diff --git a/libbeat/docs/security/basic-auth.asciidoc b/libbeat/docs/security/basic-auth.asciidoc
index eaf3b21801e..e12455ae4da 100644
--- a/libbeat/docs/security/basic-auth.asciidoc
+++ b/libbeat/docs/security/basic-auth.asciidoc
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ POST _xpack/security/role/{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer
   ]
 }
 ---------------------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
 <1> If you use a custom {beatname_uc} index pattern, specify that pattern
 instead of the default ++{beat_default_index_prefix}-*++ pattern.
 endif::[]
@@ -65,6 +66,34 @@ instead of the default ++{beat_default_index_prefix}-*++ pattern.
 endif::[]
 --
 
+ifndef::no_ilm[]
+. If you plan to use {ref}/getting-started-index-lifecycle-management.html[index
+lifecycle management], create a role that has the following privileges. These
+privileges are required to load index lifecycle policies and create and manage
+rollover indices:
++
+* *Cluster:* `manage_ilm`
+* *Index:* `write`, `create_index`, `manage`, and `manage_ilm` on the 
+{beatname_uc} indices
++
+--
+["source","sh",subs="attributes"]
+---------------------------------------------------------------
+POST _xpack/security/role/{beatname_lc}_ilm
+{
+  "cluster": ["manage_ilm"],
+  "indices": [
+    {
+      "names": [ "{beatname_lc}-*","shrink-{beatname_lc}-*"],
+      "privileges": ["write","create_index","manage","manage_ilm"]
+    }
+  ]
+}
+---------------------------------------------------------------
+// CONSOLE
+--
+endif::no_ilm[]
+
 . Assign the writer role to the user that {beatname_uc} will use to connect to
 {es}. Make sure you also assign any roles that are required for specific
 features. For the list of features and required roles, see <<feature-roles>>.
diff --git a/libbeat/docs/security/securing-beats.asciidoc b/libbeat/docs/security/securing-beats.asciidoc
index 48dd7a87f41..c5c90717918 100644
--- a/libbeat/docs/security/securing-beats.asciidoc
+++ b/libbeat/docs/security/securing-beats.asciidoc
@@ -44,40 +44,44 @@ password, set it up now.
 For more information about {security}, see
 {xpack-ref}/elasticsearch-security.html[Securing the {stack}].
 
-[float]
 [[feature-roles]]
 === {beatname_uc} features that require authorization
 
 After securing {beatname_uc}, make sure your users have the roles (or associated
-privileges) required to use these {beatname_uc} features. You must create the
-++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++ and
-++{beat_default_index_prefix}_reader++ roles (see <<beats-basic-auth>> and
-<<beats-user-access>>). The other roles are
-{xpack-ref}/built-in-roles.html[built-in].
+privileges) required to use these {beatname_uc} features. Note that some of the
+roles shown here are {xpack-ref}/built-in-roles.html[built-in], and some
+are user-defined.
 
 [options="header"]
 |=======
 |Feature | Role
-|Send data to a secured cluster   | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++
+|Send data to a secured cluster   | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++ footnoteref:[noteA,These roles are user-defined.]
 ifeval::["{beatname_lc}"=="filebeat"]
-|Run Filebeat modules | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++
+|Run Filebeat modules | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++ footnoteref:[noteA]
 endif::[]
-|Load index templates | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++ and `kibana_user`
+|Load index templates | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++ footnoteref:[noteA] and `kibana_user`
 ifndef::no_dashboards[]
-|Load {beatname_uc} dashboards into {kib} | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++ and `kibana_user`
+|Load {beatname_uc} dashboards into {kib} | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_writer++ footnoteref:[noteA] and `kibana_user`
 endif::[]
 ifdef::has_ml_jobs[]
 |Load machine learning jobs | `machine_learning_admin`
 endif::[]
-|Read indices created by {beatname_uc} | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_reader++ 
+|Read indices created by {beatname_uc} | ++{beat_default_index_prefix}_reader++ footnoteref:[noteA] 
 ifndef::no_dashboards[]
 |View {beatname_uc} dashboards in {kib} | `kibana_user`
 endif::[]
 ifdef::has_central_config[]
 |Store and manage configurations in a central location in {kib} | `beats_admin`
 endif::[]
+ifndef::no_ilm[]
+|Load index lifecycle policies and use index lifecycle management | +{beatname_lc}_ilm+ footnoteref:[noteA]
+endif::[]
 |=======
 
+To create the user-defined roles shown here, see <<beats-basic-auth>> and
+<<beats-user-access>>. You may want to define additional roles to provide more
+restrictive access.
+
 include::basic-auth.asciidoc[]
 
 include::user-access.asciidoc[]