--- a/src/core/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/core/engine.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include <KConfig>
 #include <KConfigGroup>
+#include <KAuthorized>
 #include <KFileUtils>
 #include <KFormat>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
@@ -1085,12 +1086,16 @@ void KNSCore::Engine::setConfigLocationF
 
 QStringList KNSCore::Engine::availableConfigFiles()
 {
+    if( KAuthorized::authorize(QStringLiteral("ghns")) ) {
     QStringList configSearchLocations;
     configSearchLocations << QStandardPaths::locateAll(QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation, //
                                                        QStringLiteral("knsrcfiles"),
                                                        QStandardPaths::LocateDirectory);
     configSearchLocations << QStandardPaths::standardLocations(QStandardPaths::GenericConfigLocation);
     return KFileUtils::findAllUniqueFiles(configSearchLocations, {QStringLiteral("*.knsrc")});
+    } else {
+    return QStringList();
+    }
 }
 
 QSharedPointer<KNSCore::Provider> KNSCore::Engine::provider(const QString &providerId) const