState.RequestForwarding(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("enable IP forwarding: %w", err)
-	}
-	return nil
+	// v6 only when the overlay actually has v6.
+	return m.router.ipFwdState.RequestRouting(m.router6 != nil)
 }
 
 func (m *Manager) DisableRouting() error {
-	if err := m.router.ipFwdState.ReleaseForwarding(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("disable IP forwarding: %w", err)
-	}
-	return nil
+	return m.router.ipFwdState.ReleaseRouting()
 }
 
 // AddDNATRule adds a DNAT rule

client/firewall/iptables/router_linux.go

@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func newRouter(iptablesClient *iptables.IPTables, wgIface iFaceMapper, mtu uint1
 		wgIface:        wgIface,
 		mtu:            mtu,
 		v6:             iptablesClient.Proto() == iptables.ProtocolIPv6,
-		ipFwdState:     ipfwdstate.NewIPForwardingState(),
+		ipFwdState:     ipfwdstate.NewIPForwardingState(wgIface.Name()),
 	}
 
 	r.ipsetCounter = refcounter.New(
@@ -770,10 +770,6 @@ func (r *router) updateState() {
 }
 
 func (r *router) AddDNATRule(rule firewall.ForwardRule) (firewall.Rule, error) {
-	if err := r.ipFwdState.RequestForwarding(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	ruleKey := rule.ID()
 	if _, exists := r.rules[ruleKey+dnatSuffix]; exists {
 		return rule, nil
@@ -840,18 +836,34 @@ func (r *router) AddDNATRule(rule firewall.ForwardRule) (firewall.Rule, error) {
 
 	for key, ruleInfo := range rules {
 		if err := r.iptablesClient.Append(ruleInfo.table, ruleInfo.chain, ruleInfo.rule...); err != nil {
-			if rollbackErr := r.rollbackRules(rules); rollbackErr != nil {
-				log.Errorf("rollback failed: %v", rollbackErr)
-			}
+			r.cleanupFailedDNATAdd(rules)
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("add rule %s: %w", key, err)
 		}
 		r.rules[key] = ruleInfo.rule
 	}
 
+	if err := r.ipFwdState.RequestForwarding(r.v6); err != nil {
+		r.cleanupFailedDNATAdd(rules)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("enable forwarding: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	r.updateState()
 	return rule, nil
 }
 
+// cleanupFailedDNATAdd removes the bookkeeping written by a partially applied
+// AddDNATRule before rolling back the kernel rules, so no entries remain that
+// never got a forwarding refcount. rollbackRules re-adds entries it failed to
+// remove from the kernel.
+func (r *router) cleanupFailedDNATAdd(rules map[string]ruleInfo) {
+	for key := range rules {
+		delete(r.rules, key)
+	}
+	if err := r.rollbackRules(rules); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("rollback failed: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func (r *router) rollbackRules(rules map[string]ruleInfo) error {
 	var merr *multierror.Error
 	for key, ruleInfo := range rules {
@@ -868,12 +880,15 @@ func (r *router) rollbackRules(rules map[string]ruleInfo) error {
 }
 
 func (r *router) DeleteDNATRule(rule firewall.Rule) error {
-	if err := r.ipFwdState.ReleaseForwarding(); err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("%v", err)
-	}
-
 	ruleKey := rule.ID()
 
+	_, hadDNAT := r.rules[ruleKey+dnatSuffix]
+	_, hadSNAT := r.rules[ruleKey+snatSuffix]
+	_, hadFWD := r.rules[ruleKey+fwdSuffix]
+	if !hadDNAT && !hadSNAT && !hadFWD {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	var merr *multierror.Error
 	if dnatRule, exists := r.rules[ruleKey+dnatSuffix]; exists {
 		if err := r.iptablesClient.Delete(tableNat, chainRTRDR, dnatRule...); err != nil {
@@ -896,6 +911,10 @@ func (r *router) DeleteDNATRule(rule firewall.Rule) error {
 		delete(r.rules, ruleKey+fwdSuffix)
 	}
 
+	if err := r.ipFwdState.ReleaseForwarding(r.v6); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("%v", err)
+	}
+
 	r.updateState()
 	return nberrors.FormatErrorOrNil(merr)
 }

client/firewall/nftables/dnat_refcount_linux_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,248 @@
+//go:build privileged
+
+package nftables
+
+import (
+	"net/netip"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	fw "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/firewall/manager"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface/wgaddr"
+)
+
+func nftRefcountIfaceV4() *iFaceMock {
+	return &iFaceMock{
+		NameFunc: func() string { return "wt-refcount" },
+		AddressFunc: func() wgaddr.Address {
+			return wgaddr.Address{
+				IP:      netip.MustParseAddr("100.96.0.1"),
+				Network: netip.MustParsePrefix("100.96.0.0/16"),
+			}
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func nftRefcountIfaceDual() *iFaceMock {
+	return &iFaceMock{
+		NameFunc: func() string { return "wt-refcount" },
+		AddressFunc: func() wgaddr.Address {
+			return wgaddr.Address{
+				IP:      netip.MustParseAddr("100.96.0.1"),
+				Network: netip.MustParsePrefix("100.96.0.0/16"),
+				IPv6:    netip.MustParseAddr("fd00::1"),
+				IPv6Net: netip.MustParsePrefix("fd00::/64"),
+			}
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func newNftRefcountManager(t *testing.T, dual bool) *Manager {
+	t.Helper()
+	if check() != NFTABLES {
+		t.Skip("nftables not supported on this system")
+	}
+	var ifMock *iFaceMock
+	if dual {
+		ifMock = nftRefcountIfaceDual()
+	} else {
+		ifMock = nftRefcountIfaceV4()
+	}
+	m, err := Create(ifMock, iface.DefaultMTU)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "create manager")
+	require.NoError(t, m.Init(nil), "init manager")
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		require.NoError(t, m.Close(nil), "close manager")
+	})
+	return m
+}
+
+func dnatV4(port uint16) fw.ForwardRule {
+	return fw.ForwardRule{
+		Protocol:          fw.ProtocolTCP,
+		DestinationPort:   fw.Port{Values: []uint16{port}},
+		TranslatedAddress: netip.MustParseAddr("100.96.0.2"),
+		TranslatedPort:    fw.Port{Values: []uint16{80}},
+	}
+}
+
+func dnatV6(port uint16) fw.ForwardRule {
+	return fw.ForwardRule{
+		Protocol:          fw.ProtocolTCP,
+		DestinationPort:   fw.Port{Values: []uint16{port}},
+		TranslatedAddress: netip.MustParseAddr("fd00::2"),
+		TranslatedPort:    fw.Port{Values: []uint16{80}},
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNftablesDNAT_RefcountBalancedV4 verifies that Add/Delete pairs leave the
+// v4 refcount at zero.
+func TestNftablesDNAT_RefcountBalancedV4(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newNftRefcountManager(t, false)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(dnatV4(8081))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v4 dnat 1")
+	v4, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "v4 refcount after first add")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unchanged")
+
+	r2, err := m.AddDNATRule(dnatV4(8082))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v4 dnat 2")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 2, v4, "v4 refcount after second add")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unchanged")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "delete v4 dnat 1")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "v4 refcount after first delete")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unchanged")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r2), "delete v4 dnat 2")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "v4 refcount after second delete")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unchanged")
+}
+
+// TestNftablesDNAT_RefcountBalancedV6 verifies the v6 path increments v6 only
+// and decrements back to zero on Delete.
+func TestNftablesDNAT_RefcountBalancedV6(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newNftRefcountManager(t, true)
+	require.NotNil(t, m.router6, "v6 router")
+	require.Same(t, m.router.ipFwdState, m.router6.ipFwdState, "shared state")
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(dnatV6(9091))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v6 dnat 1")
+	v4, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "v4 refcount unchanged")
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6, "v6 refcount after first add")
+
+	r2, err := m.AddDNATRule(dnatV6(9092))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v6 dnat 2")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4)
+	require.Equal(t, 2, v6, "v6 refcount after second add")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "delete v6 dnat 1")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "v4 refcount unchanged")
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6, "v6 refcount after first delete")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r2), "delete v6 dnat 2")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4)
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount after second delete")
+}
+
+// TestNftablesDNAT_DuplicateAddNoLeak verifies that a duplicate Add (same
+// ForwardRule) does not double-increment the refcount.
+func TestNftablesDNAT_DuplicateAddNoLeak(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newNftRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	rule := dnatV4(8083)
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(rule)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v4 dnat")
+	v4, _ := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4)
+
+	// duplicate add: same rule ID, must be a no-op for the refcount.
+	_, err = m.AddDNATRule(rule)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "duplicate add")
+	v4, _ = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "duplicate add must not increment")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "delete v4 dnat")
+	v4, _ = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "single delete must drop to zero")
+}
+
+// TestNftablesDNAT_DeleteMissingNoUnderflow verifies deleting a rule that was
+// never added does not underflow the refcount.
+func TestNftablesDNAT_DeleteMissingNoUnderflow(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newNftRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	// Construct a Rule reference for something never added. The router stores
+	// rules by ID(), and DeleteDNATRule looks them up in r.rules; a missing
+	// entry must be a no-op rather than calling Release.
+	phantom := dnatV4(8099)
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(&phantom), "delete missing v4 dnat")
+	v4, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "v4 refcount unaffected by missing delete")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unaffected")
+
+	phantom6 := dnatV6(9099)
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(&phantom6), "delete missing v6 dnat")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4)
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "v6 refcount unaffected by missing delete")
+
+	// And after a phantom delete, a real add still results in count=1.
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(dnatV4(8100))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v4 dnat after phantom delete")
+	v4, _ = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "real add still increments after phantom delete")
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1))
+}
+
+// TestNftablesRouting_RepeatedEnableSingleReference verifies that EnableRouting
+// (called on every network-map update) holds at most one reference per family
+// and a single DisableRouting drops both back to zero.
+func TestNftablesRouting_RepeatedEnableSingleReference(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newNftRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.EnableRouting(), "first enable")
+	require.NoError(t, m.EnableRouting(), "second enable")
+	require.NoError(t, m.EnableRouting(), "third enable")
+	v4, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v4, "repeated enable holds a single v4 reference")
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6, "repeated enable holds a single v6 reference")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DisableRouting(), "disable")
+	v4, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v4, "single disable releases the v4 reference")
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "single disable releases the v6 reference")
+}
+
+// TestNftablesRouting_DisableKeepsDNATReference verifies that an unpaired
+// DisableRouting does not release references held by active DNAT rules.
+func TestNftablesRouting_DisableKeepsDNATReference(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newNftRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(dnatV6(9095))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "add v6 dnat")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DisableRouting(), "unpaired disable")
+	_, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6, "DNAT-held reference survives unpaired DisableRouting")
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "delete v6 dnat")
+	_, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "delete releases the DNAT reference")
+}
+
+// TestNftablesDNAT_DoubleDeleteNoUnderflow verifies that deleting the same rule
+// twice does not underflow the refcount (the second delete is a no-op).
+func TestNftablesDNAT_DoubleDeleteNoUnderflow(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newNftRefcountManager(t, true)
+	state := m.router.ipFwdState
+
+	r1, err := m.AddDNATRule(dnatV6(9093))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, v6 := state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 1, v6)
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "first delete")
+	_, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6)
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteDNATRule(r1), "second delete must be no-op")
+	_, v6 = state.Counts()
+	require.Equal(t, 0, v6, "double delete must not underflow")
+}

client/firewall/nftables/manager_linux.go

@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ func (m *Manager) createIPv6Components(tableName string, wgIface iFaceMapper, mt
 		return fmt.Errorf("create v6 router: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Share the same IP forwarding state with the v4 router, since
-	// EnableIPForwarding controls both v4 and v6 sysctls.
+	// Share the per-family forwarding refcounter with the v4 router so a v4
+	// rule and a v6 rule against the same state machine cooperate cleanly.
 	m.router6.ipFwdState = m.router.ipFwdState
 
 	m.aclManager6, err = newAclManager(workTable6, wgIface, chainNameRoutingFw)
@@ -530,17 +530,12 @@ func (m *Manager) SetLogLevel(log.Level) {
 }
 
 func (m *Manager) EnableRouting() error {
-	if err := m.router.ipFwdState.RequestForwarding(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("enable IP forwarding: %w", err)
-	}
-	return nil
+	// v6 only when the overlay actually has v6.
+	return m.router.ipFwdState.RequestRouting(m.router6 != nil)
 }
 
 func (m *Manager) DisableRouting() error {
-	if err := m.router.ipFwdState.ReleaseForwarding(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("disable IP forwarding: %w", err)
-	}
-	return nil
+	return m.router.ipFwdState.ReleaseRouting()
 }
 
 // Flush rule/chain/set operations from the buffer

client/firewall/nftables/router_linux.go

@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func newRouter(workTable *nftables.Table, wgIface iFaceMapper, mtu uint16) (*rou
 		rules:      make(map[string]*nftables.Rule),
 		af:         familyForAddr(workTable.Family == nftables.TableFamilyIPv4),
 		wgIface:    wgIface,
-		ipFwdState: ipfwdstate.NewIPForwardingState(),
+		ipFwdState: ipfwdstate.NewIPForwardingState(wgIface.Name()),
 		mtu:        mtu,
 	}
 
@@ -1553,10 +1553,6 @@ func (r *router) refreshRulesMap() error {
 }
 
 func (r *router) AddDNATRule(rule firewall.ForwardRule) (firewall.Rule, error) {
-	if err := r.ipFwdState.RequestForwarding(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	ruleKey := rule.ID()
 	if _, exists := r.rules[ruleKey+dnatSuffix]; exists {
 		return rule, nil
@@ -1567,7 +1563,18 @@ func (r *router) AddDNATRule(rule firewall.ForwardRule) (firewall.Rule, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("convert protocol to number: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// Request forwarding before queueing rules: addDnatRedirect/addDnatMasq
+	// buffer netlink messages on r.conn that the next caller's Flush would
+	// commit if we returned without flushing them ourselves.
+	v6 := r.af.tableFamily == nftables.TableFamilyIPv6
+	if err := r.ipFwdState.RequestForwarding(v6); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("enable forwarding: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if err := r.addDnatRedirect(rule, protoNum, ruleKey); err != nil {
+		if rerr := r.ipFwdState.ReleaseForwarding(v6); rerr != nil {
+			log.Warnf("rollback forwarding refcount: %v", rerr)
+		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -1579,6 +1586,11 @@ func (r *router) AddDNATRule(rule firewall.ForwardRule) (firewall.Rule, error) {
 	// TODO: find chains with drop policies and add rules there
 
 	if err := r.conn.Flush(); err != nil {
+		if rerr := r.ipFwdState.ReleaseForwarding(v6); rerr != nil {
+			log.Warnf("rollback forwarding refcount: %v", rerr)
+		}
+		delete(r.rules, ruleKey+dnatSuffix)
+		delete(r.rules, ruleKey+snatSuffix)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("flush rules: %w", err)
 	}
 
@@ -1781,16 +1793,18 @@ func (r *router) addDnatMasq(rule firewall.ForwardRule, protoNum uint8, ruleKey
 }
 
 func (r *router) DeleteDNATRule(rule firewall.Rule) error {
-	if err := r.ipFwdState.ReleaseForwarding(); err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("%v", err)
-	}
-
 	ruleKey := rule.ID()
 
 	if err := r.refreshRulesMap(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf(refreshRulesMapError, err)
 	}
 
