Securing Kubernetes Clusters using Authentication and Authorization

There are many facets to security in Kubernetes. One small oversight can leave your cluster vulnerable to leaking sensitive data, running foreign workloads, and a host of other attacks. This lab shows you how to practice defense in depth in Kubernetes by covering the main security concepts including authentication, and authorization. Examples of potential exploits from improperly configured clusters are also illustrated followed by guidance on how to prevent the attacks.

This lab is valuable to anyone working with Kubernetes, but the content has been prepared considering topics described in the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Exam Curriculum. Completion of the lab will help you get hands-on experience, which is essential for passing the CKA exam.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this lab you will be able to:

• Understand Kubernetes' authentication model
• Create users and groups in Kubernetes and use role-based access control for authorization

Intended Audience

• Kubernetes cluster administrators
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) examinees

Prerequisites

You should be familiar with:

• Working with Kubernetes to deploy applications
• Working at the command line in Linux
• Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), particularly using OpenSSL to generate keys and certificates

The following Labs can be used to fulfill the prerequisites: Deploy a Stateless Application in a Kubernetes Cluster, Deploy a Stateful Application in a Kubernetes Cluster, and Best Practices for Deploying SSL/TLS.

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