KBS-302

Kubernetes Security

Detailed Course Outline

Course Length

2 days

Course Overview

This 2-day long training introduces concepts, procedures, and best practices to harden Kubernetes based systems and container-based applications against security threats. It deals with the main areas of cloud-native security: Kubernetes cluster setup, Kubernetes cluster hardening, hardening the underlying operating system and networks, minimizing microservices vulnerabilities, obtaining supply chain security as well as monitoring, logging, and runtime security.

This course does not only deal with the daily security administration of Kubernetes-based systems but also prepares delegates for the official Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) exams of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF).

Training Objectives

At the end of the training participants:

  • • Understand the main areas of cloud-native security and the threats Kubernetes based systems and container-based applications are exposed to.
  • • Manage users and service accounts, authenticate them and control their authorizations with Kubernetes RBAC.
  • • Secure the software supply chain by checking images for vulnerabilities, validating images in Kubernetes, reducing the image footprint and using secure image registries.
  • • Review and harden the security configuration of the Kubernetes cluster components with the CIS benchmark and perform penetration testing for known vulnerabilities.
  • • Harden the underlying operating system with kernel hardening tools, OS level security domains, container runtime sandboxes and limited network access.
  • • Configure Kubernetes audit logs and audit policies and monitor the behaviour of applications at runtime with Falco.
  • • Be prepared for the official Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) exam of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF).

Structure

50% theory 50% hands-on lab exercises

Target Audience

Kubernetes administrators who participated on one of our Kubernetes administration trainings or have a Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) certification and want to learn about securing Kubernetes based systems and container-based applications.

Prerequisites

Linux container (e.g. Docker) and Kubernetes admin. skills, for instance by participating on our Docker and Kubernetes administration courses.

Course Modules

Module 1: User and authorization management

  • Users and service accounts in Kubernetes
  • Authenticating users
  • Managing authorizations with RBAC

Module 2: Supply chain security

  • Vulnerability checking for images
  • Image validation in Kubernetes
  • Reducing image footprint
  • Secure image registries

Module 3: Validating cluster setup and penetration testing

  • Use CIS benchmark to review the security configuration of Kubernetes components
  • Modify the cluster components' configuration to match the CIS Benchmark
  • Penetration testing Kubernetes for known vulnerabilities

Module 4: System hardening

  • Use kernel hardening tools
  • Setup appropriate OS level security domains
  • Container runtime sandboxes
  • Limit network access

Module 5: Monitoring and logging

  • Configure Kubernetes audit logs
  • Configure Audit Policies
  • Monitor applications behaviour with Falco