diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/alert.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/alert.rs
index 612f15f39..8186180ef 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/alert.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/alert.rs
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ use mungos::{
 use resolver_api::Resolve;
 
 use crate::{
-  helpers::query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin,
-  state::{db_client, State},
+  config::core_config, helpers::query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin, state::{db_client, State}
 };
 
 const NUM_ALERTS_PER_PAGE: u64 = 100;
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ impl Resolve<ListAlerts, User> for State {
     user: User,
   ) -> anyhow::Result<ListAlertsResponse> {
     let mut query = query.unwrap_or_default();
-    if !user.admin {
+    if !user.admin && !core_config().transparent_mode {
       let server_ids = get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(
         &user.id,
         ResourceTargetVariant::Server,
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/alerter.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/alerter.rs
index 1c0b5e73e..71b07b6a1 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/alerter.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/alerter.rs
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ use mungos::mongodb::bson::{doc, oid::ObjectId};
 use resolver_api::Resolve;
 
 use crate::{
-  helpers::query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin,
-  resource,
-  state::{db_client, State},
+  config::core_config, helpers::query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin, resource, state::{db_client, State}
 };
 
 impl Resolve<GetAlerter, User> for State {
@@ -50,7 +48,7 @@ impl Resolve<GetAlertersSummary, User> for State {
     GetAlertersSummary {}: GetAlertersSummary,
     user: User,
   ) -> anyhow::Result<GetAlertersSummaryResponse> {
-    let query = if user.admin {
+    let query = if user.admin || core_config().transparent_mode {
       None
     } else {
       let ids = get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/build.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/build.rs
index 4bcaed5d0..81df3746f 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/build.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/build.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use std::{
   collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
-  str::FromStr,
   sync::OnceLock,
 };
 
@@ -12,23 +11,19 @@ use monitor_client::{
   entities::{
     build::{Build, BuildActionState, BuildListItem, BuildState},
     permission::PermissionLevel,
-    update::{ResourceTargetVariant, UpdateStatus},
+    update::UpdateStatus,
     user::User,
     Operation,
   },
 };
 use mungos::{
   find::find_collect,
-  mongodb::{
-    bson::{doc, oid::ObjectId},
-    options::FindOptions,
-  },
+  mongodb::{bson::doc, options::FindOptions},
 };
 use resolver_api::{Resolve, ResolveToString};
 
 use crate::{
   config::core_config,
-  helpers::query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin,
   resource,
   state::{action_states, build_state_cache, db_client, State},
 };
@@ -86,31 +81,18 @@ impl Resolve<GetBuildsSummary, User> for State {
     GetBuildsSummary {}: GetBuildsSummary,
     user: User,
   ) -> anyhow::Result<GetBuildsSummaryResponse> {
-    let query = if user.admin {
-      None
-    } else {
-      let ids = get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(
-        &user.id,
-        ResourceTargetVariant::Build,
-      )
-      .await?
-      .into_iter()
-      .flat_map(|id| ObjectId::from_str(&id))
-      .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-      let query = doc! {
-        "_id": { "$in": ids }
-      };
-      Some(query)
-    };
+    let builds = resource::list_full_for_user::<Build>(
+      Default::default(),
+      &user,
+    )
+    .await
+    .context("failed to get all builds")?;
 
-    let builds = find_collect(&db_client().await.builds, query, None)
-      .await
-      .context("failed to find all build documents")?;
     let mut res = GetBuildsSummaryResponse::default();
 
     let cache = build_state_cache();
     let action_states = action_states();
-    
+
     for build in builds {
       res.total += 1;
 
@@ -241,9 +223,7 @@ impl Resolve<GetBuildVersions, User> for State {
     let versions = find_collect(
       &db_client().await.updates,
       filter,
-      FindOptions::builder()
-        .sort(doc! { "_id": -1 })
-        .build(),
+      FindOptions::builder().sort(doc! { "_id": -1 }).build(),
     )
     .await
     .context("failed to pull versions from mongo")?
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/builder.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/builder.rs
index 1a8bea5dc..420211d57 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/builder.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/builder.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ impl Resolve<GetBuildersSummary, User> for State {
     GetBuildersSummary {}: GetBuildersSummary,
     user: User,
   ) -> anyhow::Result<GetBuildersSummaryResponse> {
-    let query = if user.admin {
+    let query = if user.admin || core_config().transparent_mode {
       None
     } else {
       let ids = get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/deployment.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/deployment.rs
index e04045eaa..5e9941304 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/deployment.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/deployment.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::{cmp, collections::HashSet, str::FromStr};
+use std::{cmp, collections::HashSet};
 