+	_, hadDNAT := r.rules[ruleKey+dnatSuffix]
+	_, hadSNAT := r.rules[ruleKey+snatSuffix]
+	if !hadDNAT && !hadSNAT {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	var merr *multierror.Error
 	var needsFlush bool
 
@@ -1822,9 +1836,16 @@ func (r *router) DeleteDNATRule(rule firewall.Rule) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Release the refcount only once the rules are gone from the kernel. On
+	// failure (including the refreshRulesMap error above) the rules and their
+	// map entries remain, keeping forwarding on until a retry removes them.
 	if merr == nil {
 		delete(r.rules, ruleKey+dnatSuffix)
 		delete(r.rules, ruleKey+snatSuffix)
+
+		if err := r.ipFwdState.ReleaseForwarding(r.af.tableFamily == nftables.TableFamilyIPv6); err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("%v", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	return nberrors.FormatErrorOrNil(merr)

client/internal/debug/debug_linux.go

@@ -844,6 +844,10 @@ func collectSysctls() string {
 		[]string{"net.ipv4.conf.all.src_valid_mark", "net.ipv4.conf.default.src_valid_mark"},
 		listInterfaceSysctls("ipv4", "src_valid_mark")...,
 	))
+	writeSysctlGroup(&builder, "accept_ra", append(
+		[]string{"net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra", "net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra"},
+		listInterfaceSysctls("ipv6", "accept_ra")...,
+	))
 	writeSysctlGroup(&builder, "conntrack", []string{
 		"net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_acct",
 		"net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_tcp_loose",

client/internal/metrics/connection_type.go

@@ -4,11 +4,17 @@ package metrics
 type ConnectionType string
 
 const (
-	// ConnectionTypeICE represents a direct peer-to-peer connection using ICE
-	ConnectionTypeICE ConnectionType = "ice"
+	// ConnectionTypeICEP2P represents a direct peer-to-peer connection using ICE
+	ConnectionTypeICEP2P ConnectionType = "ice_p2p"
+
+	// ConnectionTypeICETurn represents an ICE connection through a TURN server
+	ConnectionTypeICETurn ConnectionType = "ice_turn"
 
 	// ConnectionTypeRelay represents a relayed connection
 	ConnectionTypeRelay ConnectionType = "relay"
+
+	// ConnectionTypeUnknown represents a connection with no active transport. It is not pushed.
+	ConnectionTypeUnknown ConnectionType = "unknown"
 )
 
 // String returns the string representation of the connection type

client/internal/metrics/influxdb_test.go

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func TestInfluxDBMetrics_RecordAndExport(t *testing.T) {
 		WgHandshakeSuccess: time.Now().Add(-1 * time.Second),
 	}
 
-	m.RecordConnectionStages(context.Background(), agentInfo, "pair123", ConnectionTypeICE, false, ts)
+	m.RecordConnectionStages(context.Background(), agentInfo, "pair123", ConnectionTypeICEP2P, false, ts)
 
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	err := m.Export(&buf)
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func TestInfluxDBMetrics_ExportDeterministicFieldOrder(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Record multiple times and verify consistent field order
 	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
-		m.RecordConnectionStages(context.Background(), agentInfo, "pair123", ConnectionTypeICE, false, ts)
+		m.RecordConnectionStages(context.Background(), agentInfo, "pair123", ConnectionTypeICEP2P, false, ts)
 	}
 
 	var buf bytes.Buffer

client/internal/metrics/infra/README.md

@@ -56,14 +56,33 @@ Measurement: `netbird_peer_connection`
 
 Tags:
 - `deployment_type`: "cloud" | "selfhosted" | "unknown"
-- `connection_type`: "ice" | "relay"
+- `connection_type`: "ice_p2p" | "ice_turn" | "relay" (see below)
 - `attempt_type`: "initial" | "reconnection"
 - `version`: NetBird version string
 - `os`: Operating system (linux, darwin, windows, android, ios, etc.)
 - `arch`: CPU architecture (amd64, arm64, etc.)
+- `peer_id`: anonymised peer identifier (truncated SHA-256 of the WireGuard public key)
+- `connection_pair_id`: deterministic identifier for the peer pair, identical on both sides
 
 **Note:** `SignalingReceived` is set when the first offer or answer arrives from the remote peer (in both initial and reconnection paths). It excludes the potentially unbounded wait for the remote peer to come online.
 
+#### `connection_type` values
+
+Derived from the connection priority (`conntype.ConnPriority`) by `metricsConnType` in `client/internal/peer/conn.go`:
+
+| Value | Priority | Traffic is |
+|-------|----------|------------|
+| `ice_p2p` | `ICEP2P` | direct peer-to-peer |
+| `ice_turn` | `ICETurn` | relayed, through a TURN server |
+| `relay` | `Relay` | relayed, through a NetBird relay |
+| `unknown` | `None` or unrecognised | no active transport — **the sample is not pushed** |
+
+**Direct traffic is `ice_p2p` only.** `ice_turn` is relayed despite being negotiated by ICE, matching `Conn.isRelayed`.
+
+`None` means no transport is active: not established yet, or reset after a relay drop or a peer-state reset. Such a sample cannot be attributed to a transport, so `recordConnectionMetrics` drops it instead of pushing it — `unknown` therefore never appears in the bucket. Connection counts are counts of connections whose transport was known at sampling time.
+
+**Samples recorded before 0.77 used a single `ice` value** which covered `ICEP2P`, `ICETurn` *and* `None`, so historical `ice` samples overstate direct connections by an unknown amount and must not be compared with `ice_p2p`.
+
 ### Sync Duration
 
 Measurement: `netbird_sync`

client/internal/peer/conn.go

@@ -307,6 +307,8 @@ func (conn *Conn) Close(signalToRemote bool) {
 
 	if conn.wgWatcherCancel != nil {
 		conn.wgWatcherCancel()
+		conn.wgWatcher = nil
+		conn.wgWatcherCancel = nil
 	}
 	conn.workerRelay.CloseConn()
 	if conn.workerICE != nil {
@@ -959,12 +961,9 @@ func (conn *Conn) recordConnectionMetrics() {
 	priority := conn.currentConnPriority
 	conn.mu.Unlock()
 
-	var connType metrics.ConnectionType
-	switch priority {
-	case conntype.Relay:
-		connType = metrics.ConnectionTypeRelay
-	default:
-		connType = metrics.ConnectionTypeICE
+	connType := metricsConnType(priority)
+	if connType == metrics.ConnectionTypeUnknown {
+		return
 	}
 
 	// Record metrics with timestamps - duration calculation happens in metrics package
@@ -1065,3 +1064,16 @@ func boolToConnStatus(connected bool) guard.ConnStatus {
 	}
 	return guard.ConnStatusDisconnected
 }
+
+func metricsConnType(priority conntype.ConnPriority) metrics.ConnectionType {
+	switch priority {
+	case conntype.Relay:
+		return metrics.ConnectionTypeRelay
+	case conntype.ICETurn:
+		return metrics.ConnectionTypeICETurn
+	case conntype.ICEP2P:
+		return metrics.ConnectionTypeICEP2P
+	default:
+		return metrics.ConnectionTypeUnknown
+	}
+}

client/internal/peer/conn_test.go

@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/iface"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/metrics"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/peer/conntype"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/peer/dispatcher"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/peer/guard"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/peer/ice"
@@ -386,3 +388,33 @@ func TestConn_onWGDisconnected_NoEscalationWithoutRosenpass(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	assert.Empty(t, disconnected, "escalation must be limited to rosenpass connections")
 }
+
+func TestMetricsConnType(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		priority conntype.ConnPriority
+		expected metrics.ConnectionType
+	}{
+		{"relay", conntype.Relay, metrics.ConnectionTypeRelay},
+		{"ice over turn is relayed, not p2p", conntype.ICETurn, metrics.ConnectionTypeICETurn},
+		{"direct p2p", conntype.ICEP2P, metrics.ConnectionTypeICEP2P},
+		{"unset priority is unknown, not p2p", conntype.None, metrics.ConnectionTypeUnknown},
+		{"unrecognised priority is unknown", conntype.ConnPriority(99), metrics.ConnectionTypeUnknown},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Equal(t, tc.expected, metricsConnType(tc.priority))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMetricsConnType_RelayedMatchesIsRelayed(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, priority := range []conntype.ConnPriority{conntype.None, conntype.Relay, conntype.ICETurn, conntype.ICEP2P} {
+		conn := &Conn{currentConnPriority: priority}
+		tag := metricsConnType(priority)
+		relayedTag := tag == metrics.ConnectionTypeRelay || tag == metrics.ConnectionTypeICETurn
+		assert.Equal(t, conn.isRelayed(), relayedTag,
+			"priority %s: isRelayed and the %q metric tag must agree", priority, tag)
+	}
+}

client/internal/routemanager/ipfwdstate/ipfwdstate.go

@@ -2,54 +2,173 @@ package ipfwdstate
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"sync"
 
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/routemanager/systemops"
 )
 
-// IPForwardingState is a struct that keeps track of the IP forwarding state.
-// todo: read initial state of the IP forwarding from the system and reset the state based on it.
-// todo: separate v4/v6 forwarding state, since the sysctls are independent
-// (net.ipv4.ip_forward vs net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding). Currently the nftables
-// manager shares one instance between both routers, which works only because
-// EnableIPForwarding enables both sysctls in a single call.
+// IPForwardingState tracks v4 and v6 IP-forwarding sysctl enables with
+// independent refcounts so a v4-only routing setup doesn't flip v6 sysctls.
 type IPForwardingState struct {
-	enabledCounter int
+	mu sync.Mutex
+
+	v4Count int
+	v6Count int
+
+	// routingV4/routingV6 track whether the routing path currently holds a
+	// reference, so repeated EnableRouting calls (one per network-map update)
+	// hold at most one reference per family and an unpaired DisableRouting
+	// can't release references held by DNAT rules.
+	routingV4 bool
+	routingV6 bool
+
+	wgIfaceName string
+	v6Saved     map[string]int
 }
 
-func NewIPForwardingState() *IPForwardingState {
-	return &IPForwardingState{}
+func NewIPForwardingState(wgIfaceName string) *IPForwardingState {
+	return &IPForwardingState{wgIfaceName: wgIfaceName}
 }
 
-func (f *IPForwardingState) RequestForwarding() error {
-	if f.enabledCounter != 0 {
-		f.enabledCounter++
+// Counts returns the current v4 and v6 refcounts. Intended for diagnostics
+// and tests.
+func (f *IPForwardingState) Counts() (v4, v6 int) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	return f.v4Count, f.v6Count
+}
+
+// RequestRouting takes the forwarding references for the routing path. It is
+// idempotent: while routing already holds a reference, further calls don't
+// increment the refcounts. A v6 sysctl failure is logged and not returned so
+// it can't take down v4 routing (the sysctl may be unwritable, e.g. read-only
+// /proc/sys or IPv6 disabled on the kernel command line); v6 is retried on the
+// next call.
+func (f *IPForwardingState) RequestRouting(v6 bool) error {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if !f.routingV4 {
+		if err := f.requestV4(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		f.routingV4 = true
+	}
+
+	if !v6 || f.routingV6 {
 		return nil
 	}
-
-	if err := systemops.EnableIPForwarding(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to enable IP forwarding with sysctl: %w", err)
+	if err := f.requestV6(); err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("enable IPv6 forwarding for routing: %v", err)
+		return nil
 	}
-	f.enabledCounter = 1
-	log.Info("IP forwarding enabled")
-
+	f.routingV6 = true
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (f *IPForwardingState) ReleaseForwarding() error {
-	if f.enabledCounter == 0 {
-		return nil
+// ReleaseRouting releases the references RequestRouting holds. Calls without a
+// held reference are no-ops.
+func (f *IPForwardingState) ReleaseRouting() error {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if f.routingV4 {
+		f.routingV4 = false
+		f.releaseV4()
 	}
-
-	if f.enabledCounter > 1 {
-		f.enabledCounter--
-		return nil
+	if f.routingV6 {
+		f.routingV6 = false
+		return f.releaseV6()
 	}
-
-	// if failed to disable IP forwarding we anyway decrement the counter
-	f.enabledCounter = 0
-
-	// todo call systemops.DisableIPForwarding()
+	return nil
+}
+
+// RequestForwarding enables the family's forwarding sysctl on first request.
+func (f *IPForwardingState) RequestForwarding(v6 bool) error {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if v6 {
+		return f.requestV6()
+	}
+	return f.requestV4()
+}
+
+// ReleaseForwarding decrements the family counter. The last v6 release restores
+// what enable captured. v4 stays on: net.ipv4.ip_forward is co-owned by other
+// tooling (docker, k8s, libvirt).
+func (f *IPForwardingState) ReleaseForwarding(v6 bool) error {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if v6 {
+		return f.releaseV6()
+	}
+	f.releaseV4()
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (f *IPForwardingState) requestV4() error {
+	if f.v4Count == 0 {
+		if err := systemops.EnableV4IPForwarding(); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("enable IPv4 forwarding: %w", err)
+		}
+		log.Info("IPv4 forwarding enabled")
+	}
+	f.v4Count++
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (f *IPForwardingState) releaseV4() {
+	if f.v4Count > 0 {
+		f.v4Count--
+	}
+}
+
+func (f *IPForwardingState) requestV6() error {
+	if f.v6Count == 0 {
+		saved, err := systemops.EnableV6IPForwarding(f.wgIfaceName)
+		if err != nil {
+			if rerr := systemops.DisableV6IPForwarding(saved); rerr != nil {
+				log.Warnf("rollback partial v6 sysctls: %v", rerr)
+			}
+			return fmt.Errorf("enable IPv6 forwarding: %w", err)
+		}
+		// A failed restore on a previous release keeps its saved values; those
+		// are the true originals, so keep them over what this enable captured.
+		if f.v6Saved == nil {
+			f.v6Saved = saved
+		} else {
+			for k, v := range saved {
+				if _, ok := f.v6Saved[k]; !ok {
+					f.v6Saved[k] = v
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		log.Info("IPv6 forwarding enabled")
+	}
+	f.v6Count++
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (f *IPForwardingState) releaseV6() error {
+	if f.v6Count == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	f.v6Count--
+	if f.v6Count > 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Keep the saved values on failure so a later release or enable/release
+	// cycle can still restore them; re-restoring an already-restored key is a
+	// no-op since the sysctl already holds the desired value.
+	if err := systemops.DisableV6IPForwarding(f.v6Saved); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("disable IPv6 forwarding: %w", err)
+	}
+	f.v6Saved = nil
+	log.Info("IPv6 forwarding disabled")
 	return nil
 }

client/internal/routemanager/sysctl/sysctl_linux.go

@@ -58,11 +58,7 @@ func Setup(wgIface iface) (map[string]int, error) {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		// Escape '%' and '.' so they survive the dot-to-slash conversion in Set()
-		safeName := strings.ReplaceAll(intf.Name, "%", percentEscape)
-		safeName = strings.ReplaceAll(safeName, ".", dotEscape)
-
-		i := fmt.Sprintf(rpFilterInterfacePath, safeName)
+		i := fmt.Sprintf(rpFilterInterfacePath, EscapeInterfaceName(intf.Name))
 		oldVal, err := Set(i, 2, true)
 		if err != nil {
 			result = multierror.Append(result, err)
@@ -74,6 +70,13 @@ func Setup(wgIface iface) (map[string]int, error) {
 	return keys, nberrors.FormatErrorOrNil(result)
 }
 
