CIS Kubernetes Benchmark Implementation Recommendations

The CIS Kubernetes Benchmark is a set of prescriptive recommendations assembled to guide administrators to achieve good security hygiene and results in strengthened security outcomes for their Kubernetes environments. 

Because the recommendations are prescriptive (as they are for most of the CIS Benchmarks), they describe a specific command or setting to be made on a Kubernetes component, what problem the recommendation mitigates, the test for a successful outcome and a remediation to satisfy the recommendation.

At the end of the recommendation made by the CIS Benchmark, there is a mapping to specific CIS Critical Security Controls Safeguards. The Controls Safeguards are aligned with StrongDM’s capabilities.

CIS Recommendations Guidelines for StrongDM

Our role in helping Kubernetes admins focuses on proactive prevention. Meaning, of the relevant recommendations, StrongDM would prevent the issue described from happening in the first place.

StrongDM proactively prevents the following issues addressed by CIS for Kubernetes: the Kubernetes API service (Section 1.2), Authentication and Authorization System (Section 3.1), and the RBAC and Service Accounts Components (Section 5.1).

1. Standing access and standing privileges

StrongDM’s Access Workflows and Just-In-Time access capabilities allow teams to implement access to critical Kubernetes administrative components only when needed and for the duration required. Eliminate standing access and privileges to Kubernetes admins and grant access to components only when needed via automated and manual workflows.

2. Credentials exposure

StrongDM never exposes the credentials needed to access target resources, including Kubernetes, to end users. Rather, the credentials are obtained from a secure vault of your choosing, and exchanged between the StrongDM Gateway and Resource in an encrypted exchange and are never stored on permanent media. 

3. Least privilege reporting

The StrongDM Least Privilege Report provides information about access grants to Kubernetes and other resources that have been inactive for a certain period of time, displaying information such as the user’s name and permission level, the name and type of resource they were granted access, and the last time the resource was accessed. This report allows admins to easily see which users are not using the resources available to them, and assess whether or not their access should be revoked.

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4. Session recording and audit logs for auditing and visibility

StrongDM provides session recordings and audit logs for all access to Kubernetes resources, including the kubectl commands issued, which are critical for identifying root cause and responsible entity in security incidents. This improves Mean Time to Investigate (MTTI) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) to any incident. 

Conclusion: StrongDM Is Critical for Implementing CIS Kubernetes Benchmark

StrongDM provides a robust set of capabilities that simplify access, while maintaining the most secure posture for administrative access to Kubernetes. Support of Kubernetes is just one component that makes up our Zero Trust PAM platform. Knowing that Kubernetes hosts and is adjacent to a myriad of applications and services critical to your business, we also support resources such as databases and cloud accounts, legacy as well as cloud-native applications, and we centralize access to every one of those resources.

Want to see more Zero Trust PAM Kubernetes in action? Book a demo.