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Context};
 use monitor_client::{
@@ -10,23 +10,17 @@ use monitor_client::{
     },
     permission::PermissionLevel,
     server::Server,
-    update::{Log, ResourceTargetVariant},
+    update::Log,
     user::User,
   },
 };
-use mungos::{
-  find::find_collect,
-  mongodb::bson::{doc, oid::ObjectId},
-};
 use periphery_client::api;
 use resolver_api::Resolve;
 
 use crate::{
-  helpers::{
-    periphery_client, query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin,
-  },
+  helpers::periphery_client,
   resource,
-  state::{action_states, db_client, deployment_status_cache, State},
+  state::{action_states, deployment_status_cache, State},
 };
 
 impl Resolve<GetDeployment, User> for State {
@@ -200,27 +194,12 @@ impl Resolve<GetDeploymentsSummary, User> for State {
     GetDeploymentsSummary {}: GetDeploymentsSummary,
     user: User,
   ) -> anyhow::Result<GetDeploymentsSummaryResponse> {
-    let query = if user.admin {
-      None
-    } else {
-      let ids = get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(
-        &user.id,
-        ResourceTargetVariant::Deployment,
-      )
-      .await?
-      .into_iter()
-      .flat_map(|id| ObjectId::from_str(&id))
-      .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-      let query = doc! {
-        "_id": { "$in": ids }
-      };
-      Some(query)
-    };
-
-    let deployments =
-      find_collect(&db_client().await.deployments, query, None)
-        .await
-        .context("failed to find all deployment documents")?;
+    let deployments = resource::list_full_for_user::<Deployment>(
+      Default::default(),
+      &user,
+    )
+    .await
+    .context("failed to get deployments from db")?;
     let mut res = GetDeploymentsSummaryResponse::default();
     let status_cache = deployment_status_cache();
     for deployment in deployments {
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/mod.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/mod.rs
index aa8e5c276..3bc8277bd 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/mod.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/mod.rs
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ impl Resolve<GetCoreInfo, User> for State {
         .github_webhook_base_url
         .clone()
         .unwrap_or_else(|| config.host.clone()),
+      transparent_mode: config.transparent_mode,
     })
   }
 }
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/procedure.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/procedure.rs
index 772314d93..3e9504389 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/procedure.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/procedure.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-use std::str::FromStr;
-
 use anyhow::Context;
 use monitor_client::{
   api::read::{
@@ -11,20 +9,14 @@ use monitor_client::{
   entities::{
     permission::PermissionLevel,
     procedure::{Procedure, ProcedureState},
-    update::ResourceTargetVariant,
     user::User,
   },
 };
-use mungos::{
-  find::find_collect,
-  mongodb::bson::{doc, oid::ObjectId},
-};
 use resolver_api::Resolve;
 
 use crate::{
-  helpers::query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin,
   resource,
-  state::{action_states, db_client, procedure_state_cache, State},
+  state::{action_states, procedure_state_cache, State},
 };
 
 impl Resolve<GetProcedure, User> for State {
@@ -58,27 +50,12 @@ impl Resolve<GetProceduresSummary, User> for State {
     GetProceduresSummary {}: GetProceduresSummary,
     user: User,
   ) -> anyhow::Result<GetProceduresSummaryResponse> {
-    let query = if user.admin {
-      None
-    } else {
-      let ids = get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(
-        &user.id,
-        ResourceTargetVariant::Procedure,
-      )
-      .await?
-      .into_iter()
-      .flat_map(|id| ObjectId::from_str(&id))
-      .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-      let query = doc! {
-        "_id": { "$in": ids }
-      };
-      Some(query)
-    };
-
-    let procedures =
-      find_collect(&db_client().await.procedures, query, None)
-        .await
-        .context("failed to find all procedure documents")?;
+    let procedures = resource::list_full_for_user::<Procedure>(
+      Default::default(),
+      &user,
+    )
+    .await
+    .context("failed to get procedures from db")?;
 
     let mut res = GetProceduresSummaryResponse::default();
 