+// EscapeInterfaceName escapes '%' and '.' in an interface name (e.g. VLANs
+// like eth0.100) so the name survives the dot-to-slash conversion in Set.
+func EscapeInterfaceName(name string) string {
+	safe := strings.ReplaceAll(name, "%", percentEscape)
+	return strings.ReplaceAll(safe, ".", dotEscape)
+}
+
 // Set sets a sysctl configuration, if onlyIfOne is true it will only set the new value if it's set to 1
 func Set(key string, desiredValue int, onlyIfOne bool) (int, error) {
 	path := strings.ReplaceAll(key, ".", "/")

client/internal/routemanager/systemops/systemops_android.go

@@ -32,8 +32,17 @@ func (r *SysOps) removeFromRouteTable(netip.Prefix, Nexthop) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func EnableIPForwarding() error {
-	log.Infof("Enable IP forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+func EnableV4IPForwarding() error {
+	log.Infof("Enable IPv4 forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func EnableV6IPForwarding(string) (map[string]int, error) {
+	log.Infof("Enable IPv6 forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+	return map[string]int{}, nil
+}
+
+func DisableV6IPForwarding(map[string]int) error {
 	return nil
 }
 

client/internal/routemanager/systemops/systemops_ios.go

@@ -58,8 +58,17 @@ func (r *SysOps) removeFromRouteTable(netip.Prefix, Nexthop) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func EnableIPForwarding() error {
-	log.Infof("Enable IP forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+func EnableV4IPForwarding() error {
+	log.Infof("Enable IPv4 forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func EnableV6IPForwarding(string) (map[string]int, error) {
+	log.Infof("Enable IPv6 forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+	return map[string]int{}, nil
+}
+
+func DisableV6IPForwarding(map[string]int) error {
 	return nil
 }
 

client/internal/routemanager/systemops/systemops_linux.go

@@ -763,13 +763,10 @@ func flushRoutes(tableID, family int) error {
 	return nberrors.FormatErrorOrNil(result)
 }
 
-func EnableIPForwarding() error {
+func EnableV4IPForwarding() error {
 	if _, err := sysctl.Set(ipv4ForwardingPath, 1, false); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if _, err := sysctl.Set(ipv6ForwardingPath, 1, false); err != nil {
-		log.Warnf("failed to enable IPv6 forwarding: %v", err)
-	}
 	return nil
 }
 

client/internal/routemanager/systemops/systemops_nonlinux.go

@@ -43,8 +43,17 @@ func (r *SysOps) RemoveVPNRoute(prefix netip.Prefix, intf *net.Interface) error
 	return r.genericRemoveVPNRoute(prefix, intf)
 }
 
-func EnableIPForwarding() error {
-	log.Infof("Enable IP forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+func EnableV4IPForwarding() error {
+	log.Infof("Enable IPv4 forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func EnableV6IPForwarding(string) (map[string]int, error) {
+	log.Infof("Enable IPv6 forwarding is not implemented on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+	return map[string]int{}, nil
+}
+
+func DisableV6IPForwarding(map[string]int) error {
 	return nil
 }
 

client/internal/routemanager/systemops/v6forwarding_linux.go

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+//go:build !android
+
+package systemops
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+
+	nberrors "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/errors"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/client/internal/routemanager/sysctl"
+)
+
+const (
+	// 1 (default) accepts RAs only while forwarding is off; 2 keeps RA
+	// acceptance on regardless, so RA-installed host defaults survive our
+	// v6 forwarding flip.
+	acceptRAInterfacePath  = "net.ipv6.conf.%s.accept_ra"
+	acceptRADefaultPath    = "net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra"
+	acceptRAProcPathFormat = "/proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/%s/accept_ra"
+)
+
+// EnableV6IPForwarding bumps accept_ra=2 on host v6 interfaces before flipping
+// forwarding=1, so RA-installed host defaults survive. Returns the prior values
+// of sysctls we actually changed; entries already at the target are omitted.
+func EnableV6IPForwarding(wgIfaceName string) (map[string]int, error) {
+	saved := map[string]int{}
+	bumpAcceptRA(saved, wgIfaceName)
+
+	oldVal, err := sysctl.Set(ipv6ForwardingPath, 1, false)
+	if err != nil {
+		return saved, err
+	}
+	if oldVal != 1 {
+		saved[ipv6ForwardingPath] = oldVal
+	}
+	return saved, nil
+}
+
+// DisableV6IPForwarding restores what EnableV6IPForwarding captured.
+func DisableV6IPForwarding(saved map[string]int) error {
+	var result *multierror.Error
+	for key, value := range saved {
+		if _, err := sysctl.Set(key, value, false); err != nil {
+			result = multierror.Append(result, fmt.Errorf("restore %s: %w", key, err))
+		}
+	}
+	return nberrors.FormatErrorOrNil(result)
+}
+
+func bumpAcceptRA(saved map[string]int, wgIfaceName string) {
+	// Also bump conf.default so interfaces created while forwarding is on
+	// (hotplug, new Wi-Fi/dock) inherit accept_ra=2 and keep accepting RAs.
+	bumpAcceptRAKey(saved, acceptRADefaultPath)
+
+	interfaces, err := net.Interfaces()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("list interfaces for accept_ra: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	for _, intf := range interfaces {
+		if intf.Name == "lo" || intf.Name == wgIfaceName {
+			continue
+		}
+		bumpAcceptRAForInterface(saved, intf.Name)
+	}
+}
+
+func bumpAcceptRAForInterface(saved map[string]int, name string) {
+	// Build procfs path from name, not the dotted key: VLAN names like eth0.100.
+	if _, err := os.Stat(fmt.Sprintf(acceptRAProcPathFormat, name)); err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	bumpAcceptRAKey(saved, fmt.Sprintf(acceptRAInterfacePath, sysctl.EscapeInterfaceName(name)))
+}
+
+func bumpAcceptRAKey(saved map[string]int, key string) {
+	// onlyIfOne=true: leave admin overrides (0, 2) alone.
+	oldVal, err := sysctl.Set(key, 2, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("bump %s: %v", key, err)
+		return
+	}
+	// With onlyIfOne, a write only happened when the old value was 1; values
+	// left untouched (0, 2) must not be recorded for restore.
+	if oldVal == 1 {
+		saved[key] = oldVal
+	}
+}

infrastructure_files/migrate-to-enterprise.sh

@@ -173,11 +173,11 @@ EOF
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 detect_combined_service() {
-  yq eval '.services | to_entries | map(select(.value.image | test("^netbirdio/netbird-server"))) | .[0].key // ""' "$COMPOSE_FILE"
+  yq eval '.services | to_entries | map(select(.value.image | test("^(ghcr\\.io/)?netbirdio/netbird-server([:@]|$)"))) | .[0].key // ""' "$COMPOSE_FILE"
 }
 
 detect_dashboard_service() {
-  yq eval '.services | to_entries | map(select(.value.image | test("^netbirdio/dashboard"))) | .[0].key // ""' "$COMPOSE_FILE"
+  yq eval '.services | to_entries | map(select(.value.image | test("^(ghcr\\.io/)?netbirdio/dashboard([:@]|$)"))) | .[0].key // ""' "$COMPOSE_FILE"
 }
 
 detect_config_yaml_host_path() {
@@ -661,12 +661,12 @@ init_migration() {
   COMPOSE_NETWORK=$(detect_compose_network)
 
   if [[ -z "$COMBINED_SERVICE" ]]; then
-    echo "Could not find a service running netbirdio/netbird-server* in $COMPOSE_FILE." > /dev/stderr
+    echo "Could not find a service running netbirdio/netbird-server or ghcr.io/netbirdio/netbird-server in $COMPOSE_FILE." > /dev/stderr
     echo "This script targets the community combined-server deployment." > /dev/stderr
     exit 1
   fi
   if [[ -z "$DASHBOARD_SERVICE" ]]; then
-    echo "Could not find a service running netbirdio/dashboard* in $COMPOSE_FILE." > /dev/stderr
+    echo "Could not find a service running netbirdio/dashboard or ghcr.io/netbirdio/dashboard in $COMPOSE_FILE." > /dev/stderr
     exit 1
   fi
   if [[ -z "$CONFIG_YAML_HOST" ]]; then

management/internals/controllers/network_map/controller/controller.go

@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ func (c *Controller) sendUpdateAccountPeers(ctx context.Context, accountID strin
 	semaphore := make(chan struct{}, 10)
 
 	c.injectAllProxyPolicies(ctx, account)
+	account.PrecomputePostureValidation(ctx)
 	dnsCache := &cache.DNSConfigCache{}
 	dnsDomain := c.GetDNSDomain(account.Settings)
 	peersCustomZone := account.GetPeersCustomZone(ctx, dnsDomain)
@@ -357,6 +358,7 @@ func (c *Controller) sendUpdateForAffectedPeers(ctx context.Context, accountID s
 	// network map that omitted the synth DNS zone, and the agent kept
 	// resolving against the stale or absent record.
 	c.injectAllProxyPolicies(ctx, account)
+	account.PrecomputePostureValidation(ctx)
 	dnsCache := &cache.DNSConfigCache{}
 	dnsDomain := c.GetDNSDomain(account.Settings)
 	peersCustomZone := account.GetPeersCustomZone(ctx, dnsDomain)

management/internals/shared/grpc/proxy.go

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/management/domain"
 
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/modules/agentnetwork"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/modules/peers"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/accesslogs"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/proxy"
@@ -36,7 +37,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/sessionkey"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/idp"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/peer"
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/modules/agentnetwork"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/types"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/users"
 	proxyauth "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/proxy/auth"
@@ -1579,9 +1579,62 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) ValidateState(state string) (verifier, redirectURL
 	return verifier, redirectURL, nil
 }
 
+// Denied reasons reported to the proxy when access is refused because of the
+// account status of the user behind the request.
+const (
+	deniedReasonPendingApproval = "pending_approval"
+	deniedReasonUserBlocked     = "user_blocked"
+	deniedReasonUserNotFound    = "user_not_found"
+)
+
+var (
+	// ErrUserPendingApproval reports a user whose account still awaits approval
+	// by an administrator and may therefore not hold a proxy session.
+	ErrUserPendingApproval = errors.New("user pending approval")
+
+	// ErrUserBlocked reports a blocked user, who may not hold a proxy session.
+	ErrUserBlocked = errors.New("user blocked")
+
+	errUserUnresolved = errors.New("user could not be resolved")
+)
+
+// checkUserStatus reports whether the user's account status permits reverse
+// proxy access, returning the denied reason for the proxy access log together
+// with the sentinel error callers match on. A user awaiting approval is stored
+// as both pending and blocked, so the pending state is reported first: it is
+// the one an administrator can act on.
+func checkUserStatus(user *types.User) (string, error) {
+	switch {
+	case user == nil:
+		return deniedReasonUserNotFound, errUserUnresolved
+	case user.PendingApproval:
+		return deniedReasonPendingApproval, ErrUserPendingApproval
+	case user.IsBlocked():
+		return deniedReasonUserBlocked, ErrUserBlocked
+	default:
+		return "", nil
+	}
+}
+
+// userStatusDeniedReason returns the denied reason for callers that report a
+// decision rather than an error, and an empty string when the user may proceed.
+func userStatusDeniedReason(user *types.User) string {
+	reason, _ := checkUserStatus(user)
+	return reason
+}
+
+// sameAccount reports whether a user belongs to a service's account. An empty
+// identifier on either side never matches: two unset accounts must not compare
+// equal into a grant.
+func sameAccount(userAccountID, serviceAccountID string) bool {
+	return userAccountID != "" && serviceAccountID != "" && userAccountID == serviceAccountID
+}
+
 // GenerateSessionToken creates a signed session JWT for the given domain and
 // user. The user's group memberships are embedded in the token so policy-aware
 // middlewares on the proxy can authorise without an extra management round-trip.
+// A user the store cannot resolve, or whose account is pending approval or
+// blocked, gets no token at all, so the browser never receives a session cookie.
 func (s *ProxyServiceServer) GenerateSessionToken(ctx context.Context, domain, userID string, method proxyauth.Method) (string, error) {
 	service, err := s.getServiceByDomain(ctx, domain)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1592,25 +1645,37 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) GenerateSessionToken(ctx context.Context, domain, u
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("no session key configured for domain: %s", domain)
 	}
 
-	var (
-		email      string
-		groupIDs   []string
-		groupNames []string
-	)
-	if s.usersManager != nil {
-		user, userGroups, uerr := s.usersManager.GetUserWithGroups(ctx, userID)
-		if uerr != nil {
-			log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("session token mint: lookup user %s: %v", userID, uerr)
-		} else if user != nil {
-			email = user.Email
-			groupIDs, groupNames = pairGroupIDsAndNames(userGroups)
-		}
+	if s.usersManager == nil {
+		return "", errors.New("users manager not configured")
 	}
 
+	user, userGroups, err := s.usersManager.GetUserWithGroups(ctx, userID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("get user %s: %w", userID, err)
+	}
+
+	if user == nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("get user %s: %w", userID, errUserUnresolved)
+	}
+
+	// Bind the OIDC identity to the service's account before signing anything
+	// with that service's session key. The proxy validates an installed cookie
+	// locally against the service public key, so a token minted for a user of
+	// another account would be honoured without a management round-trip.
+	if !sameAccount(user.AccountID, service.AccountID) {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("user %s does not belong to the service account", userID)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := checkUserStatus(user); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("session token for user %s: %w", userID, err)
+	}
+
+	groupIDs, groupNames := pairGroupIDsAndNames(userGroups)
+
 	return sessionkey.SignToken(
 		service.SessionPrivateKey,
 		userID,
-		email,
+		user.Email,
 		domain,
 		method,
 		groupIDs,
@@ -1628,6 +1693,10 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) ValidateUserGroupAccess(ctx context.Context, domain
 		return fmt.Errorf("user not found: %s", userID)
 	}
 
+	if _, err := checkUserStatus(user); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("user %s denied access to domain %s: %w", userID, domain, err)
+	}
+
 	service, err := s.getAccountServiceByDomain(ctx, user.AccountID, domain)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -1682,10 +1751,7 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) ValidateSession(ctx context.Context, req *proto.Val
 	sessionToken := req.GetSessionToken()
 
 	if domain == "" || sessionToken == "" {
-		return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
-			Valid:        false,
-			DeniedReason: "missing domain or session_token",
-		}, nil
+		return deniedSessionResponse("missing domain or session_token"), nil
 	}
 
 	service, err := s.getServiceByDomain(ctx, domain)
@@ -1695,83 +1761,49 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) ValidateSession(ctx context.Context, req *proto.Val
 			"error":  err.Error(),
 		}).Debug("ValidateSession: service not found")
 		//nolint:nilerr
-		return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
-			Valid:        false,
-			DeniedReason: "service_not_found",
-		}, nil
+		return deniedSessionResponse("service_not_found"), nil
 	}
 
 	if err := enforceAccountScope(ctx, service.AccountID); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	pubKeyBytes, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(service.SessionPublicKey)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
-			"domain": domain,
-			"error":  err.Error(),
-		}).Error("ValidateSession: decode public key")
-		//nolint:nilerr
-		return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
-			Valid:        false,
-			DeniedReason: "invalid_service_config",
-		}, nil
-	}
-
-	userID, _, _, _, _, err := proxyauth.ValidateSessionJWT(sessionToken, domain, pubKeyBytes)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
-			"domain": domain,
-			"error":  err.Error(),
-		}).Debug("ValidateSession: invalid session token")
-		//nolint:nilerr
-		return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
-			Valid:        false,
-			DeniedReason: "invalid_token",
-		}, nil
+	userID, reason := sessionTokenSubject(domain, service, sessionToken)
+	if reason != "" {
+		return deniedSessionResponse(reason), nil
 	}
 
 	user, userGroups, err := s.usersManager.GetUserWithGroups(ctx, userID)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil || user == nil {
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
 			"domain":  domain,
 			"user_id": userID,
-			"error":   err.Error(),
+			"error":   err,
 		}).Debug("ValidateSession: user not found")
 		//nolint:nilerr
-		return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
-			Valid:        false,
-			DeniedReason: "user_not_found",
-		}, nil
+		return deniedSessionResponse(deniedReasonUserNotFound), nil
 	}
 
