Kubernetes Security Cheat Sheet – A Must-Have for DevOps & Security Teams!

Kubernetes has become the backbone of modern cloud-native applications, but with great power comes great responsibility—especially when it comes to security. From misconfigurations to runtime threats, securing Kubernetes environments requires a proactive approach. This Kubernetes Security Cheat Sheet is a practical, easy-to-follow guide to help you:

  • Secure your clusters with best practices
  • Implement RBAC and least privilege access
  • Protect workloads from common vulnerabilities
  • Ensure compliance and policy enforcement

Whether you’re a DevOps engineer, SRE, or security professional, this cheat sheet is packed with actionable insights to help you fortify your Kubernetes environment.

📥 Download it here: [Kubernetes Security Cheat Sheet](#)

Practice-Verified Commands and Codes

1. Enable Role-Based Access Control (RBAC):

kubectl create clusterrolebinding cluster-admin-binding \
--clusterrole=cluster-admin \
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2. Restrict Privileged Containers:

apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
name: non-privileged-pod
spec:
containers:
- name: non-privileged-container
image: nginx
securityContext:
privileged: false

3. Scan for Misconfigurations with kube-bench:

docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/host aquasec/kube-bench:latest install
./kube-bench

4. Enable Network Policies:

apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: NetworkPolicy
metadata:
name: default-deny
spec:
podSelector: {}
policyTypes:
- Ingress
- Egress

5. Audit Kubernetes Logs:

kubectl logs <pod-name> --namespace=<namespace>

6. Use Seccomp Profiles for Enhanced Security:

apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
name: seccomp-pod
spec:
securityContext:
seccompProfile:
type: RuntimeDefault
containers:
- name: secure-container
image: nginx

7. Check for Vulnerabilities with Trivy:

trivy k8s --report summary cluster

What Undercode Say

Securing Kubernetes is not just about applying patches or running scans; it’s about adopting a holistic approach to ensure your clusters are resilient against evolving threats. Start by implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to enforce least privilege access. Use tools like `kube-bench` to audit your clusters against the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark and `Trivy` to scan for vulnerabilities in your container images. Network policies are essential to restrict traffic between pods, and Seccomp profiles can help mitigate runtime risks.

For compliance, ensure you’re logging and monitoring all activities within your cluster. Use `kubectl logs` to audit pod activities and `Falco` for runtime threat detection. Regularly update your Kubernetes components and apply security patches promptly. Remember, security is a continuous process, not a one-time task.

To dive deeper into Kubernetes security, explore resources like the Kubernetes Official Documentation and the CNCF Security Whitepaper. Stay proactive, stay secure!

References:

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