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/repo.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/repo.rs
index 285b1313f..295890d08 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/repo.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/repo.rs
@@ -1,25 +1,17 @@
-use std::str::FromStr;
-
 use anyhow::Context;
 use monitor_client::{
   api::read::*,
   entities::{
     permission::PermissionLevel,
     repo::{Repo, RepoActionState, RepoListItem, RepoState},
-    update::ResourceTargetVariant,
     user::User,
   },
 };
-use mungos::{
-  find::find_collect,
-  mongodb::bson::{doc, oid::ObjectId},
-};
 use resolver_api::Resolve;
 
 use crate::{
-  helpers::query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin,
   resource,
-  state::{action_states, db_client, repo_state_cache, State},
+  state::{action_states, repo_state_cache, State},
 };
 
 impl Resolve<GetRepo, User> for State {
@@ -75,26 +67,11 @@ impl Resolve<GetReposSummary, User> for State {
     GetReposSummary {}: GetReposSummary,
     user: User,
   ) -> anyhow::Result<GetReposSummaryResponse> {
-    let query = if user.admin {
-      None
-    } else {
-      let ids = get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(
-        &user.id,
-        ResourceTargetVariant::Alerter,
-      )
-      .await?
-      .into_iter()
-      .flat_map(|id| ObjectId::from_str(&id))
-      .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-      let query = doc! {
-        "_id": { "$in": ids }
-      };
-      Some(query)
-    };
+    let repos =
+      resource::list_full_for_user::<Repo>(Default::default(), &user)
+        .await
+        .context("failed to get repos from db")?;
 
-    let repos = find_collect(&db_client().await.repos, query, None)
-      .await
-      .context("failed to find all repo documents")?;
     let mut res = GetReposSummaryResponse::default();
 
     let cache = repo_state_cache();
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/server_template.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/server_template.rs
index 3a21aa52b..67c2c9a66 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/server_template.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/server_template.rs
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ impl Resolve<GetServerTemplatesSummary, User> for State {
     };
     let total = db_client()
       .await
-      .builders
+      .server_templates
       .count_documents(query, None)
       .await
-      .context("failed to count all builder documents")?;
+      .context("failed to count all server template documents")?;
     let res = GetServerTemplatesSummaryResponse {
       total: total as u32,
     };
diff --git a/bin/core/src/api/read/update.rs b/bin/core/src/api/read/update.rs
index 25d33e87c..a18a3642e 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/api/read/update.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/api/read/update.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ use mungos::{
 use resolver_api::Resolve;
 
 use crate::{
+  config::core_config,
   helpers::query::get_resource_ids_for_non_admin,
   resource,
   state::{db_client, State},
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ impl Resolve<ListUpdates, User> for State {
     ListUpdates { query, page }: ListUpdates,
     user: User,
   ) -> anyhow::Result<ListUpdatesResponse> {
-    let query = if user.admin {
+    let query = if user.admin || core_config().transparent_mode {
       query
     } else {
       let server_ids = get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@ impl Resolve<GetUpdate, User> for State {
       .await
       .context("failed to query to db")?
       .context("no update exists with given id")?;
-    if user.admin {
+    if user.admin || core_config().transparent_mode {
       return Ok(update);
     }
     match &update.target {
diff --git a/bin/core/src/config.rs b/bin/core/src/config.rs
index 902a7d44f..c5e3c27de 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/config.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/config.rs
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ pub fn core_config() -> &'static CoreConfig {
       .monitor_logging_opentelemetry_service_name
       .unwrap_or(config.logging.opentelemetry_service_name);
 
+    config.transparent_mode = env
+      .monitor_transparent_mode
+      .unwrap_or(config.transparent_mode);
+
     config.local_auth =
       env.monitor_local_auth.unwrap_or(config.local_auth);
 
diff --git a/bin/core/src/helpers/query.rs b/bin/core/src/helpers/query.rs
index bd162b05e..3aec4ae84 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/helpers/query.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/helpers/query.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use mungos::{
   mongodb::bson::{doc, oid::ObjectId, Document},
 };
 
-use crate::{resource, state::db_client};
+use crate::{config::core_config, resource, state::db_client};
 