-	if user.AccountID != service.AccountID {
+	// A user from another account gets a bare response: none of their identity
+	// belongs in an answer to a proxy serving a different account.
+	if !sameAccount(user.AccountID, service.AccountID) {
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
 			"domain":          domain,
 			"user_id":         userID,
 			"user_account":    user.AccountID,
 			"service_account": service.AccountID,
 		}).Debug("ValidateSession: user account mismatch")
-		//nolint:nilerr
-		return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
-			Valid:        false,
-			DeniedReason: "account_mismatch",
-		}, nil
+		return deniedSessionResponse("account_mismatch"), nil
 	}
 
-	if err := s.checkGroupAccess(service, user); err != nil {
-		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
-			"domain":  domain,
-			"user_id": userID,
-			"error":   err.Error(),
-		}).Debug("ValidateSession: access denied")
-		groupIDs, groupNames := pairGroupIDsAndNames(userGroups)
-		//nolint:nilerr
+	groupIDs, groupNames := pairGroupIDsAndNames(userGroups)
+
+	if reason := s.accountUserDeniedReason(domain, service, user); reason != "" {
 		return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
 			Valid:          false,
 			UserId:         user.Id,
 			UserEmail:      user.Email,
-			DeniedReason:   "not_in_group",
+			DeniedReason:   reason,
 			PeerGroupIds:   groupIDs,
 			PeerGroupNames: groupNames,
 		}, nil
@@ -1783,7 +1815,6 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) ValidateSession(ctx context.Context, req *proto.Val
 		"email":   user.Email,
 	}).Debug("ValidateSession: access granted")
 
-	groupIDs, groupNames := pairGroupIDsAndNames(userGroups)
 	return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
 		Valid:          true,
 		UserId:         user.Id,
@@ -1793,6 +1824,66 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) ValidateSession(ctx context.Context, req *proto.Val
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// deniedSessionResponse builds a denial that carries no identity, for the
+// checks that run before a user of this service's account is resolved.
+func deniedSessionResponse(reason string) *proto.ValidateSessionResponse {
+	return &proto.ValidateSessionResponse{
+		Valid:        false,
+		DeniedReason: reason,
+	}
+}
+
+// sessionTokenSubject verifies the session token against the service's session
+// key and returns the user it was minted for, or the reason it cannot be
+// trusted.
+func sessionTokenSubject(domain string, service *rpservice.Service, sessionToken string) (userID, deniedReason string) {
+	pubKeyBytes, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(service.SessionPublicKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"domain": domain,
+			"error":  err.Error(),
+		}).Error("ValidateSession: decode public key")
+		return "", "invalid_service_config"
+	}
+
+	userID, _, _, _, _, err = proxyauth.ValidateSessionJWT(sessionToken, domain, pubKeyBytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"domain": domain,
+			"error":  err.Error(),
+		}).Debug("ValidateSession: invalid session token")
+		return "", "invalid_token"
+	}
+
+	return userID, ""
+}
+
+// accountUserDeniedReason gates a user of the service's own account, returning
+// an empty string when access is granted. Account status comes before group
+// membership: a user awaiting approval or blocked has no access regardless of
+// the groups they were auto-assigned.
+func (s *ProxyServiceServer) accountUserDeniedReason(domain string, service *rpservice.Service, user *types.User) string {
+	if reason := userStatusDeniedReason(user); reason != "" {
+		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"domain":  domain,
+			"user_id": user.Id,
+			"reason":  reason,
+		}).Debug("ValidateSession: user status denies access")
+		return reason
+	}
+
+	if err := s.checkGroupAccess(service, user); err != nil {
+		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"domain":  domain,
+			"user_id": user.Id,
+			"error":   err.Error(),
+		}).Debug("ValidateSession: access denied")
+		return "not_in_group"
+	}
+
+	return ""
+}
+
 func (s *ProxyServiceServer) getServiceByDomain(ctx context.Context, domain string) (*rpservice.Service, error) {
 	service, err := s.serviceManager.GetServiceByDomain(ctx, domain)
 	if err == nil {
@@ -1907,7 +1998,20 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) ValidateTunnelPeer(ctx context.Context, req *proto.
 	}
 
 	groupIDs, groupNames := pairGroupIDsAndNames(peerGroups)
-	principalID, displayIdentity := s.getTunnelPeerInfo(ctx, domain, service, peer)
+	owner := s.resolvePeerOwner(ctx, peer, service.AccountID)
+	principalID, displayIdentity := s.getTunnelPeerInfo(ctx, domain, service, peer, owner)
+
+	if reason := peerOwnerDeniedReason(peer, owner); reason != "" {
+		log.WithFields(log.Fields{"domain": domain, "peer_id": peer.ID, "user_id": peer.UserID, "reason": reason}).Debug("ValidateTunnelPeer: owner status denies access")
+		return &proto.ValidateTunnelPeerResponse{
+			Valid:          false,
+			UserId:         principalID,
+			UserEmail:      displayIdentity,
+			DeniedReason:   reason,
+			PeerGroupIds:   groupIDs,
+			PeerGroupNames: groupNames,
+		}, nil
+	}
 
 	if err := checkPeerGroupAccess(service, groupIDs); err != nil {
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{"domain": domain, "peer_id": peer.ID, "error": err.Error()}).Debug("ValidateTunnelPeer: access denied")
@@ -1944,9 +2048,55 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) ValidateTunnelPeer(ctx context.Context, req *proto.
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// resolvePeerOwner returns the user a peer is linked to, once per request so
+// the status gate and the identity resolution below share a single lookup.
+// Unlinked peers (machine agents) have no owner. A lookup that fails returns
+// nil rather than an error: both callers treat an unresolved owner the same
+// way, and neither may trust one it could not read.
+func (s *ProxyServiceServer) resolvePeerOwner(ctx context.Context, peer *peer.Peer, accountID string) *types.User {
+	if peer.UserID == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	user, err := s.usersManager.GetUser(ctx, peer.UserID)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("ValidateTunnelPeer: look up owner %s of peer %s: %v", peer.UserID, peer.ID, err)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// The lookup is by user ID alone, so a peer row pointing outside the
+	// service's account would otherwise resolve a foreign user. Leave the owner
+	// unresolved instead: the gate denies it, and neither the response nor the
+	// minted token carries an identity from another account.
+	if !sameAccount(user.AccountID, accountID) {
+		log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("ValidateTunnelPeer: owner %s of peer %s belongs to another account", peer.UserID, peer.ID)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return user
+}
+
+// peerOwnerDeniedReason gates the mesh fast-path on the account status of the
+// peer's owning user, so a user blocked after registering a peer loses
+// mesh-origin access too. Unlinked peers (machine agents) have no owner to gate
+// on and stay first-class callers. An owner the store cannot resolve denies:
+// an unavailable lookup must not grant access.
+func peerOwnerDeniedReason(peer *peer.Peer, owner *types.User) string {
+	if peer.UserID == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	if owner == nil {
+		return deniedReasonUserNotFound
+	}
+
+	return userStatusDeniedReason(owner)
+}
+
 // getTunnelPeerInfo returns the principal ID and display name for a peer, e.g. a
-// user or peer ID, and peer name or user email.
-func (s *ProxyServiceServer) getTunnelPeerInfo(ctx context.Context, domain string, service *rpservice.Service, peer *peer.Peer) (string, string) {
+// user or peer ID, and peer name or user email. owner is the already-resolved
+// user the peer is linked to, or nil.
+func (s *ProxyServiceServer) getTunnelPeerInfo(ctx context.Context, domain string, service *rpservice.Service, peer *peer.Peer, owner *types.User) (string, string) {
 	// Resolve the principal: when the peer is linked to a user, the human is the
 	// principal so multiple peers owned by the same user share a single
 	// identity. Unlinked peers (machine agents) are their own principal keyed on
@@ -1963,10 +2113,10 @@ func (s *ProxyServiceServer) getTunnelPeerInfo(ctx context.Context, domain strin
 	principalID := peer.UserID
 	displayIdentity := peer.Name
 	// Stored column first (cheap, but often empty for OIDC-provisioned users).
-	if user, uerr := s.usersManager.GetUser(ctx, peer.UserID); uerr == nil && user != nil {
-		principalID = user.Id
-		if user.Email != "" {
-			displayIdentity = user.Email
+	if owner != nil {
+		principalID = owner.Id
+		if owner.Email != "" {
+			displayIdentity = owner.Email
 		}
 	}
 	// IdP enrichment wins when available — the stored email column is a

management/internals/shared/grpc/proxy_group_access_test.go

@@ -119,11 +119,13 @@ func (m *mockReverseProxyManager) GetClusters(_ context.Context, _, _ string) ([
 }
 
 type mockUsersManager struct {
-	users map[string]*types.User
-	err   error
+	users        map[string]*types.User
+	err          error
+	getUserCalls int
 }
 
 func (m *mockUsersManager) GetUser(ctx context.Context, userID string) (*types.User, error) {
+	m.getUserCalls++
 	if m.err != nil {
 		return nil, m.err
 	}
@@ -350,6 +352,64 @@ func TestValidateUserGroupAccess(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expectErr: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name:   "user pending approval denied despite group membership",
+			domain: "app.example.com",
+			userID: "user1",
+			proxiesByAccount: map[string][]*service.Service{
+				"account1": {{
+					Domain:    "app.example.com",
+					AccountID: "account1",
+					Auth: service.AuthConfig{
+						BearerAuth: &service.BearerAuthConfig{
+							Enabled:            true,
+							DistributionGroups: []string{"group1"},
+						},
+					},
+				}},
+			},
+			users: map[string]*types.User{
+				// The approval flow stores a pending user as blocked as well.
+				"user1": {Id: "user1", AccountID: "account1", AutoGroups: []string{"group1"}, Blocked: true, PendingApproval: true},
+			},
+			expectErr:    true,
+			expectErrMsg: "user pending approval",
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "blocked user denied despite group membership",
+			domain: "app.example.com",
+			userID: "user1",
+			proxiesByAccount: map[string][]*service.Service{
+				"account1": {{
+					Domain:    "app.example.com",
+					AccountID: "account1",
+					Auth: service.AuthConfig{
+						BearerAuth: &service.BearerAuthConfig{
+							Enabled:            true,
+							DistributionGroups: []string{"group1"},
+						},
+					},
+				}},
+			},
+			users: map[string]*types.User{
+				"user1": {Id: "user1", AccountID: "account1", AutoGroups: []string{"group1"}, Blocked: true},
+			},
+			expectErr:    true,
+			expectErrMsg: "user blocked",
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "blocked user denied on a service with no auth configured",
+			domain: "app.example.com",
+			userID: "user1",
+			proxiesByAccount: map[string][]*service.Service{
+				"account1": {{Domain: "app.example.com", AccountID: "account1", Auth: service.AuthConfig{}}},
+			},
+			users: map[string]*types.User{
+				"user1": {Id: "user1", AccountID: "account1", Blocked: true},
+			},
+			expectErr:    true,
+			expectErrMsg: "user blocked",
+		},
 		{
 			name:             "proxy manager error",
 			domain:           "app.example.com",
@@ -421,17 +481,18 @@ func TestValidateTunnelPeerUserEmailEnrichment(t *testing.T) {
 	storedUserNoEmail := map[string]*types.User{userID: {Id: userID, AccountID: accountID, Email: ""}}
 
 	tests := []struct {
-		name         string
-		peerUserID   string
-		storedUsers  map[string]*types.User
-		storedErr    error
-		noIdP        bool
-		idpEmail     string
-		idpHasData   bool
-		idpErr       error
-		expectEmail  string
-		expectUserID string
-		expectIdPHit bool
+		name               string
+		peerUserID         string
+		storedUsers        map[string]*types.User
+		storedErr          error
+		noIdP              bool
+		idpEmail           string
+		idpHasData         bool
+		idpErr             error
+		expectEmail        string
+		expectUserID       string
+		expectIdPHit       bool
+		expectDeniedReason string
 	}{
 		{
 			name:         "idp email wins over stored email",
@@ -490,14 +551,17 @@ func TestValidateTunnelPeerUserEmailEnrichment(t *testing.T) {
 			expectIdPHit: true,
 		},
 		{
-			name:         "idp email when stored user missing keeps peer.UserID as principal",
-			peerUserID:   userID,
-			storedUsers:  map[string]*types.User{},
-			idpEmail:     "idp@example.com",
-			idpHasData:   true,
-			expectEmail:  "idp@example.com",
-			expectUserID: userID,
-			expectIdPHit: true,
+			// The identity still resolves from the IdP, but an owner the store
+			// cannot resolve denies the fast-path rather than granting it.
+			name:               "idp email when stored user missing keeps peer.UserID as principal",
+			peerUserID:         userID,
+			storedUsers:        map[string]*types.User{},
+			idpEmail:           "idp@example.com",
+			idpHasData:         true,
+			expectEmail:        "idp@example.com",
+			expectUserID:       userID,
+			expectIdPHit:       true,
+			expectDeniedReason: deniedReasonUserNotFound,
 		},
 		{
 			name:         "unlinked peer uses peer name and never consults idp",
@@ -545,9 +609,13 @@ func TestValidateTunnelPeerUserEmailEnrichment(t *testing.T) {
 
