Book Image

Kubernetes Secrets Handbook

By : Emmanouil Gkatziouras, Rom Adams, Chen Xi
Book Image

Kubernetes Secrets Handbook

By: Emmanouil Gkatziouras, Rom Adams, Chen Xi

Overview of this book

Securing Secrets in containerized apps poses a significant challenge for Kubernetes IT professionals. This book tackles the critical task of safeguarding sensitive data, addressing the limitations of Kubernetes encryption, and establishing a robust Secrets management system for heightened security for Kubernetes. Starting with the fundamental Kubernetes architecture principles and how they apply to the design of Secrets management, this book delves into advanced Kubernetes concepts such as hands-on security, compliance, risk mitigation, disaster recovery, and backup strategies. With the help of practical, real-world guidance, you’ll learn how to mitigate risks and establish robust Secrets management as you explore different types of external secret stores, configure them in Kubernetes, and integrate them with existing Secrets management solutions. Further, you'll design, implement, and operate a secure method of managing sensitive payload by leveraging real use cases in an iterative process to enhance skills, practices, and analytical thinking, progressively strengthening the security posture with each solution. By the end of this book, you'll have a rock-solid Secrets management solution to run your business-critical applications in a hybrid multi-cloud scenario, addressing operational risks, compliance, and controls.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
Free Chapter
1
Part 1:Introduction to Kubernetes Secrets Management
6
Part 2: Advanced Topics – Kubernetes Secrets in a Production Environment
10
Part 3: Kubernetes Secrets Providers

Adopting a DevSecOps mindset

In the previous sections, we drafted a series of best practices that could be summarized with the following key points:

  • Consider the organization’s governance, which includes the regulatory frameworks they must comply with
  • Adopt a cyber risk management mindset to customize the security controls to be implemented that are appropriate to each business unit instead of a rigid one-size-fits-all cybersecurity policy
  • Consider security as a continuous improvement effort of discovering, analyzing, and reporting during all operational activities

We’ve used the term security posture a couple of times in this handbook. Let’s define what it is while utilizing the NIST 800-37 specifications: “The security status of an enterprise’s networks, information, and systems based on information assurance resources (for example, people, hardware, software, and policies) and capabilities in place to manage the defense of...