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5 tips to help you secure your Kubernetes deployments

Are your Kubernetes deployments secure?

Developers creating cloud-native apps that run in Kubernetes are now tasked with much more than just coding. From defining the Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to managing role-based access control, every decision you make impacts security — and this can get complicated quickly.

Here are a few tips to help you ace Kubernetes security:

✅ Scan code and IaC

All code must be validated while you are writing or committing it to a project. Conduct static application security testing on your code. But don’t stop there. Scan Dockerfiles, Helm, and even Terraform files for misconfigurations.

✅ Continuous integration (CI) is key

CI isn’t just for ensuring your app works. Integrate security checks for both source code and the compiled application. For example, when building a Docker image from a Dockerfile, you need to also assess the security of the OS and software packages that will be included in the image.

✅ Deploy with confidence

Before that final deployment, utilize Kubernetes' admission controller. This little gatekeeper ensures nothing unauthorized sneaks past into production. And if you're not quite ready for an admission controller, the Kubernetes audit logs will be your eyes and ears for potential risks.

✅ Never sleep on runtime monitoring

Think deployment's the end? Think again. During runtime, you’ll need to look for misconfigurations in managed Kubernetes environments, like EKS and GKE. Stay alert for any new application behaviors like unexpected connections or sudden file writes. Make sure to baseline normal application behavior, and be quick to spot unusual behavior.

✅ Look closely at audit logs

Kubernetes security posture management tools are an important part of a defense-in-depth approach to Kubernetes security, but they’re not the be-all-end-all. Why? They can overlook application behavior and miss threats right under their noses. The key? Look closely at Kubernetes audit logs to understand the specifics of each resource and see the real-time activities in your environment, rather than just the potential risks.

Read this blog for more K8 best practices.

What are your best tips for securing your cloud-native apps in Kubernetes?

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