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			require.NotNil(t, resp)
-			assert.True(t, resp.GetValid(), "expected access granted")
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectDeniedReason == "", resp.GetValid(), "unexpected access decision")
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectDeniedReason, resp.GetDeniedReason(), "unexpected denied reason")
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectEmail, resp.GetUserEmail())
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectUserID, resp.GetUserId())
+			if tt.expectDeniedReason != "" {
+				assert.Empty(t, resp.GetSessionToken(), "a denied peer must not receive a session token")
+			}
 
 			if idpMock != nil {
 				if tt.expectIdPHit {
@@ -562,6 +630,121 @@ func TestValidateTunnelPeerUserEmailEnrichment(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestDeniedReasonValues pins the wire values of the account status denied
+// reasons. The proxy logs them and operators filter access logs on them, so a
+// rename is a breaking change rather than an internal detail.
+// TestSameAccount pins the fail-closed behaviour of the account binding: an
+// unset account on either side must never compare equal into a grant.
+func TestSameAccount(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.True(t, sameAccount("account1", "account1"), "matching accounts should bind")
+	assert.False(t, sameAccount("account1", "account2"), "different accounts must not bind")
+	assert.False(t, sameAccount("", ""), "two unset accounts must not bind")
+	assert.False(t, sameAccount("account1", ""), "an unset service account must not bind")
+	assert.False(t, sameAccount("", "account1"), "an unset user account must not bind")
+}
+
+func TestDeniedReasonValues(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.Equal(t, "pending_approval", deniedReasonPendingApproval, "pending approval denied reason wire value")
+	assert.Equal(t, "user_blocked", deniedReasonUserBlocked, "blocked user denied reason wire value")
+	assert.Equal(t, "user_not_found", deniedReasonUserNotFound, "unresolved user denied reason wire value")
+}
+
+// TestValidateTunnelPeerOwnerStatus verifies that the mesh fast-path gates on
+// the account status of the peer's owning user. A peer whose owner was blocked
+// after the peer registered must lose access, while an unlinked machine peer
+// keeps it.
+func TestValidateTunnelPeerOwnerStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	const (
+		domain    = "app.example.com"
+		accountID = "account1"
+		peerID    = "peer1"
+		peerName  = "peer-display-name"
+		userID    = "user1"
+	)
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name               string
+		peerUserID         string
+		owner              *types.User
+		expectDeniedReason string
+		expectEmail        string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:       "active owner allowed",
+			peerUserID: userID,
+			owner:      &types.User{Id: userID, AccountID: accountID, Email: "user@example.com"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:               "owner pending approval denied",
+			peerUserID:         userID,
+			owner:              &types.User{Id: userID, AccountID: accountID, Email: "user@example.com", Blocked: true, PendingApproval: true},
+			expectDeniedReason: deniedReasonPendingApproval,
+		},
+		{
+			name:               "owner blocked after registering the peer denied",
+			peerUserID:         userID,
+			owner:              &types.User{Id: userID, AccountID: accountID, Email: "user@example.com", Blocked: true},
+			expectDeniedReason: deniedReasonUserBlocked,
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "unlinked machine peer stays allowed",
+			peerUserID: "",
+			owner:      &types.User{Id: userID, AccountID: accountID, Blocked: true},
+		},
+		{
+			// The user lookup is not account-scoped, so a peer row pointing at
+			// another account's user must not resolve into an owner: the peer is
+			// denied and the foreign email never reaches the response.
+			name:               "owner in another account denied and not disclosed",
+			peerUserID:         userID,
+			owner:              &types.User{Id: userID, AccountID: "otherAccount", Email: "foreign@example.com"},
+			expectDeniedReason: deniedReasonUserNotFound,
+			expectEmail:        peerName,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			svc := &service.Service{Domain: domain, AccountID: accountID}
+			usersManager := &mockUsersManager{users: map[string]*types.User{userID: tt.owner}}
+			server := &ProxyServiceServer{
+				serviceManager: &mockReverseProxyManager{
+					proxiesByAccount: map[string][]*service.Service{accountID: {svc}},
+				},
+				peersManager: &mockTunnelPeersManager{
+					peer: &peer.Peer{ID: peerID, Name: peerName, UserID: tt.peerUserID},
+				},
+				usersManager: usersManager,
+			}
+
+			resp, err := server.ValidateTunnelPeer(context.Background(), &proto.ValidateTunnelPeerRequest{
+				Domain:   domain,
+				TunnelIp: "100.64.0.1",
+			})
+
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.NotNil(t, resp)
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectDeniedReason, resp.GetDeniedReason(), "unexpected denied reason")
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectDeniedReason == "", resp.GetValid(), "unexpected access decision")
+			if tt.expectDeniedReason != "" {
+				assert.Empty(t, resp.GetSessionToken(), "a denied peer must not receive a session token")
+			}
+
+			if tt.expectEmail != "" {
+				assert.Equal(t, tt.expectEmail, resp.GetUserEmail(), "unexpected identity on the response")
+			}
+
+			// The status gate and the identity resolution share one lookup;
+			// an unlinked peer has no owner to look up at all.
+			wantLookups := 1
+			if tt.peerUserID == "" {
+				wantLookups = 0
+			}
+			assert.Equal(t, wantLookups, usersManager.getUserCalls, "owner must be resolved exactly once per request")
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGetAccountProxyByDomain(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name             string

management/internals/shared/grpc/validate_session_test.go

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func setupValidateSessionTest(t *testing.T) *validateSessionTestSetup {
 	proxyService.SetServiceManager(serviceManager)
 
 	createTestProxies(t, ctx, testStore)
+	createStatusTestUsers(t, ctx, testStore)
 
 	return &validateSessionTestSetup{
 		proxyService: proxyService,
@@ -91,6 +92,82 @@ func createTestProxies(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, testStore store.Store)
 		},
 	}
 	require.NoError(t, testStore.CreateService(ctx, restrictedProxy))
+
+	// Distributed to the account's "All" group, the configuration that hands a
+	// service to every user in the account.
+	allUsersProxy := &service.Service{
+		ID:                "allUsersProxyId",
+		AccountID:         "testAccountId",
+		Name:              "All Users Proxy",
+		Domain:            "all-users-proxy.example.com",
+		Enabled:           true,
+		SessionPrivateKey: privKey,
+		SessionPublicKey:  pubKey,
+		Auth: service.AuthConfig{
+			BearerAuth: &service.BearerAuthConfig{
+				Enabled:            true,
+				DistributionGroups: []string{allUsersGroupID},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, testStore.CreateService(ctx, allUsersProxy))
+}
+
+const (
+	allUsersGroupID   = "allUsersGroupId"
+	pendingUserID     = "pendingUserId"
+	blockedUserID     = "blockedUserId"
+	pendingAllUsersID = "pendingAllUsersUserId"
+)
+
+// createStatusTestUsers adds the users whose account status must keep them out
+// of a proxy session. A user awaiting approval is persisted as both blocked and
+// pending approval, the way the approval flow stores one.
+func createStatusTestUsers(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, testStore store.Store) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	require.NoError(t, testStore.CreateGroup(ctx, &types.Group{
+		ID:        allUsersGroupID,
+		AccountID: "testAccountId",
+		Name:      "All",
+		Issued:    types.GroupIssuedAPI,
+	}))
+
+	users := []*types.User{
+		{
+			Id:              pendingUserID,
+			AccountID:       "testAccountId",
+			Role:            types.UserRoleUser,
+			AutoGroups:      []string{"allowedGroupId"},
+			Blocked:         true,
+			PendingApproval: true,
+			Issued:          "api",
+			CreatedAt:       time.Now(),
+		},
+		{
+			Id:              pendingAllUsersID,
+			AccountID:       "testAccountId",
+			Role:            types.UserRoleUser,
+			AutoGroups:      []string{allUsersGroupID},
+			Blocked:         true,
+			PendingApproval: true,
+			Issued:          "api",
+			CreatedAt:       time.Now(),
+		},
+		{
+			Id:              blockedUserID,
+			AccountID:       "testAccountId",
+			Role:            types.UserRoleUser,
+			AutoGroups:      []string{"allowedGroupId"},
+			Blocked:         true,
+			PendingApproval: false,
+			Issued:          "api",
+			CreatedAt:       time.Now(),
+		},
+	}
+	for _, user := range users {
+		require.NoError(t, testStore.SaveUser(ctx, user))
+	}
 }
 
 func generateSessionKeyPair(t *testing.T) (string, string) {
@@ -149,6 +226,114 @@ func TestValidateSession_UserNotInAllowedGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Empty(t, resp.GetPeerGroupIds(), "PeerGroupIds must mirror the resolved user's actual (empty) memberships on denial")
 }
 
+// TestValidateSession_PendingApprovalUserDenied covers a user who is a member of
+// the service's distribution group but is still waiting for an administrator to
+// approve the account. Group membership alone must not open the service.
+func TestValidateSession_PendingApprovalUserDenied(t *testing.T) {
+	setup := setupValidateSessionTest(t)
+	defer setup.cleanup()
+
+	proxy, err := setup.store.GetServiceByID(context.Background(), store.LockingStrengthNone, "testAccountId", "restrictedProxyId")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	token := createSessionToken(t, proxy.SessionPrivateKey, pendingUserID, "restricted-proxy.example.com")
+
+	resp, err := setup.proxyService.ValidateSession(context.Background(), &proto.ValidateSessionRequest{
+		Domain:       "restricted-proxy.example.com",
+		SessionToken: token,
+	})
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.False(t, resp.Valid, "User pending approval should be denied")
+	assert.Equal(t, deniedReasonPendingApproval, resp.DeniedReason, "Denied reason should name the pending approval state")
+	assert.Equal(t, pendingUserID, resp.UserId, "Denial should identify the user it applies to")
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"allowedGroupId"}, resp.GetPeerGroupIds(), "PeerGroupIds must mirror the resolved user's group memberships on denial")
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"Allowed Group"}, resp.GetPeerGroupNames(), "PeerGroupNames must pair with PeerGroupIds on denial")
+}
+
+// TestValidateSession_PendingApprovalUserInAllUsersGroupDenied covers the same
+// user against a service distributed to the account's "All" group, where every
+// user of the account is a member by default.
+func TestValidateSession_PendingApprovalUserInAllUsersGroupDenied(t *testing.T) {
+	setup := setupValidateSessionTest(t)
+	defer setup.cleanup()
+
+	proxy, err := setup.store.GetServiceByID(context.Background(), store.LockingStrengthNone, "testAccountId", "allUsersProxyId")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	token := createSessionToken(t, proxy.SessionPrivateKey, pendingAllUsersID, "all-users-proxy.example.com")
+
+	resp, err := setup.proxyService.ValidateSession(context.Background(), &proto.ValidateSessionRequest{
+		Domain:       "all-users-proxy.example.com",
+		SessionToken: token,
+	})
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.False(t, resp.Valid, "User pending approval should be denied even in the All Users group")
+	assert.Equal(t, deniedReasonPendingApproval, resp.DeniedReason, "Denied reason should name the pending approval state")
+	assert.Equal(t, pendingAllUsersID, resp.UserId, "Denial should identify the user it applies to")
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{allUsersGroupID}, resp.GetPeerGroupIds(), "PeerGroupIds must mirror the resolved user's group memberships on denial")
+}
+
+// TestValidateSession_BlockedUserDenied covers a user blocked after having been
+// approved, so PendingApproval is false and only the blocked flag is set.
+func TestValidateSession_BlockedUserDenied(t *testing.T) {
+	setup := setupValidateSessionTest(t)
+	defer setup.cleanup()
+
+	proxy, err := setup.store.GetServiceByID(context.Background(), store.LockingStrengthNone, "testAccountId", "restrictedProxyId")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	token := createSessionToken(t, proxy.SessionPrivateKey, blockedUserID, "restricted-proxy.example.com")
+
+	resp, err := setup.proxyService.ValidateSession(context.Background(), &proto.ValidateSessionRequest{
+		Domain:       "restricted-proxy.example.com",
+		SessionToken: token,
+	})
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.False(t, resp.Valid, "Blocked user should be denied")
+	assert.Equal(t, deniedReasonUserBlocked, resp.DeniedReason, "Denied reason should name the blocked state")
+	assert.Equal(t, blockedUserID, resp.UserId, "Denial should identify the user it applies to")
+}
+
+// TestValidateSession_UserAllowedAfterApproval walks the same session token
+// through the approval transition: denied while pending, allowed once an
+// administrator clears both flags.
+func TestValidateSession_UserAllowedAfterApproval(t *testing.T) {
+	setup := setupValidateSessionTest(t)
+	defer setup.cleanup()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	proxy, err := setup.store.GetServiceByID(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, "testAccountId", "restrictedProxyId")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	token := createSessionToken(t, proxy.SessionPrivateKey, pendingUserID, "restricted-proxy.example.com")
+	req := &proto.ValidateSessionRequest{
+		Domain:       "restricted-proxy.example.com",
+		SessionToken: token,
+	}
+
+	resp, err := setup.proxyService.ValidateSession(ctx, req)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.False(t, resp.Valid, "User pending approval should be denied before approval")
+	assert.Equal(t, deniedReasonPendingApproval, resp.DeniedReason, "Denied reason should name the pending approval state")
+
+	user, err := setup.store.GetUserByUserID(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, pendingUserID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	user.PendingApproval = false
+	user.Blocked = false
+	require.NoError(t, setup.store.SaveUser(ctx, user))
+
+	resp, err = setup.proxyService.ValidateSession(ctx, req)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, resp.Valid, "Approved user should be allowed access")
+	assert.Empty(t, resp.DeniedReason)
+	assert.Equal(t, pendingUserID, resp.UserId, "Approved user should be identified in the response")
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"allowedGroupId"}, resp.GetPeerGroupIds(), "PeerGroupIds must mirror the approved user's group memberships")
+}
+
 func TestValidateSession_UserInDifferentAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	setup := setupValidateSessionTest(t)
 	defer setup.cleanup()

management/server/account.go

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 	nbconfig "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/server/config"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/account"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/activity"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/affectedpeers"
 	nbcache "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/cache"
 	nbcontext "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/context"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/geolocation"
@@ -1626,6 +1627,8 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) SyncUserJWTGroups(ctx context.Context, userAuth
 	var removeOldGroups []string
 	var hasChanges bool
 	var user *types.User
+	var change affectedpeers.Change
+	var snap *affectedpeers.Snapshot
 	err = am.Store.ExecuteInTransaction(ctx, func(transaction store.Store) error {
 		user, err = transaction.GetUserByUserID(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, userAuth.UserId)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -1664,14 +1667,25 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) SyncUserJWTGroups(ctx context.Context, userAuth
 			return fmt.Errorf("error saving user: %w", err)
 		}
 
+		allGroupChanges := slices.Concat(addNewGroups, removeOldGroups)
+		// The user's auto-groups changed, so the SSH rules authorizing them ship a new
+		// group -> user mapping even when no peer moves between groups.
+		change.UserGroupIDs = allGroupChanges
+
+		// The user's peers are the changed entity in every scenario the sync can
+		// produce — group membership, IPv6 assignment, SSH mappings — so they refresh
+		// together with every peer they can connect to, like on a regular peer update.
+		userPeers, err := transaction.GetUserPeers(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, userAuth.AccountId, userAuth.UserId)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error getting user peers: %w", err)
+		}
+		for _, peer := range userPeers {
+			change.ChangedPeerIDs = append(change.ChangedPeerIDs, peer.ID)
+		}
+
 		// Propagate changes to peers if group propagation is enabled
 		if settings.GroupsPropagationEnabled {
-			peers, err := transaction.GetUserPeers(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, userAuth.AccountId, userAuth.UserId)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("error getting user peers: %w", err)
-			}
-
-			for _, peer := range peers {
+			for _, peer := range userPeers {
 				for _, g := range addNewGroups {
 					if err := transaction.AddPeerToGroup(ctx, userAuth.AccountId, peer.ID, g); err != nil {
 						return fmt.Errorf("error adding peer %s to group %s: %w", peer.ID, g, err)
@@ -1684,7 +1698,8 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) SyncUserJWTGroups(ctx context.Context, userAuth
 				}
 			}
 
-			allGroupChanges := slices.Concat(addNewGroups, removeOldGroups)
+			change.LinkGroups = allGroupChanges
+
 			if err = am.reconcileIPv6ForGroupChanges(ctx, transaction, userAuth.AccountId, allGroupChanges); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("reconcile IPv6 for group changes: %w", err)
 			}
@@ -1694,6 +1709,10 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) SyncUserJWTGroups(ctx context.Context, userAuth
 			}
 		}
 
+		if snap, err = affectedpeers.Load(ctx, transaction, userAuth.AccountId, change); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		return nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1730,20 +1749,17 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) SyncUserJWTGroups(ctx context.Context, userAuth
 		}
 	}
 
