Cluster Setup – 10%

Use Network security policies to restrict cluster level access

Use CIS benchmark to review the security configuration of Kubernetes components (etcd, kubelet, kubedns, kubeapi)

Properly set up Ingress objects with security control

Protect node metadata and endpoints

Minimize use of, and access to, GUI elements

Verify platform binaries before deploying

Cluster Hardening – 15%

Restrict access to Kubernetes API

Use Role Based Access Controls to minimize exposure

Exercise caution in using service accounts e.g. disable defaults, minimize permissions on newly created ones

Update Kubernetes frequently

System Hardening – 15%

Minimize host OS footprint (reduce attack surface)

Minimize IAM roles

Minimize external access to the network

Appropriately use kernel hardening tools such as AppArmor, seccomp

Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities – 20%

Setup appropriate OS level security domains e.g. using PSP, OPA, security contexts

Manage Kubernetes secrets

Use container runtime sandboxes in multi-tenant environments (e.g. gvisor, kata containers)

Implement pod to pod encryption by use of mTLS

Supply Chain Security – 20%

Minimize base image footprint

Secure your supply chain: whitelist allowed registries, sign and validate images

Use static analysis of user workloads (e.g.Kubernetes resources, Docker files)

Scan images for known vulnerabilities

Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security – 20%

Perform behavioral analytics of syscall process and file activities at the host and container level to detect malicious activities

Detect threats within physical infrastructure, apps, networks, data, users and workloads

Detect all phases of attack regardless where it occurs and how it spreads

Perform deep analytical investigation and identification of bad actors within environment

Ensure immutability of containers at runtime

Use Audit Logs to monitor access