Kubernetes Security

Kubernetes Security is the practice of securing a container orchestration platform by implementing a multi-layered, defense-in-depth strategy that protects the cluster infrastructure and the applications running on it. This involves securing every component, from the underlying nodes and control plane to the individual containers and their configurations. Core practices include enforcing the principle of least privilege with role-based access control (RBAC), isolating workloads with network policies, hardening cluster components against attack, managing sensitive information with dedicated secrets management tools, and ensuring container integrity through image scanning and runtime security. The ultimate goal is to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the entire system, mitigating the unique security risks inherent in a complex, distributed environment.

1. Introduction to Kubernetes Security
   1. Core Security Principles
      1. Defense in Depth
         1. Layered Security Controls
            1. Network Layer Controls
            2. Application Layer Controls
            3. Infrastructure Layer Controls
            4. Data Layer Controls
         2. Redundancy and Failover
            1. Security Control Redundancy
            2. Backup Security Mechanisms
            3. Failover Security Procedures
      2. Principle of Least Privilege
         1. Minimizing Permissions
            1. User Permission Minimization
            2. Service Account Permission Minimization
            3. Process Permission Minimization
         2. Role Assignment Strategies
            1. Just-in-Time Access
            2. Time-bound Permissions
            3. Context-based Access
      3. Attack Surface Reduction
         1. Disabling Unused Features
            1. Kubernetes Feature Gates
            2. Unused API Endpoints
            3. Unnecessary Services
         2. Minimizing Exposed Endpoints
            1. Network Exposure Reduction
            2. API Endpoint Hardening
            3. Service Exposure Controls
      4. Zero Trust Architecture
         1. Never Trust, Always Verify
         2. Continuous Verification
         3. Micro-segmentation
   2. The 4 C's of Cloud Native Security
      1. Cloud
         1. Shared Responsibility Model
            1. Cloud Provider Responsibilities
            2. Customer Responsibilities
            3. Boundary Definition
         2. Cloud Provider Security Features
            1. Identity and Access Management
            2. Network Security Services
            3. Encryption Services
            4. Monitoring and Logging Services
      2. Cluster
         1. Cluster Component Security
            1. Control Plane Security
            2. Worker Node Security
            3. Add-on Security
         2. Cluster Configuration Management
            1. Secure Configuration Baselines
            2. Configuration Drift Detection
            3. Configuration Compliance
      3. Container
         1. Container Lifecycle Security
            1. Build-time Security
            2. Runtime Security
            3. Deployment Security
         2. Container Isolation
            1. Process Isolation
            2. Network Isolation
            3. Filesystem Isolation
      4. Code
         1. Secure Software Development Lifecycle
            1. Security Requirements
            2. Secure Design
            3. Secure Implementation
            4. Security Testing
         2. Code Vulnerability Management
            1. Static Code Analysis
            2. Dynamic Code Analysis
            3. Dependency Scanning
   3. Kubernetes Threat Model
      1. External Attacker Scenarios
         1. Network-based Attacks
            1. DDoS Attacks
            2. Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
            3. Network Reconnaissance
         2. API Exploitation
            1. Authentication Bypass
            2. Authorization Bypass
            3. API Abuse
      2. Internal Attacker Scenarios
         1. Compromised Workload Behavior
            1. Container Breakout
            2. Lateral Movement
            3. Resource Abuse
         2. Privilege Escalation within Cluster
            1. Vertical Privilege Escalation
            2. Horizontal Privilege Escalation
            3. Service Account Abuse
      3. Malicious Insider Scenarios
         1. Abuse of Administrative Access
            1. Unauthorized Configuration Changes
            2. Data Access Abuse
            3. System Manipulation
         2. Data Exfiltration Risks
            1. Secret Extraction
            2. Application Data Theft
            3. Configuration Data Theft
      4. Supply Chain Attacks
         1. Compromised Container Images
         2. Malicious Dependencies
         3. Compromised Build Pipeline