-	removedGroupAffectsPeers, err := areGroupChangesAffectPeers(ctx, am.Store, userAuth.AccountId, removeOldGroups)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	newGroupsAffectsPeers, err := areGroupChangesAffectPeers(ctx, am.Store, userAuth.AccountId, addNewGroups)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if removedGroupAffectsPeers || newGroupsAffectsPeers {
-		log.WithContext(ctx).Tracef("user %s: JWT group membership changed, updating account peers", userAuth.UserId)
-		am.BufferUpdateAccountPeers(ctx, userAuth.AccountId, types.UpdateReason{Resource: types.UpdateResourceUser, Operation: types.UpdateOperationUpdate})
-	}
+	log.WithContext(ctx).Tracef("user %s: JWT group membership changed, updating affected peers", userAuth.UserId)
+	bgCtx := context.WithoutCancel(ctx)
+	go func() {
+		affectedPeerIDs := snap.Expand(bgCtx, userAuth.AccountId, change)
+		if len(affectedPeerIDs) == 0 {
+			return
+		}
+		if err := am.networkMapController.BufferUpdateAffectedPeers(bgCtx, userAuth.AccountId, affectedPeerIDs, types.UpdateReason{Resource: types.UpdateResourceUser, Operation: types.UpdateOperationUpdate}); err != nil {
+			log.WithContext(bgCtx).Errorf("failed to update affected peers after JWT group sync for account %s: %v", userAuth.AccountId, err)
+		}
+	}()
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -2426,30 +2442,24 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) reconcileIPv6ForGroupChanges(ctx context.Contex
 		return fmt.Errorf("get account settings: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	if len(settings.IPv6EnabledGroups) == 0 {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	enabledSet := make(map[string]struct{}, len(settings.IPv6EnabledGroups))
-	for _, gid := range settings.IPv6EnabledGroups {
-		enabledSet[gid] = struct{}{}
-	}
-
-	affected := false
-	for _, gid := range groupIDs {
-		if _, ok := enabledSet[gid]; ok {
-			affected = true
-			break
-		}
-	}
-
-	if !affected {
+	if !ipv6ReconcileNeeded(settings, groupIDs) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	return am.updatePeerIPv6Addresses(ctx, transaction, accountID, settings)
 }
 
+// ipv6ReconcileNeeded reports whether changes to the given groups trigger an IPv6
+// reconciliation.
+func ipv6ReconcileNeeded(settings *types.Settings, groupIDs []string) bool {
+	for _, groupID := range groupIDs {
+		if slices.Contains(settings.IPv6EnabledGroups, groupID) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func (am *DefaultAccountManager) ensureIPv6Subnet(ctx context.Context, transaction store.Store, accountID string, settings *types.Settings, network *types.Network) error {
 	if settings.NetworkRangeV6.IsValid() {
 		network.NetV6 = net.IPNet{

management/server/account_test.go

@@ -1757,6 +1757,7 @@ func TestAccount_Copy(t *testing.T) {
 				AccountID: "account1",
 			},
 		},
+		PostureValidation: map[string]map[string]bool{"1": {"1": true}},
 	}
 	err := hasNilField(account)
 	if err != nil {

management/server/affected_peers_jwt_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/wgctrl/wgtypes"
+
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/affectedpeers"
+	nbpeer "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/peer"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/store"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/types"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/shared/auth"
+)
+
+// A user's auto-group change refreshes the destinations of the SSH rules authorizing
+// that group — they carry the group -> user mapping — even though no peer moved
+// between groups.
+func TestAffectedPeers_UserGroupChange_RefreshesSSHAuthorizedDestinations(t *testing.T) {
+	manager, s, accountID, peerIDs, groupIDs := setupAffectedPeersTest(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	_, err := manager.SavePolicy(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Policy{
+		Enabled: true,
+		Rules: []*types.PolicyRule{
+			{
+				Enabled:          true,
+				Sources:          []string{groupIDs[0]},
+				Destinations:     []string{groupIDs[1]},
+				Protocol:         types.PolicyRuleProtocolNetbirdSSH,
+				Action:           types.PolicyTrafficActionAccept,
+				AuthorizedGroups: map[string][]string{groupIDs[3]: {"root"}},
+			},
+		},
+	}, true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	result := resolveAffected(t, s, accountID, affectedpeers.Change{UserGroupIDs: []string{groupIDs[3]}})
+	assert.ElementsMatch(t, []string{peerIDs[1]}, result,
+		"only the SSH rule's destination peers carry the changed group -> user mapping")
+
+	result = resolveAffected(t, s, accountID, affectedpeers.Change{UserGroupIDs: []string{groupIDs[4]}})
+	assert.Empty(t, result, "a group no SSH rule authorizes affects nobody")
+}
+
+// Creating, blocking or unblocking a user changes the account's allowed-user set, which
+// reaches only the destinations of the SSH rules that ship it.
+func TestAffectedPeers_AllowedUsersChange_RefreshesSSHDestinations(t *testing.T) {
+	manager, s, accountID, peerIDs, groupIDs := setupAffectedPeersTest(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// Ships the allowed-user set: an SSH rule naming no groups and no user.
+	_, err := manager.SavePolicy(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Policy{
+		Enabled: true,
+		Rules: []*types.PolicyRule{{
+			Enabled:      true,
+			Sources:      []string{groupIDs[0]},
+			Destinations: []string{groupIDs[1]},
+			Protocol:     types.PolicyRuleProtocolNetbirdSSH,
+			Action:       types.PolicyTrafficActionAccept,
+		}},
+	}, true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Does not ship it: an SSH rule that authorizes a specific group.
+	_, err = manager.SavePolicy(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Policy{
+		Enabled: true,
+		Rules: []*types.PolicyRule{{
+			Enabled:          true,
+			Sources:          []string{groupIDs[2]},
+			Destinations:     []string{groupIDs[3]},
+			Protocol:         types.PolicyRuleProtocolNetbirdSSH,
+			Action:           types.PolicyTrafficActionAccept,
+			AuthorizedGroups: map[string][]string{groupIDs[0]: {"root"}},
+		}},
+	}, true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	result := resolveAffected(t, s, accountID, affectedpeers.Change{AllowedUsersChanged: true})
+	assert.ElementsMatch(t, []string{peerIDs[1]}, result,
+		"only the destinations of the rule shipping the allowed-user set refresh")
+}
+
+// TestAffectedPeers_SyncUserJWTGroups_OnlyAffectedPeersUpdated verifies that a JWT
+// auto-group change updates only the user's peers and the peers linked to the changed
+// group through policies, instead of fanning out to the whole account.
+func TestAffectedPeers_SyncUserJWTGroups_OnlyAffectedPeersUpdated(t *testing.T) {
+	manager, updateManager, account, _, peer2, peer3 := setupNetworkMapTest(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	accountID := account.Id
+
+	key, err := wgtypes.GeneratePrivateKey()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	userPeer, _, _, _, err := manager.AddPeer(ctx, accountID, "", userID, &nbpeer.Peer{
+		Key:  key.PublicKey().String(),
+		Meta: nbpeer.PeerSystemMeta{Hostname: "user-peer"},
+	}, false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	policies, err := manager.Store.GetAccountPolicies(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, accountID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	for _, p := range policies {
+		require.NoError(t, manager.Store.DeletePolicy(ctx, accountID, p.ID))
+	}
+
+	account, err = manager.Store.GetAccount(ctx, accountID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	account.Settings.JWTGroupsEnabled = true
+	account.Settings.JWTGroupsClaimName = "groups"
+	account.Settings.GroupsPropagationEnabled = true
+	require.NoError(t, manager.Store.SaveAccount(ctx, account))
+
+	require.NoError(t, manager.CreateGroup(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Group{ID: "jwt-grp", Name: "jwt-linked", Issued: types.GroupIssuedJWT, Peers: []string{}}))
+	require.NoError(t, manager.CreateGroup(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Group{ID: "jwt-dest", Name: "jwt-dest", Peers: []string{peer2.ID}}))
+
+	_, err = manager.SavePolicy(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Policy{
+		Enabled: true,
+		Rules: []*types.PolicyRule{
+			{
+				Enabled:       true,
+				Sources:       []string{"jwt-grp"},
+				Destinations:  []string{"jwt-dest"},
+				Bidirectional: true,
+				Action:        types.PolicyTrafficActionAccept,
+			},
+		},
+	}, true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	updUser := updateManager.CreateChannel(ctx, userPeer.ID)
+	upd2 := updateManager.CreateChannel(ctx, peer2.ID)
+	upd3 := updateManager.CreateChannel(ctx, peer3.ID)
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		updateManager.CloseChannel(ctx, userPeer.ID)
+		updateManager.CloseChannel(ctx, peer2.ID)
+		updateManager.CloseChannel(ctx, peer3.ID)
+	})
+
+	userAuth := auth.UserAuth{
+		AccountId: accountID,
+		UserId:    userID,
+		Groups:    []string{"jwt-linked"},
+	}
+
+	t.Run("adding JWT group updates only linked peers", func(t *testing.T) {
+		drainPeerUpdates(updUser)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd2)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd3)
+
+		require.NoError(t, manager.SyncUserJWTGroups(ctx, userAuth))
+
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, updUser)
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, upd2)
+		peerShouldNotReceiveUpdate(t, upd3)
+
+		user, err := manager.Store.GetUserByUserID(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, userID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Contains(t, user.AutoGroups, "jwt-grp")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("removing JWT group updates only linked peers", func(t *testing.T) {
+		drainPeerUpdates(updUser)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd2)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd3)
+
+		userAuth.Groups = nil
+		require.NoError(t, manager.SyncUserJWTGroups(ctx, userAuth))
+
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, updUser)
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, upd2)
+		peerShouldNotReceiveUpdate(t, upd3)
+
+		user, err := manager.Store.GetUserByUserID(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, userID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.NotContains(t, user.AutoGroups, "jwt-grp")
+	})
+}

management/server/affected_peers_user_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/wgctrl/wgtypes"
+
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/activity"
+	nbpeer "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/peer"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/store"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/types"
+)
+
+// A user update refreshes only the peers its auto-group change reaches, and a user
+// update that changes no group membership refreshes nobody.
+func TestAffectedPeers_SaveUser_OnlyAffectedPeersUpdated(t *testing.T) {
+	manager, updateManager, account, _, peer2, peer3 := setupNetworkMapTest(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	accountID := account.Id
+
+	const targetUserID = "target-user"
+	require.NoError(t, manager.Store.SaveUser(ctx, &types.User{
+		Id: targetUserID, AccountID: accountID, Role: types.UserRoleUser,
+	}))
+
+	key, err := wgtypes.GeneratePrivateKey()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	targetPeer, _, _, _, err := manager.AddPeer(ctx, accountID, "", targetUserID, &nbpeer.Peer{
+		Key:  key.PublicKey().String(),
+		Meta: nbpeer.PeerSystemMeta{Hostname: "target-peer"},
+	}, false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	policies, err := manager.Store.GetAccountPolicies(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, accountID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	for _, p := range policies {
+		require.NoError(t, manager.Store.DeletePolicy(ctx, accountID, p.ID))
+	}
+
+	account, err = manager.Store.GetAccount(ctx, accountID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	account.Settings.GroupsPropagationEnabled = true
+	require.NoError(t, manager.Store.SaveAccount(ctx, account))
+
+	require.NoError(t, manager.CreateGroup(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Group{ID: "ug-linked", Name: "ug-linked"}))
+	require.NoError(t, manager.CreateGroup(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Group{ID: "ug-dest", Name: "ug-dest", Peers: []string{peer2.ID}}))
+
+	_, err = manager.SavePolicy(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Policy{
+		Enabled: true,
+		Rules: []*types.PolicyRule{
+			{
+				Enabled:       true,
+				Sources:       []string{"ug-linked"},
+				Destinations:  []string{"ug-dest"},
+				Bidirectional: true,
+				Action:        types.PolicyTrafficActionAccept,
+			},
+		},
+	}, true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	updTarget := updateManager.CreateChannel(ctx, targetPeer.ID)
+	upd2 := updateManager.CreateChannel(ctx, peer2.ID)
+	upd3 := updateManager.CreateChannel(ctx, peer3.ID)
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		updateManager.CloseChannel(ctx, targetPeer.ID)
+		updateManager.CloseChannel(ctx, peer2.ID)
+		updateManager.CloseChannel(ctx, peer3.ID)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("auto group change updates only linked peers", func(t *testing.T) {
+		drainPeerUpdates(updTarget)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd2)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd3)
+
+		_, err := manager.SaveUser(ctx, accountID, activity.SystemInitiator, &types.User{
+			Id: targetUserID, AccountID: accountID, Role: types.UserRoleUser,
+			AutoGroups: []string{"ug-linked"},
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, updTarget)
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, upd2)
+		peerShouldNotReceiveUpdate(t, upd3)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("update without group changes refreshes nobody", func(t *testing.T) {
+		drainPeerUpdates(updTarget)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd2)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd3)
+
+		_, err := manager.SaveUser(ctx, accountID, activity.SystemInitiator, &types.User{
+			Id: targetUserID, AccountID: accountID, Role: types.UserRoleUser,
+			AutoGroups: []string{"ug-linked"}, Name: "renamed",
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		peerShouldNotReceiveUpdate(t, updTarget)
+		peerShouldNotReceiveUpdate(t, upd2)
+		peerShouldNotReceiveUpdate(t, upd3)
+
+		user, err := manager.Store.GetUserByUserID(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, targetUserID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, "renamed", user.Name)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("auto group change reassigning IPv6 refreshes the changed peers and their observers", func(t *testing.T) {
+		account, err := manager.Store.GetAccount(ctx, accountID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		account.Settings.IPv6EnabledGroups = []string{"ug-v6"}
+		require.NoError(t, manager.Store.SaveAccount(ctx, account))
+		require.NoError(t, manager.CreateGroup(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Group{ID: "ug-v6", Name: "ug-v6"}))
+
+		drainPeerUpdates(updTarget)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd2)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd3)
+
+		_, err = manager.SaveUser(ctx, accountID, activity.SystemInitiator, &types.User{
+			Id: targetUserID, AccountID: accountID, Role: types.UserRoleUser,
+			AutoGroups: []string{"ug-linked", "ug-v6"}, Name: "renamed",
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// The reassigned peer refreshes with everyone it can reach: peer2 via the
+		// policy, but not peer3, which shares no group or policy with it.
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, updTarget)
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, upd2)
+		peerShouldNotReceiveUpdate(t, upd3)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("unblocking a user refreshes only the SSH rule destinations", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// An SSH rule that authorizes no group of its own ships the account's
+		// allowed-user set to its destinations, so those are the peers an unblock
+		// reaches — not the whole account.
+		_, err := manager.SavePolicy(ctx, accountID, userID, &types.Policy{
+			Enabled: true,
+			Rules: []*types.PolicyRule{{
+				Enabled:      true,
+				Sources:      []string{"ug-linked"},
+				Destinations: []string{"ug-dest"},
+				Protocol:     types.PolicyRuleProtocolNetbirdSSH,
+				Action:       types.PolicyTrafficActionAccept,
+			}},
+		}, true)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		blocked, err := manager.Store.GetUserByUserID(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, targetUserID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		blocked.Blocked = true
+		require.NoError(t, manager.Store.SaveUser(ctx, blocked))
+
+		drainPeerUpdates(updTarget)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd2)
+		drainPeerUpdates(upd3)
+
+		// Same auto-groups as the previous subtest left them, so no group change and
+		// no IPv6 reconciliation interferes: the unblock alone drives the refresh.
+		_, err = manager.SaveUser(ctx, accountID, activity.SystemInitiator, &types.User{
+			Id: targetUserID, AccountID: accountID, Role: types.UserRoleUser,
+			AutoGroups: []string{"ug-linked", "ug-v6"}, Name: "renamed",
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		peerShouldReceiveUpdate(t, upd2)
+		peerShouldNotReceiveUpdate(t, upd3)
+	})
+}

management/server/affectedpeers/resolver.go

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 
 	nbdns "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/dns"
 	rpservice "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/service"
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ func (snap *Snapshot) loadCollections(ctx context.Context, s store.Store, accoun
 	hasGroupOrPeerChange := len(c.ChangedGroupIDs) > 0 || len(c.ChangedPeerIDs) > 0 || len(c.LinkGroups) > 0 || len(c.Resources) > 0
 	hasNetworkObject := len(c.Routers) > 0 || len(c.Resources) > 0 || len(c.Networks) > 0
 	// the resource<->router bridge can fire for any of these
-	needsRoutersResources := hasGroupOrPeerChange || len(c.PostureCheckIDs) > 0 || len(c.Policies) > 0 || hasNetworkObject
+	needsRoutersResources := hasGroupOrPeerChange || len(c.PostureCheckIDs) > 0 || len(c.Policies) > 0 || hasNetworkObject || len(c.UserGroupIDs) > 0 || c.AllowedUsersChanged
 
 	if needsRoutersResources {
 		if err := snap.loadPolicyRoutersResources(ctx, s, accountID); err != nil {
@@ -219,6 +220,18 @@ type Change struct {
 	// (correct when the peer's own attributes changed, e.g. IP/status).
 	OutputPeerIDs []string
 
