Guide to CIS Kubernetes Benchmarking with Kube-bench
What is CIS?
The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is a non-profit organization that develops globally recognized best practices for securing IT systems and data. CIS provides benchmarks, controls, and guidelines to help organizations improve their cybersecurity posture.
CIS Benchmark for Kubernetes
The CIS Kubernetes Benchmark provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for securing Kubernetes clusters. These benchmarks cover various aspects such as configuration, management, and monitoring, aiming to enhance the overall security of Kubernetes deployments.
You can download the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark from the official CIS website: CIS Kubernetes Benchmark Download.
Introduction to Kube-bench Tool
Kube-bench is an open-source tool developed by Aqua Security that automates the process of checking Kubernetes clusters against the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark. It provides a detailed report highlighting which controls are compliant and which need remediation.
Deploy Kube-bench Options
There are multiple ways to deploy Kube-bench in your Kubernetes environment:
- Running as a Job: Execute Kube-bench as a Kubernetes job, which runs the checks and exits.
- Running as a DaemonSet: Deploy Kube-bench as a DaemonSet to run on every node in the cluster.
- Running locally: Run Kube-bench directly on the command line for individual nodes.
- Kube-bench Installation
- Killer Coda Labs
Run Kube-bench
Fix One Sample Issue
Let's fix an issue identified by Kube-bench:
Ensure that the --anonymous-auth argument is set to false (CIS 1.2.5).
Steps to Fix
1. Identify the Configuration File
Locate the kube-apiserver configuration file, usually found in /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml.
2. Edit the Configuration
Open the kube-apiserver.yaml file and add or modify the --anonymous-auth flag to be false.
3. Apply the Changes
Save the file and the kubelet will automatically restart the kube-apiserver with the new settings.
4. Verify the Fix
Run Kube-bench again to ensure that the issue is resolved.
Conclusion
Using the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark and Kube-bench tool is a robust approach to enhance the security of your Kubernetes clusters. Regularly running these checks and addressing identified issues helps maintain a secure and compliant environment.