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Welcome to this comprehensive lesson on Kubernetes security. In this module, we dive into the core security primitives essential for production-grade Kubernetes deployments. We’ll explore how Kubernetes secures its API, manages user access, and controls inter-component communication.
Before diving deeper, ensure your infrastructure hosts are secure by disabling root access, disabling password-based authentication, and exclusively using SSH key-based authentication.

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Securing Kubernetes Cluster Hosts

The foundation of a secure Kubernetes environment is protecting the underlying physical or virtual infrastructure. Ensure that your cluster hosts adhere to industry security best practices:
  • Disable root access.
  • Turn off password-based authentication.
  • Enable SSH key-based authentication.
Remember, if the base infrastructure is compromised, the entire Kubernetes cluster is vulnerable.

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Protecting the Kube API Server

At the heart of Kubernetes lies the Kube API Server, which serves as the gateway for all operations—be it through kubectl or direct API calls. As such, strict control over who can access the cluster and what actions they can perform is vital.

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Authentication Methods

Authentication determines the identity of a user or a process accessing the API server. Kubernetes supports multiple authentication mechanisms, including:
  • User IDs and Passwords: Stored in static files.
  • Tokens: Issued for API access.
  • Certificates: Securing communications.
  • External Authentication Providers: For example, LDAP.
  • Service Accounts: For machine-to-machine interactions.
The image is a slide titled "Authentication" listing access methods: username/password, username/tokens, certificates, LDAP, and service accounts.

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Authorization Strategies

Once authenticated, authorization dictates what actions users are permitted to perform. Kubernetes primarily employs Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to manage permissions. Additional strategies include:
  • Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
  • Node Authorization
  • Webhook Modes
The image lists types of authorization: RBAC, ABAC, Node Authorization, and Webhook Mode, under the heading "Authorization: What can they do?"

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Securing Inter-Component Communications

Every component within Kubernetes communicates over a network, sometimes traversing untrusted networks. To ensure data security, Kubernetes uses TLS encryption for communications among critical components such as:
  • Kube API Server
  • etcd Cluster
  • Kube Controller Manager
  • Kube Scheduler
  • Kubelet and Kube Proxy on worker nodes
Detailed procedures for configuring and managing TLS certificates are covered in the course content.
The image illustrates the relationship between Kubernetes components using TLS certificates, centered around the Kube ApiServer, connecting to ETCD Cluster, Kubelet, Kube Proxy, Kube Controller Manager, and Kube Scheduler.

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Managing Pod Communications with Network Policies

By default, all pods within a Kubernetes cluster can communicate freely, which may not be desirable for every workload or application. Network policies allow administrators to define rules that restrict pod-to-pod interactions, thereby reducing potential attack vectors and isolating sensitive components.
The image illustrates network policies using a diagram of four devices with colored circles and pentagons, indicating connections or groupings.
This high-level overview provides a solid foundation on Kubernetes security primitives. Each of these topics is explored in greater depth throughout the course, ensuring you have the knowledge to build a robust and secure Kubernetes environment. Let’s move forward into the detailed modules.

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