+	// UserGroupIDs are groups whose USER membership changed (a user's auto-groups),
+	// as opposed to their peer membership. Peers ship the group -> user mapping only
+	// for the groups an SSH rule authorizes, so these refresh the destinations of the
+	// SSH rules authorizing them — independently of any peer moving between groups.
+	UserGroupIDs []string
+
+	// AllowedUsersChanged marks a change to the set of users allowed to open SSH
+	// sessions — a user was created, blocked or unblocked. That set is account-wide,
+	// and peers receive it through the SSH rules that name no group or user of their
+	// own, so those rules' destinations refresh.
+	AllowedUsersChanged bool
+
 	// LinkGroups are groups used ONLY to match policies/routes/routers and walk to the
 	// OPPOSITE side — they are never expanded to their own members. Use this when a
 	// peer's group membership changed: pass the peer in ChangedPeerIDs and its
@@ -240,6 +253,8 @@ func (c Change) isEmpty() bool {
 		len(c.Resources) == 0 &&
 		len(c.Networks) == 0 &&
 		len(c.PostureCheckIDs) == 0 &&
+		len(c.UserGroupIDs) == 0 &&
+		!c.AllowedUsersChanged &&
 		len(c.DistributionGroupIDs) == 0 &&
 		len(c.RemovedPeersByGroup) == 0 &&
 		len(c.LinkGroups) == 0 &&
@@ -359,6 +374,9 @@ func (r *resolver) walk() {
 		r.collectFromProxyServices()
 	}
 
+	r.collectFromSSHAuthorizedGroups()
+	r.collectFromAllowedUsers()
+
 	r.collectFromChangedRoutes(r.change.Routes)
 	r.collectFromChangedRouters(r.change.Routers)
 	r.collectFromChangedResources(r.change.Resources)
@@ -811,6 +829,59 @@ func (r *resolver) collectFromNameServers() {
 	}
 }
 
+// collectFromSSHAuthorizedGroups folds the destinations of the enabled SSH rules that
+// authorize a group whose user membership changed. Those destination peers carry the
+// group -> user mapping for the groups they authorize, so they refresh even when no
+// peer moved between groups.
+func (r *resolver) collectFromSSHAuthorizedGroups() {
+	if len(r.change.UserGroupIDs) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	changed := toSet(r.change.UserGroupIDs)
+	for _, policy := range r.policies() {
+		for _, rule := range policy.Rules {
+			if !rule.Enabled || rule.Protocol != types.PolicyRuleProtocolNetbirdSSH {
+				continue
+			}
+			if !anyInSet(maps.Keys(rule.AuthorizedGroups), changed) {
+				continue
+			}
+			log.WithContext(r.ctx).Tracef("collectFromSSHAuthorizedGroups: rule %s authorizes a changed user group -> folding its destinations", rule.ID)
+			r.foldPolicySideForRule(policy, rule, sideDestination)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// collectFromAllowedUsers folds the destinations of the rules that make a peer carry
+// the account's allowed-user set, for a change to who is in that set.
+func (r *resolver) collectFromAllowedUsers() {
+	if !r.change.AllowedUsersChanged {
+		return
+	}
+
+	for _, policy := range r.policies() {
+		for _, rule := range policy.Rules {
+			if !rule.Enabled || !ruleShipsAllowedUsers(rule) {
+				continue
+			}
+			log.WithContext(r.ctx).Tracef("collectFromAllowedUsers: rule %s ships the allowed-user set -> folding its destinations", rule.ID)
+			r.foldPolicySideForRule(policy, rule, sideDestination)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// ruleShipsAllowedUsers reports whether a rule makes its destination peers carry the
+// account's allowed-user set. It mirrors the network map's SSH requirements except for
+// the destination peer's own SSH flag, which the snapshot does not hold — so it folds a
+// superset and never misses a peer.
+func ruleShipsAllowedUsers(rule *types.PolicyRule) bool {
+	if rule.Protocol == types.PolicyRuleProtocolNetbirdSSH {
+		return len(rule.AuthorizedGroups) == 0 && rule.AuthorizedUser == ""
+	}
+	return types.PolicyRuleImpliesLegacySSH(rule)
+}
+
 func (r *resolver) collectFromDNSSettings() {
 	if len(r.linkGroups) == 0 || r.snap.dnsSettings == nil {
 		return

management/server/affectedpeers/resolver_test.go

@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ func TestChangeIsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.False(t, Change{Resources: []*resourceTypes.NetworkResource{{ID: "r"}}}.isEmpty())
 	assert.False(t, Change{Networks: []*networkTypes.Network{{ID: "n"}}}.isEmpty())
 	assert.False(t, Change{PostureCheckIDs: []string{"pc"}}.isEmpty())
+	assert.False(t, Change{UserGroupIDs: []string{"g"}}.isEmpty())
+	assert.False(t, Change{AllowedUsersChanged: true}.isEmpty())
 }
 
 func TestPolicyReferencesPostureChecks(t *testing.T) {

management/server/http/handlers/proxy/auth.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package proxy
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/netip"
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ func (h *AuthCallbackHandler) handleCallback(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
 		redirectURL.Scheme = "https"
 		query := redirectURL.Query()
 		query.Set("error", "access_denied")
-		query.Set("error_description", "Service configuration error")
+		query.Set("error_description", sessionTokenErrorDescription(err))
 		redirectURL.RawQuery = query.Encode()
 		http.Redirect(w, r, redirectURL.String(), http.StatusFound)
 		return
@@ -124,6 +125,20 @@ func (h *AuthCallbackHandler) handleCallback(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
 	http.Redirect(w, r, redirectURL.String(), http.StatusFound)
 }
 
+// sessionTokenErrorDescription maps a session token failure to the text the
+// proxy renders on its access denied page. Account status denials get a message
+// the user can act on, while everything else stays generic so a lookup or
+// signing failure does not describe management internals to the browser.
+func sessionTokenErrorDescription(err error) string {
+	if errors.Is(err, nbgrpc.ErrUserPendingApproval) {
+		return "Your account is pending approval by an administrator"
+	}
+	if errors.Is(err, nbgrpc.ErrUserBlocked) {
+		return "Your account is blocked"
+	}
+	return "Service configuration error"
+}
+
 func extractUserIDFromToken(ctx context.Context, provider *oidc.Provider, config nbgrpc.ProxyOIDCConfig, token *oauth2.Token) string {
 	rawIDToken, ok := token.Extra("id_token").(string)
 	if !ok {

management/server/http/handlers/proxy/auth_callback_integration_test.go

@@ -360,6 +360,51 @@ func createTestAccountsAndUsers(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, testStore sto
 		Issued:     "api",
 	}
 	require.NoError(t, testStore.SaveUser(ctx, allowedUser))
+
+	// A second tenant, whose users must never be issued a token signed with
+	// the first tenant's service session key.
+	otherAccount := &types.Account{
+		Id:                     "otherAccountId",
+		Domain:                 "other.com",
+		DomainCategory:         "private",
+		IsDomainPrimaryAccount: true,
+		CreatedAt:              time.Now(),
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, testStore.SaveAccount(ctx, otherAccount))
+
+	otherAccountUser := &types.User{
+		Id:        "otherAccountUserId",
+		AccountID: "otherAccountId",
+		Role:      types.UserRoleUser,
+		CreatedAt: time.Now(),
+		Issued:    "api",
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, testStore.SaveUser(ctx, otherAccountUser))
+
+	// A user awaiting approval is stored as blocked and pending approval, and
+	// carries the same group membership as the approved one.
+	pendingUser := &types.User{
+		Id:              "pendingUserId",
+		AccountID:       "testAccountId",
+		Role:            types.UserRoleUser,
+		AutoGroups:      []string{"allowedGroupId"},
+		Blocked:         true,
+		PendingApproval: true,
+		CreatedAt:       time.Now(),
+		Issued:          "api",
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, testStore.SaveUser(ctx, pendingUser))
+
+	blockedUser := &types.User{
+		Id:         "blockedUserId",
+		AccountID:  "testAccountId",
+		Role:       types.UserRoleUser,
+		AutoGroups: []string{"allowedGroupId"},
+		Blocked:    true,
+		CreatedAt:  time.Now(),
+		Issued:     "api",
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, testStore.SaveUser(ctx, blockedUser))
 }
 
 // testServiceManager is a minimal implementation for testing.
@@ -490,6 +535,64 @@ func TestAuthCallback_UserAllowedToLogin(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Empty(t, parsedLocation.Query().Get("error"), "Should not have error parameter")
 }
 
+// TestAuthCallback_UserDeniedByAccountStatus asserts that a user whose account
+// is pending approval or blocked never receives a session token from the OIDC
+// callback, and that the redirect carries a description the proxy can render.
+func TestAuthCallback_UserDeniedByAccountStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name            string
+		subject         string
+		expectErrorDesc string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:            "pending approval",
+			subject:         "pendingUserId",
+			expectErrorDesc: "Your account is pending approval by an administrator",
+		},
+		{
+			name:            "blocked",
+			subject:         "blockedUserId",
+			expectErrorDesc: "Your account is blocked",
+		},
+		{
+			name:            "unknown to management",
+			subject:         "userMissingFromStoreId",
+			expectErrorDesc: "Service configuration error",
+		},
+		{
+			// The account topology stays out of the browser-visible message.
+			name:            "belongs to another account",
+			subject:         "otherAccountUserId",
+			expectErrorDesc: "Service configuration error",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			setup := setupAuthCallbackTest(t)
+			defer setup.cleanup()
+
+			setup.oidcServer.tokenSubject = tt.subject
+
+			state := createTestState(t, setup.proxyService, "https://test-proxy.example.com/dashboard")
+
+			req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/reverse-proxy/callback?code=test-auth-code&state="+url.QueryEscape(state), nil)
+			rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+
+			setup.router.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+			require.Equal(t, http.StatusFound, rec.Code)
+
+			parsedLocation, err := url.Parse(rec.Header().Get("Location"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			require.Empty(t, parsedLocation.Query().Get("session_token"), "Denied user must not receive a session token")
+			require.Equal(t, "access_denied", parsedLocation.Query().Get("error"))
+			require.Equal(t, tt.expectErrorDesc, parsedLocation.Query().Get("error_description"))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestAuthCallback_ProxyNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	setup := setupAuthCallbackTest(t)
 	defer setup.cleanup()

management/server/types/account.go

@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ type Account struct {
 	Onboarding       AccountOnboarding                `gorm:"foreignKey:AccountID;references:id;constraint:OnDelete:CASCADE"`
 
 	ReverseProxyFreeDomainNonce string
+
+	PostureValidation map[string]map[string]bool `gorm:"-"`
 }
 
 // this class is used by gorm only
@@ -874,6 +876,7 @@ func (a *Account) Copy() *Account {
 		Services:               services,
 		Onboarding:             a.Onboarding,
 		Domains:                domains,
+		PostureValidation:      a.PostureValidation,
 	}
 }
 

management/server/types/account_components.go

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import (
 	nbdns "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/dns"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/internals/modules/zones"
 	routerTypes "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/networks/routers/types"
+	nbpeer "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/peer"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/posture"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/telemetry"
 	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/route"
 )
@@ -506,8 +508,8 @@ func (a *Account) getPeersGroupsPoliciesRoutes(
 func (a *Account) getPeersFromGroups(ctx context.Context, groups []string, peerID string, sourcePostureChecksIDs []string,
 	validatedPeersMap map[string]struct{}, postureFailedPeers *map[string]map[string]struct{}) ([]string, bool) {
 	peerInGroups := false
-	filteredPeerIDs := make([]string, 0, len(groups))
-	seenPeerIds := make(map[string]struct{}, len(groups))
+	var filteredPeerIDs []string
+	var seenPeerIds map[string]struct{}
 
 	for _, gid := range groups {
 		group := a.GetGroup(gid)
@@ -547,6 +549,17 @@ func (a *Account) getPeersFromGroups(ctx context.Context, groups []string, peerI
 			return filteredPeerIDs, peerInGroups
 		}
 
+		if seenPeerIds == nil {
+			totalGroupPeers := 0
+			for _, g := range groups {
+				if grp := a.GetGroup(g); grp != nil {
+					totalGroupPeers += len(grp.Peers)
+				}
+			}
+			filteredPeerIDs = make([]string, 0, totalGroupPeers)
+			seenPeerIds = make(map[string]struct{}, totalGroupPeers)
+		}
+
 		for _, pid := range group.Peers {
 			if _, seen := seenPeerIds[pid]; seen {
 				continue
@@ -589,21 +602,109 @@ func (a *Account) validatePostureChecksOnPeerGetFailed(ctx context.Context, sour
 	}
 
 	for _, postureChecksID := range sourcePostureChecksID {
+		if valid, cached := a.cachedPostureCheckResult(postureChecksID, peerID); cached {
+			if !valid {
+				return false, postureChecksID
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+
 		postureChecks := a.GetPostureChecks(postureChecksID)
 		if postureChecks == nil {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		for _, check := range postureChecks.GetChecks() {
-			isValid, _ := check.Check(ctx, *peer)
-			if !isValid {
-				return false, postureChecksID
-			}
+		if !peerPassesPostureChecks(ctx, postureChecks.GetChecks(), peer) {
+			return false, postureChecksID
 		}
 	}
 	return true, ""
 }
 