 #[instrument(level = "debug")]
 pub async fn get_user(user_id: &str) -> anyhow::Result<User> {
@@ -150,6 +150,11 @@ pub async fn get_user_permission_on_resource(
   resource_variant: ResourceTargetVariant,
   resource_id: &str,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<PermissionLevel> {
+  let lowest_permission = if core_config().transparent_mode {
+    PermissionLevel::Read
+  } else {
+    PermissionLevel::None
+  };
   let permission = find_collect(
     &db_client().await.permissions,
     doc! {
@@ -163,7 +168,7 @@ pub async fn get_user_permission_on_resource(
   .context("failed to query db for permissions")?
   .into_iter()
   // get the max permission user has between personal / any user groups
-  .fold(PermissionLevel::None, |level, permission| {
+  .fold(lowest_permission, |level, permission| {
     if permission.level > level {
       permission.level
     } else {
diff --git a/bin/core/src/resource/mod.rs b/bin/core/src/resource/mod.rs
index 188c8aedb..3aac6c6bb 100644
--- a/bin/core/src/resource/mod.rs
+++ b/bin/core/src/resource/mod.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ use serde::{de::DeserializeOwned, Serialize};
 use serror::serialize_error_pretty;
 
 use crate::{
+  config::core_config,
   helpers::{
     create_permission,
     query::{
@@ -191,7 +192,10 @@ pub async fn get_check_permissions<T: MonitorResource>(
   permission_level: PermissionLevel,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<Resource<T::Config, T::Info>> {
   let resource = get::<T>(id_or_name).await?;
-  if user.admin {
+  if user.admin
+    || (permission_level <= PermissionLevel::Read
+      && core_config().transparent_mode)
+  {
     return Ok(resource);
   }
   let permissions = get_user_permission_on_resource(
@@ -249,7 +253,7 @@ async fn list_full_for_user_using_document<T: MonitorResource>(
   mut filters: Document,
   user: &User,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<Resource<T::Config, T::Info>>> {
-  if !user.admin {
+  if !user.admin && !core_config().transparent_mode {
     let ids =
       get_resource_ids_for_non_admin(&user.id, T::resource_type())
         .await?
diff --git a/client/core/rs/src/api/read/mod.rs b/client/core/rs/src/api/read/mod.rs
index 20173140f..50451b5d0 100644
--- a/client/core/rs/src/api/read/mod.rs
+++ b/client/core/rs/src/api/read/mod.rs
@@ -85,4 +85,6 @@ pub struct GetCoreInfoResponse {
   pub monitoring_interval: Timelength,
   /// The github webhook base url to use with github webhooks.
   pub github_webhook_base_url: String,
+  /// Whether transparent mode is enabled, which gives all users read access to all resources.
+  pub transparent_mode: bool
 }
diff --git a/client/core/rs/src/entities/config/core.rs b/client/core/rs/src/entities/config/core.rs
index ba93e663f..1e04720c6 100644
--- a/client/core/rs/src/entities/config/core.rs
+++ b/client/core/rs/src/entities/config/core.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ pub struct Env {
   /// Override `logging.opentelemetry_service_name`
   pub monitor_logging_opentelemetry_service_name: Option<String>,
 
+  /// Override `transparent_mode`
+  pub monitor_transparent_mode: Option<bool>,
+
   /// Override `local_auth`
   pub monitor_local_auth: Option<bool>,
 
@@ -185,6 +188,9 @@ fn default_config_path() -> String {
 /// ## if empty, the "docker organization" config option will not be shown.
 /// ## default: empty
 /// # docker_organizations = ["your_docker_org1", "your_docker_org_2"]
+/// 
+/// ## allows all users to have read access on all resources
+/// # transparent_mode = true
 ///
 /// ## allow or deny user login with username / password
 /// ## default: false
@@ -296,6 +302,10 @@ pub struct CoreConfig {
   #[serde(default)]
   pub logging: LogConfig,
 
+  /// Enable transparent mode, which gives all (enabled) users read access to all resources.
+  #[serde(default)]
+  pub transparent_mode: bool,
+
   /// enable login with local auth
   #[serde(default)]
   pub local_auth: bool,
diff --git a/config_example/core.config.example.toml b/config_example/core.config.example.toml
index 2c764ca9a..58108b7c4 100644
--- a/config_example/core.config.example.toml
+++ b/config_example/core.config.example.toml
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ passkey = "a_random_passkey"
 ## default: empty
 # docker_organizations = ["your_docker_org1", "your_docker_org_2"]
 
+## allows all users to have read access on all resources
+# transparent_mode = true
+
 ## allow or deny user login with username / password
 ## default: false
 # local_auth = true