Microservices security

Microservices architecture is all the rage right now. It is considered a complete game changer for businesses as it enables the rapid development and deployment of new apps and services. The agility provided upon its adaptation is unrivaled by the traditional monolithic architectures.

However, every software development and deployment methodology faces some security issues. Microservices architecture comes with its own set of security challenges. Companies might face limitations regarding central monitoring resources, firewalls, standard network tools, and more when it comes to strengthening their software systems and applications.

But you can if you take some innovative measures, you will not only be able to protect your software from potential threats but can also effectively enhance its security. And the recent advancements in the technology arena have made all of these possible.

To fully leverage the benefits of microservices, companies have to address their security concerns first. In this blog post, we are going to discuss some of the best ways to secure your microservices architecture so you can successfully deploy reliable microservices applications.
7 best ways to secure microservices architecture

*1. Security by design *
Architects and construction workers have to design a bridge, a skyscraper, or any other establishment for that matter, keeping its security in mind. They can’t just construct the thing and then think about ways to secure it. Similarly, you have to embed the security in the design of your microservices architecture.

Every stage of construction is built strong right from the foundation to the end by strategically placing the concrete and rebar. Similarly, you have to make your microservices architecture secure by design but not limited to it. Instead, secure in every stage from design to deployment.

Now what does this mean in implementation? Well, when you are writing a code, you have to put it under the scrutiny of continuous stress testing. This enables you to test your CI/CD pipelines. You can do it by conducting a Dynamic Analysis Security Test (DAST), and Static Analysis Security Testing (SAST) simultaneously as a part of your security unit tests.

SAST can help you detect if there are any vulnerabilities in your code. It can also tell if you have any imported library in there. The test is conducted from the inside so you will need a scanner that is compatible with your programming language.

On the other hand, DAST works from the outside. It mimics various types of malicious cyber attacks to find the gaps in your security. And unlike SAST, DAST isn’t dependent on any language.

Often the developers are burdened with manual security checks. But when you build these unit tests into your delivery pipelines, your burdens will be reduced significantly. It is also recommended that when you implement best practices to build software, you should use a wide range of resources and analysis tools from the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP).

2. Detecting dependencies
In many cases, the software is developed using libraries that are in turn dependent on other libraries. Therefore much of your product code during deployment has third-party dependencies. This is a huge security vulnerability. Such relationships would only create a larger chain of dependency which would even pose greater security threats to your system.

To eliminate such threats and secure your system, you have to scan your deployment pipelines, new code contributions, and the app’s source code thoroughly for vulnerable dependencies.

Most of the apps provide supply release notes. And it might pique your interest to know that almost 75% of them report having security issues and 10% of apps report common vulnerabilities and other exposures.

you have to make sure that your code is up to date at the time of deployment and that there aren't any vulnerabilities during new pull requests. But for that, you have to know your dependencies first. You can use tools like GitHub’s Dependabot that can help you automate updates through pull requests on top of enabling security alerts in your repository.

3. Use HTTPS everywhere
We all know this is a basic principle. But its consistent implementation is rather very significant. So one can’t stress enough to use this principle as a foundational element for your external and internal operations.

When you think about cyber attacks, phishing, and credential stuffing are some of the popular and common cyber attacks that come to mind first. However, to secure your microservices architecture, mitigating attacks that originate from your network is also necessary. And that mitigation can be done partly by using HTTP everywhere in your microservices architecture.

Using HTTPS makes sure that your communication is encrypted. This process is officially called Transport Layer Security or TLS. It helps maintain privacy and data integrity. Just as your driver's license is both proof of your identity and a certificate that permits you to drive certain vehicles. Similarly, to use HTTPS you need a certificate that can authenticate your identity as well as grant access to encrypted communications through Public Key Infrastructure.

Once you have got your certificate, you can enhance your security further with automatic certificate renewal and generation. It is intended to keep the bad actors that want to compromise your microservices architecture at bay.

From XSDs to Maven repositories, every single aspect of microservices architecture can refer to these secure URLs. While using HTTPS, you can instruct your browser to access your endpoints only with the help of the HTTP Strict-Transport-Security response header.

HTTPS is very critical for the protection of the data transmitted in your systems while building APIs and microservices. After deployment, the external users can get a secure connection to protect their data as well as their reputation.

4. Utilizing API Gateways
The interactions with microservices should only be done through secure and well-defined APIs. for data, API gateways are a centralized entry point from where they are directed to a suitable microservices. The access to the control services and the data is handled through token-based authentication from the API gateway.

If you put the API gateway behind your firewall, you can further enhance the security of microservices architecture as it offers an additional layer of protection. Moreover, they ensure that all the microservices in the architecture are well-protected.

*5. Make sure your Containers are secure *
Development teams that struggle with complications of microservices-based apps take the help of the Containers that come with a variety of components. Streamlined deployment and increased efficiency are the two major benefits of using containers. Container security plays a critical role in implementing cloud-native security measures that ensure the security of microservices architecture.

The containers are built upon images but their security goes beyond. These images, orchestration tools, and more are stored in a container registry. Now, this container registry needs to be monitored because if multiple microservices use the same base image then those images are considered vulnerable.

Additionally, if there are any risks or misconfigurations in your container orchestration tool then it is highly recommended that you eliminate them to securely deploy microservices.

6. Embrace a DevSecOps Model
Teams can deploy new features in tiny installments quickly without having to redeploy the entire software, thanks to microservices. This helps the DevOps team with speeding up the development process but on the downside, it also poses some serious risks.

Therefore it is necessary for you to also integrate security in your DevOps model from the start. This would give birth to a DevSecOps strategy where security measures are directly incorporated into a development process, CI environment, and more to diminish the threats.

In a DevSecOps model, developers and operators work hand in hand to make secure and reliable software without slowing down the development process. Adapting the DevSecOps model can save you precious time and money and still deliver secure software. After deployment, the security controls can be easily reinstated.

**7. Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Under a comprehensive security approach for microservices, it becomes necessary to protect the software from both endpoints. Protecting a microservices app is a priority and access control as well as user authentication plays a crucial role in that.

Multi-factor authentication is a proven and popular security best practice that is widely used around the world to prevent malicious attacks. While working with microservices applications your security must be paramount.

Under MFA, the users are required to go through a two-step verification process to access their accounts. For the implementation of such authentication and authorization processes, tools like JSON Web Tokens, OAuths, and more are used.

The two-step verification demands two things from the users, their credentials and a unique verification code. If any suspicious activity is noted then the MFA process sends you an alert and raises the red flag.

A path forward…..

Adapting microservices architecture means completely redefining the way developers work. Previously, developers and development companies used to take a traditional approach to building software systems and applications. But adapting microservices enables the teams to be more agile, and development and operations to be more efficient and cost-effective. What's more, they are easily scalable.

Once you decide to adopt this approach, you must pick the right team, tools, and other resources to build, deploy, and secure your microservices application. To secure microservices architecture, you have to address the necessary aspects.

For that, you and your team need to adopt a security-first mindset and empower yourself with the latest tools and technologies. Then and only then will your apps be resilient to cyberattacks and you will be able to protect sensitive business information.

I hope this helps!