Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is a managed Kubernetes service that simplifies deployment and offers features like security, access control, and monitoring. However, AKS users are still responsible for securing their containers and applications. This blog post will discuss some of the best practices for securing AKS clusters.
AKS security responsibilities
AKS vs. user responsibilities:
AKS manages the Kubernetes control plane, including the API server, etcd, and the scheduler.
Users are responsible for securing their applications and pods, as well as the worker nodes that run their pods.
Best practices for securing AKS clusters:
Use Azure Active Directory (AAD) for access control: AAD provides a centralized way to manage user identities and access to AKS clusters.
Keep software up to date: This includes the Kubernetes version, as well as the container images that you are using.
Limit container permissions: Use pod security policies to restrict the permissions that containers have on the host node.
Use network security policies: Network security policies can be used to restrict pod traffic to and from the cluster.
Monitor your cluster for security events: Use Azure Monitor to monitor your AKS cluster for security events, such as failed login attempts or suspicious activity.
Additional security features in AKS
Pod security policies: Pod security policies can be used to restrict the permissions that containers have on the host node.
Network security policies: Network security policies can be used to restrict pod traffic to and from the cluster.
Azure Policy: Azure Policy can be used to set up and enforce security policies for your AKS cluster.
Azure Defender for Containers: Azure Defender for Containers is a security service that can help you to identify and prevent threats to your containerized applications.
Azure Key Vault: Azure Key Vault can be used to store and manage secrets for your AKS cluster.
AKS is a powerful platform for deploying and managing containerized applications. However, it is important to remember that AKS users are responsible for securing their clusters and applications. By following the best practices outlined in this blog post, you can help to ensure that your AKS clusters are secure and compliant.