10 ways to improve your container workload security by Rory McCune

Step-by-Step Tutorial: Improving Container Workload Security

1. Modify Application Configuration for Security

• When developing an application for deployment on Kubernetes, modify the configuration to enhance security.
• Use configuration files similar to Docker files to specify installed application packages and runtime settings.
• Utilize workload manifests or YAML files for deployment on Kubernetes to adjust default settings provided by Kubernetes.

2. Enhance Container Image Security

• Start with selecting a base image for your container, such as Debian, Ubuntu, Alpine, or Red Hat.
• Consider using minimal base images like "from scratch" or static distros like Google's distroless or ChainGuard's Wolfie for reduced vulnerabilities and a hardened environment.

3. Avoid Running Containers as Root

• By default, every container runs as root in Docker, which can pose security risks.
• Add a user and group inside the container image to avoid running as root, enhancing security.

4. Utilize Security Context in Kubernetes

• Kubernetes orchestrates container runtimes like Docker, Cryo, or Containerd.
• Utilize security context in Kubernetes manifests to adjust security settings such as privileged, low privilege escalation, and UID/GID specifications.

5. Set Privileged to False

• Disable the privileged setting in security context to enhance security and prevent insecure container operations.

6. Enable Low Privilege Escalation

• Specify low privilege escalation to restrict applications from gaining additional privileges unless necessary, improving security.

7. Implement Read-Only Root File Systems

• Configure the root file system as read-only to deter attackers from modifying critical system files in containers.

8. Manage Linux Capabilities

• Drop unnecessary Linux capabilities in containers to limit the actions a container can perform, enhancing security.

9. Enable Second Filter for Syscalls

• Enable the second filter for syscalls to block potentially dangerous system calls and prevent privilege escalation attacks in Docker containers.

10. Set Resource Limits

• Specify resource requests and limits for memory and CPU in containers to prevent rogue processes from consuming excessive resources, ensuring fair resource allocation in the cluster.

Additional Resources for Container Security:

• Explore Docker's Security Options and Kubernetes Pod Security Standards for detailed settings.
• Consider reading books like "Container Security" by Liz Rice and "Hacking Kubernetes" for in-depth knowledge.
• Check out Datadog Security Labs for container security fundamentals and visit sites like Security Site for more resources.
• Attend meetings by Tank Security and Cloud Native Security groups for discussions on Kubernetes and cloud-native security.

By following these steps and utilizing the recommended resources, you can significantly enhance the security of your containerized applications on Kubernetes clusters.