Kubernetes is an open-source container or microservice platform that manages computing, networking, and storage infrastructure workloads. Kubernetes provides a framework to run distributed systems resiliently.    Security Challenges  Kubernetes environment security is a major concern for most organizations. Kubernetes configurations are more complex because of cloud-based multi-environment and hybrid deployments. This increases the chances of human error in system administration and can leave organizations vulnerable to cybersecurity incidents.   In Feb 2018, Telsa had a cyberattack on its infrastructure due to misconfigured a Kubernetes deployment. The attackers were able to exploit this vulnerability and gain access to Tesla’s larger AWS environment. In June 2018, Weight Watchers had the same exposure in their Kubernetes instance. This allowed the attackers to gain access to sensitive details such as AWS access keys, Kubernetes pod specifications, as well as several Amazon S3 buckets that were holding the company’s data.  Due to incidents like these, organizations are pressured to take strict steps to ensure the security of their Kubernetes clusters. Organizations should follow the best practices provided below and look to automate security.  Security Automation   Tools such as Alcide provide continuous automation for Kubernetes’s security-related processes. Alcide Advisor automatically scans for a wide range of compliance, security, and governance risks and vulnerabilities. Then it provides insights and recommendations to ensure clusters, nodes, and pods operate within the provided security guidelines and best practices. Security Recommendations  To ensure the security of a Kubernetes implementation, a set of guidelines that organizations can follow is provided below.   Infrastructure security All-access to the Kubernetes control plane should be controlled by a restricted network access control list  Nodes should be configured to only accept connections  Provide the cluster with cloud provider access that follows the principle of least privilege  Access to etcd limited to the control plane only.  Encrypt all drives at rest  Cluster security  Use Transport Layer Security (TLS) for all API traffic  API Authentication and Authorization  Control the capabilities of a workload or user at runtime  Limit resource usage on a cluster  Control what privileges containers run with  Prevent containers from loading unwanted kernel modules   Restrict network access  Restricting cloud metadata API access  Restrict access to etcd  Enable audit logging  Restrict access to alpha or beta features  Rotate infrastructure credentials frequently  Review third-party integrations before enabling them  Receiving alerts for security updates and reporting vulnerabilities  Container Security   Introduce Container Vulnerability Scanning and OS Dependency Security  Introduce Image Signing and Enforcement  Sign container images to maintain a system of trust  Disallow privileged users  Code Security  Access over TLS only  Limiting port ranges of communication   3rd Party Dependency Security  Static Code Analysis  Dynamic probing attacks