3 files changed, 105 insertions, 13 deletions

diff --git a/internal/auth/README.md b/internal/auth/README.md
index df0de6a..366e110 100644
--- a/internal/auth/README.md
+++ b/internal/auth/README.md
@@ -209,9 +209,20 @@ authOpts := &auth.InterceptorOptions{
 - **`TimestampWindow`**: Maximum age of events in seconds (default: 60)
 - **`Required`**: Whether to reject unauthenticated requests (default: false)
 - **`ValidatePayload`**: Whether to verify payload hash when present (default: false)
-- **`AllowedNpubs`**: Optional whitelist of allowed pubkeys (nil = allow all)
+- **`AllowedNpubsRead`**: Optional whitelist of allowed pubkeys for read operations (nil = allow all)
   - Config accepts npub format only (human-readable bech32)
   - Automatically normalized to hex format (computer-readable) at config load time
+  - Controls access to Query, Get, List, Subscribe, and other read methods
+- **`AllowedNpubsWrite`**: Optional whitelist of allowed pubkeys for write operations (nil = allow all)
+  - Config accepts npub format only (human-readable bech32)
+  - Automatically normalized to hex format (computer-readable) at config load time
+  - Controls access to Publish, Delete, Create, Update, and other write methods
+
+**Access Control Patterns:**
+- **Public relay**: Set `AllowedNpubsWrite` (only some can publish), leave `AllowedNpubsRead` empty (everyone can read)
+- **Private relay**: Set both lists (restricted read and write access)
+- **Open relay**: Leave both empty (everyone can read and write)
+- **Read-only relay**: Set `AllowedNpubsRead`, block all writes
 
 ### NostrCredentials Options
 
diff --git a/internal/auth/auth_test.go b/internal/auth/auth_test.go
index 1f0efee..7a0da19 100644
--- a/internal/auth/auth_test.go
+++ b/internal/auth/auth_test.go
@@ -304,3 +304,41 @@ func TestHashPayload(t *testing.T) {
                 t.Error("different payloads produced same hash")
         }
 }
+
+func TestIsWriteMethod(t *testing.T) {
+        tests := []struct {
+                method string
+                want   bool
+        }{
+                // Write methods
+                {"/nostr.v1.NostrRelay/PublishEvent", true},
+                {"/nostr.v1.NostrRelay/DeleteEvent", true},
+                {"/admin.v1.Admin/CreateUser", true},
+                {"/admin.v1.Admin/UpdateSettings", true},
+                {"/data.v1.Data/InsertRecord", true},
+                {"/data.v1.Data/RemoveItem", true},
+                {"/storage.v1.Storage/SetValue", true},
+                {"/storage.v1.Storage/PutObject", true},
+
+                // Read methods
+                {"/nostr.v1.NostrRelay/QueryEvents", false},
+                {"/nostr.v1.NostrRelay/Subscribe", false},
+                {"/nostr.v1.NostrRelay/GetEvent", false},
+                {"/admin.v1.Admin/ListUsers", false},
+                {"/health.v1.Health/Check", false},
+                {"/info.v1.Info/GetRelayInfo", false},
+
+                // Edge cases
+                {"", false},
+                {"/", false},
+        }
+
+        for _, tt := range tests {
+                t.Run(tt.method, func(t *testing.T) {
+                        got := isWriteMethod(tt.method)
+                        if got != tt.want {
+                                t.Errorf("isWriteMethod(%q) = %v, want %v", tt.method, got, tt.want)
+                        }
+                })
+        }
+}
diff --git a/internal/auth/interceptor.go b/internal/auth/interceptor.go
index 7d785bf..66880a7 100644
--- a/internal/auth/interceptor.go
+++ b/internal/auth/interceptor.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package auth
 import (
         "context"
         "fmt"
+        "strings"
 
         "google.golang.org/grpc"
         "google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
@@ -35,11 +36,17 @@ type InterceptorOptions struct {
         // Default: false
         ValidatePayload bool
 
-        // AllowedNpubs is an optional whitelist of allowed pubkeys (hex format).
+        // AllowedNpubsRead is an optional whitelist of allowed pubkeys for read operations (hex format).
         // Config accepts npub format only, normalized to hex at load time.
-        // If nil or empty, all valid signatures are accepted.
+        // If nil or empty, all valid signatures are accepted for reads.
         // Default: nil (allow all)
-        AllowedNpubs []string
+        AllowedNpubsRead []string
+
+        // AllowedNpubsWrite is an optional whitelist of allowed pubkeys for write operations (hex format).
+        // Config accepts npub format only, normalized to hex at load time.
+        // If nil or empty, all valid signatures are accepted for writes.
+        // Default: nil (allow all)
+        AllowedNpubsWrite []string
 
         // SkipMethods is a list of gRPC methods that bypass authentication.
         // Useful for public endpoints like health checks or relay info.
@@ -51,11 +58,12 @@ type InterceptorOptions struct {
 // DefaultInterceptorOptions returns the default configuration.
 func DefaultInterceptorOptions() *InterceptorOptions {
         return &InterceptorOptions{
-                TimestampWindow: 60,
-                Required:        false,
-                ValidatePayload: false,
-                AllowedNpubs:    nil,
-                SkipMethods:     nil,
+                TimestampWindow:   60,
+                Required:          false,
+                ValidatePayload:   false,
+                AllowedNpubsRead:  nil,
+                AllowedNpubsWrite: nil,
+                SkipMethods:       nil,
         }
 }
 
@@ -169,16 +177,51 @@ func validateAuthFromContext(ctx context.Context, method string, opts *Intercept
         // Extract pubkey
         pubkey := ExtractPubkey(event)
 
-        // Check whitelist if configured (all values are already normalized to hex)
-        if len(opts.AllowedNpubs) > 0 {
-                if !contains(opts.AllowedNpubs, pubkey) {
-                        return "", fmt.Errorf("pubkey not in whitelist")
+        // Check whitelist based on operation type (all values are already normalized to hex)
+        if isWriteMethod(method) {
+                // Write operation - check write allowlist
+                if len(opts.AllowedNpubsWrite) > 0 {
+                        if !contains(opts.AllowedNpubsWrite, pubkey) {
+                                return "", fmt.Errorf("pubkey not authorized for write operations")
+                        }
+                }
+        } else {
+                // Read operation - check read allowlist
+                if len(opts.AllowedNpubsRead) > 0 {
+                        if !contains(opts.AllowedNpubsRead, pubkey) {
+                                return "", fmt.Errorf("pubkey not authorized for read operations")
+                        }
                 }
         }
 
         return pubkey, nil
 }
 
+// isWriteMethod determines if a gRPC method is a write operation.
+// Write operations modify state (Publish, Delete, Create, Update, etc.)
+// Read operations query state (Query, Get, List, Subscribe, etc.)
+func isWriteMethod(method string) bool {
+        // Common write operation patterns
+        writePatterns := []string{
+                "Publish",
+                "Delete",
+                "Create",
+                "Update",
+                "Insert",
+                "Remove",
+                "Set",
+                "Put",
+        }
+
+        for _, pattern := range writePatterns {
+                if strings.Contains(method, pattern) {
+                        return true
+                }
+        }
+
+        return false
+}
+
 // shouldSkipAuth checks if a method should bypass authentication.
 func shouldSkipAuth(method string, skipMethods []string) bool {
         for _, skip := range skipMethods {