+// PrecomputePostureValidation evaluates every posture check referenced by an enabled
+// policy once against the peers of that policy's source groups and stores the results,
+// so the per-peer network map calculations that follow look them up instead of
+// re-evaluating checks for every peer pair. It must be called before the account is
+// shared across goroutines; lookups not covered by the precomputed results fall back
+// to direct evaluation.
+func (a *Account) PrecomputePostureValidation(ctx context.Context) {
+	if len(a.PostureChecks) == 0 {
+		a.PostureValidation = nil
+		return
+	}
+
+	checkPeerIDs := make(map[string]map[string]struct{})
+	for _, policy := range a.Policies {
+		if !policy.Enabled || len(policy.SourcePostureChecks) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		peerIDs := a.getUniquePeerIDsFromGroupsIDs(ctx, policy.SourceGroups())
+		for _, rule := range policy.Rules {
+			if rule.SourceResource.Type == ResourceTypePeer && rule.SourceResource.ID != "" {
+				peerIDs = append(peerIDs, rule.SourceResource.ID)
+			}
+		}
+
+		for _, postureChecksID := range policy.SourcePostureChecks {
+			set := checkPeerIDs[postureChecksID]
+			if set == nil {
+				set = make(map[string]struct{}, len(peerIDs))
+				checkPeerIDs[postureChecksID] = set
+			}
+			for _, pid := range peerIDs {
+				set[pid] = struct{}{}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	results := make(map[string]map[string]bool, len(checkPeerIDs))
+	for postureChecksID, peerIDs := range checkPeerIDs {
+		results[postureChecksID] = a.evaluatePostureChecksForPeers(ctx, postureChecksID, peerIDs)
+	}
+	a.PostureValidation = results
+}
+
+func (a *Account) evaluatePostureChecksForPeers(ctx context.Context, postureChecksID string, peerIDs map[string]struct{}) map[string]bool {
+	postureChecks := a.GetPostureChecks(postureChecksID)
+	if postureChecks == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	checks := postureChecks.GetChecks()
+	results := make(map[string]bool, len(peerIDs))
+	for peerID := range peerIDs {
+		peer, ok := a.Peers[peerID]
+		if !ok || peer == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		results[peerID] = peerPassesPostureChecks(ctx, checks, peer)
+	}
+	return results
+}
+
+func (a *Account) cachedPostureCheckResult(postureChecksID, peerID string) (bool, bool) {
+	results, ok := a.PostureValidation[postureChecksID]
+	if !ok {
+		return false, false
+	}
+	if results == nil {
+		return true, true
+	}
+	valid, found := results[peerID]
+	return valid, found
+}
+
+func peerPassesPostureChecks(ctx context.Context, checks []posture.Check, peer *nbpeer.Peer) bool {
+	for _, check := range checks {
+		isValid, _ := check.Check(ctx, *peer)
+		if !isValid {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 func (a *Account) getPostureValidPeersSaveFailed(inputPeers []string, postureChecksIDs []string, validatedPeersMap map[string]struct{}, postureFailedPeers *map[string]map[string]struct{}) []string {
 	var dest []string
 	for _, peerID := range inputPeers {

management/server/types/account_posture_validation_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+package types_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	nbdns "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/dns"
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/posture"
+)
+
+func TestPrecomputePostureValidation_MatchesDirectEvaluation(t *testing.T) {
+	account, validatedPeers := scalableTestAccount(60, 5)
+
+	account.PostureChecks = append(account.PostureChecks, &posture.Checks{
+		ID: "posture-check-strict", Name: "Strict version",
+		Checks: posture.ChecksDefinition{
+			NBVersionCheck: &posture.NBVersionCheck{MinVersion: "0.50.0"},
+		},
+	})
+	account.Policies[0].SourcePostureChecks = []string{"posture-check-ver", "posture-check-unknown"}
+	account.Policies[1].SourcePostureChecks = []string{"posture-check-strict"}
+	account.Policies[2].SourcePostureChecks = []string{"posture-check-ver"}
+	account.Policies[2].Enabled = false
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	resourcePolicies := account.GetResourcePoliciesMap()
+	routers := account.GetResourceRoutersMap()
+
+	type result struct {
+		peers              map[string]struct{}
+		postureFailedPeers map[string]map[string]struct{}
+	}
+	snapshot := func() map[string]result {
+		results := make(map[string]result, len(account.Peers))
+		for peerID := range account.Peers {
+			components := account.GetPeerNetworkMapComponents(ctx, peerID, nbdns.CustomZone{}, nil, validatedPeers, resourcePolicies, routers, nil)
+			require.NotNil(t, components)
+			peerSet := make(map[string]struct{}, len(components.Peers))
+			for id := range components.Peers {
+				peerSet[id] = struct{}{}
+			}
+			results[peerID] = result{peers: peerSet, postureFailedPeers: components.PostureFailedPeers}
+		}
+		return results
+	}
+
+	direct := snapshot()
+	account.PrecomputePostureValidation(ctx)
+	memoized := snapshot()
+
+	require.Equal(t, len(direct), len(memoized))
+	for peerID, want := range direct {
+		got := memoized[peerID]
+		assert.Equal(t, want.peers, got.peers, "visible peers changed for %s", peerID)
+		assert.Equal(t, want.postureFailedPeers, got.postureFailedPeers, "posture failed peers changed for %s", peerID)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPrecomputePostureValidation_NoPostureChecks(t *testing.T) {
+	account, validatedPeers := scalableTestAccount(10, 2)
+	account.PostureChecks = nil
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	account.PrecomputePostureValidation(ctx)
+
+	components := account.GetPeerNetworkMapComponents(ctx, "peer-0", nbdns.CustomZone{}, nil, validatedPeers, account.GetResourcePoliciesMap(), account.GetResourceRoutersMap(), nil)
+	require.NotNil(t, components)
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, components.Peers)
+}

management/server/types/networkmap_benchmark_test.go

@@ -86,6 +86,43 @@ func BenchmarkNetworkMapGeneration_AllPeers(b *testing.B) {
 			b.ReportAllocs()
 			b.ResetTimer()
 			for range b.N {
+				account.PrecomputePostureValidation(ctx)
+				for _, peerID := range peerIDs {
+					_ = account.GetPeerNetworkMapFromComponents(ctx, peerID, nbdns.CustomZone{}, nil, validatedPeers, resourcePolicies, routers, nil, groupIDToUserIDs)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// BenchmarkNetworkMapGeneration_AllPeersPostureChecks benchmarks the UpdateAccountPeers
+// hot path with a posture check attached to the account-wide policy, so posture
+// validation runs for every source peer of every target peer's map.
+func BenchmarkNetworkMapGeneration_AllPeersPostureChecks(b *testing.B) {
+	skipCIBenchmark(b)
+	scales := []benchmarkScale{
+		{"500peers_20groups", 500, 20},
+		{"1000peers_50groups", 1000, 50},
+	}
+
+	for _, scale := range scales {
+		account, validatedPeers := scalableTestAccount(scale.peers, scale.groups)
+		account.Policies[0].SourcePostureChecks = []string{"posture-check-ver"}
+		ctx := context.Background()
+
+		peerIDs := make([]string, 0, len(account.Peers))
+		for peerID := range account.Peers {
+			peerIDs = append(peerIDs, peerID)
+		}
+
+		b.Run("components/"+scale.name, func(b *testing.B) {
+			resourcePolicies := account.GetResourcePoliciesMap()
+			routers := account.GetResourceRoutersMap()
+			groupIDToUserIDs := account.GetActiveGroupUsers()
+			b.ReportAllocs()
+			b.ResetTimer()
+			for range b.N {
+				account.PrecomputePostureValidation(ctx)
 				for _, peerID := range peerIDs {
 					_ = account.GetPeerNetworkMapFromComponents(ctx, peerID, nbdns.CustomZone{}, nil, validatedPeers, resourcePolicies, routers, nil, groupIDToUserIDs)
 				}

management/server/user.go

@@ -593,7 +593,8 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) SaveOrAddUsers(ctx context.Context, accountID,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	var updateAccountPeers bool
+	var snaps []*affectedpeers.Snapshot
+	var changes []affectedpeers.Change
 	var peersToExpire []*nbpeer.Peer
 	var addUserEvents []func()
 	var usersToSave = make([]*types.User, 0, len(updates))
@@ -629,20 +630,25 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) SaveOrAddUsers(ctx context.Context, accountID,
 		}
 
 		err = am.Store.ExecuteInTransaction(ctx, func(transaction store.Store) error {
-			_, updatedUser, userPeersToExpire, userEvents, err := am.processUserUpdate(
+			change, updatedUser, userPeersToExpire, userEvents, err := am.processUserUpdate(
 				ctx, transaction, groupsMap, accountID, initiatorUserID, initiatorUser, update, addIfNotExists, settings,
 			)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to process update for user %s: %w", update.Id, err)
 			}
 
-			updateAccountPeers = true
-
 			err = transaction.SaveUser(ctx, updatedUser)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to save updated user %s: %w", update.Id, err)
 			}
 
+			snap, err := affectedpeers.Load(ctx, transaction, accountID, change)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			snaps = append(snaps, snap)
+			changes = append(changes, change)
 			usersToSave = append(usersToSave, updatedUser)
 			addUserEvents = append(addUserEvents, userEvents...)
 			peersToExpire = append(peersToExpire, userPeersToExpire...)
@@ -683,11 +689,11 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) SaveOrAddUsers(ctx context.Context, accountID,
 			log.WithContext(ctx).Errorf("failed update expired peers: %s", err)
 			return nil, err
 		}
-	} else if updateAccountPeers {
+	} else if len(usersToSave) > 0 {
 		if err = am.Store.IncrementNetworkSerial(ctx, accountID); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to increment network serial: %w", err)
 		}
-		am.UpdateAccountPeers(ctx, accountID, types.UpdateReason{Resource: types.UpdateResourceUser, Operation: types.UpdateOperationUpdate})
+		go am.dispatchAffected(ctx, accountID, snaps, changes)
 	}
 
 	return updatedUsersInfo, globalErr
@@ -759,19 +765,21 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) prepareUserUpdateEvents(ctx context.Context, ac
 }
 
 func (am *DefaultAccountManager) processUserUpdate(ctx context.Context, transaction store.Store, groupsMap map[string]*types.Group,
-	accountID, initiatorUserId string, initiatorUser, update *types.User, addIfNotExists bool, settings *types.Settings) (bool, *types.User, []*nbpeer.Peer, []func(), error) {
+	accountID, initiatorUserId string, initiatorUser, update *types.User, addIfNotExists bool, settings *types.Settings) (affectedpeers.Change, *types.User, []*nbpeer.Peer, []func(), error) {
+
+	var change affectedpeers.Change
 
 	if update == nil {
-		return false, nil, nil, nil, status.Errorf(status.InvalidArgument, "provided user update is nil")
+		return change, nil, nil, nil, status.Errorf(status.InvalidArgument, "provided user update is nil")
 	}
 
 	oldUser, isNewUser, err := getUserOrCreateIfNotExists(ctx, transaction, accountID, update, addIfNotExists)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, nil, nil, nil, err
+		return change, nil, nil, nil, err
 	}
 
 	if err := validateUserUpdate(groupsMap, initiatorUser, oldUser, update); err != nil {
-		return false, nil, nil, nil, err
+		return change, nil, nil, nil, err
 	}
 
 	// only auto groups, revoked status, and integration reference can be updated for now
@@ -792,13 +800,13 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) processUserUpdate(ctx context.Context, transact
 	var transferredOwnerRole bool
 	result, err := handleOwnerRoleTransfer(ctx, transaction, initiatorUser, update)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, nil, nil, nil, err
+		return change, nil, nil, nil, err
 	}
 	transferredOwnerRole = result
 
 	userPeers, err := transaction.GetUserPeers(ctx, store.LockingStrengthNone, updatedUser.AccountID, update.Id)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, nil, nil, nil, err
+		return change, nil, nil, nil, err
 	}
 
 	var peersToExpire []*nbpeer.Peer
@@ -807,6 +815,32 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) processUserUpdate(ctx context.Context, transact
 		peersToExpire = userPeers
 	}
 
+	// A user reaches a peer's network map only through the SSH rules: as part of a
+	// group -> user mapping, and as part of the account's allowed-user set. Creating,
+	// blocking or unblocking a user adds it to or removes it from both, so every group
+	// it maps into changes — including the All group that holds every active user.
+	// Otherwise only the auto-groups it joined or left do.
+	if isNewUser || oldUser.IsBlocked() != updatedUser.IsBlocked() {
+		change.AllowedUsersChanged = true
+		change.UserGroupIDs = slices.Concat(oldUser.AutoGroups, updatedUser.AutoGroups, allGroupIDs(groupsMap))
+	} else {
+		change.UserGroupIDs = slices.Concat(
+			util.Difference(oldUser.AutoGroups, updatedUser.AutoGroups),
+			util.Difference(updatedUser.AutoGroups, oldUser.AutoGroups),
+		)
+	}
+
+	// The user's peers are the changed entity in every scenario the update can
+	// produce — group membership, IPv6 assignment, SSH mappings — so they refresh
+	// together with every peer they can connect to, like on a regular peer update.
+	// An update that changes neither the auto-groups nor the active-user set has no
+	// peer-visible effect and refreshes nobody.
+	if len(change.UserGroupIDs) > 0 || change.AllowedUsersChanged {
+		for _, peer := range userPeers {
+			change.ChangedPeerIDs = append(change.ChangedPeerIDs, peer.ID)
+		}
+	}
+
 	var removedGroups, addedGroups []string
 	if update.AutoGroups != nil && settings.GroupsPropagationEnabled {
 		removedGroups = util.Difference(oldUser.AutoGroups, update.AutoGroups)
@@ -814,26 +848,38 @@ func (am *DefaultAccountManager) processUserUpdate(ctx context.Context, transact
 		for _, peer := range userPeers {
 			for _, groupID := range removedGroups {
 				if err := transaction.RemovePeerFromGroup(ctx, peer.ID, groupID); err != nil {
-					return false, nil, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to remove peer %s from group %s: %w", peer.ID, groupID, err)
+					return change, nil, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to remove peer %s from group %s: %w", peer.ID, groupID, err)
 				}
 			}
 			for _, groupID := range addedGroups {
 				if err := transaction.AddPeerToGroup(ctx, accountID, peer.ID, groupID); err != nil {
-					return false, nil, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to add peer %s to group %s: %w", peer.ID, groupID, err)
+					return change, nil, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to add peer %s to group %s: %w", peer.ID, groupID, err)
 				}
 			}
 		}
 
 		allGroupChanges := slices.Concat(removedGroups, addedGroups)
+		change.LinkGroups = allGroupChanges
+
 		if err := am.reconcileIPv6ForGroupChanges(ctx, transaction, accountID, allGroupChanges); err != nil {
-			return false, nil, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("reconcile IPv6 for group changes: %w", err)
+			return change, nil, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("reconcile IPv6 for group changes: %w", err)
 		}
 	}
 
-	updateAccountPeers := len(userPeers) > 0
 	userEventsToAdd := am.prepareUserUpdateEvents(ctx, updatedUser.AccountID, initiatorUserId, oldUser, updatedUser, transferredOwnerRole, isNewUser, removedGroups, addedGroups, transaction)
 
-	return updateAccountPeers, updatedUser, peersToExpire, userEventsToAdd, nil
+	return change, updatedUser, peersToExpire, userEventsToAdd, nil
+}
+
+// allGroupIDs returns the ID of the account's All group, which every active user maps
+// into, as a slice so callers can concatenate it.
+func allGroupIDs(groupsMap map[string]*types.Group) []string {
+	for _, group := range groupsMap {
+		if group.IsGroupAll() {
+			return []string{group.ID}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // getUserOrCreateIfNotExists retrieves the existing user or creates a new one if it doesn't exist.