Kubernetes and DevSecOps integrate security into your development pipeline

Kubernetes is a popular tool for managing container applications, which are common in today's application development. There is also another important use case: using Kubernetes in DevSecOps to integrate security throughout the development and deployment process.

In this article, we will go through how Kubernetes can be used in practice within DevSecOps, what is important to consider, and how you can strengthen your security when developing your applications.

How Kubernetes can be used in DevSecOps

DevSecOps (from Development, Security, Operations) is now an important framework for integrating security throughout the entire development lifecycle. It is based on using clear processes, automation and close collaboration, where different teams share responsibility for security.

When used correctly, DevSecOps is an effective method for incorporating security considerations from the very beginning. This ensures that there are no vulnerabilities in the development process that could expose the software to attack risks once it is deployed. This approach has made DevSecOps a very important part of cloud security.

How can Kubernetes contribute to better DevSecOps?

Kubernetes is built with open source code to facilitate container management and distribution, allowing developers to quickly and easily deploy and scale their software in different environments. What makes Kubernetes so popular are important development benefits such as automated deployment, updating and scaling, combined with high availability thanks to automatic distribution across multiple servers.

Kubernetes also provides users with access to a variety of tools for monitoring, resource management and troubleshooting. These benefits not only lead to rapid deployment and scaling. Resource efficiency, automation capabilities and scalability are essential for integrating security practices throughout the development and deployment lifecycle.

The security benefits of Kubernetes in DevSecOps

In addition to a more efficient process that makes it easier to focus on the security aspect of development, Kubernetes also gives you access to a range of tools that improve security. During development, you can use tools for IaC Security and scanning container images to avoid vulnerabilities. When deploying, there are tools for access control and security policies that increase security.

Once the project is up and running, you have access to tools for runtime security, logging and threat detection, which contribute to safe and stable operation.

Overall, this brings with it security benefits such as:

Early detection.
Automation integrates security checks into the development process so that vulnerabilities can be detected and addressed early on.

A more efficient and secure process.
Automated security tasks reduce manual work and the errors that can come with it. This is especially important when working on projects with tight deadlines.

Safer container management.
Kubernetes offers several tools for security scanning in the CI/CD pipeline running on Kubernetes. Security scanning of container images makes it easier to find vulnerabilities before deployment. Admission Controllers can be used to block insecure or unapproved images.
- Pod Security Standards (PSS) can be used to restrict permissions within containers. By integrating these security measures into the CI/CD pipeline, potential vulnerabilities can be identified early in the development cycle.
Role-based access control.
There are several tools for defining detailed permissions for users and groups within the Kubernetes cluster. Restricted access to sensitive resources reduces the risk of vulnerabilities occurring due to unauthorised actions.
Kubernetes applies automatic security policies.
This reduces manual intervention and ensures that consistent security is always maintained at every stage of the development process.
Kubernetes has several logging and monitoring tools that provide better visibility and help detect errors and security incidents.
For example, the threat detection tools Falco and Sysdig Secure monitor and identify security risks in real time. Or Kubernetes Audit Logs, which track API calls and security events in the cluster so you can see what happened and who made the request. Logs are indispensable for both operations and security because they provide direct and practical insights into what is happening.
Kubernetes' ability to quickly scale applications also leads to improved security.
For example, by scaling up new instances of an application to isolate potentially malicious activities to a smaller part of the system. Kubernetes can also quickly scale down vulnerable instances and replace them with new, secure instances.If new security threats occur, Kubernetes can quickly adapt by scaling up new instances with updated security measures. Like other automation capabilities, automatic scaling also frees up time that can be used for additional security measures.
Close collaboration between developers and operations teams.
Perhaps the most important aspect of DevSecOps is the tight collaboration between developers and the teams responsible for operations and security. Kubernetes provides a unified platform and a common arena that facilitates stronger collaboration around application security.

People are at the heart of a Kubernetes-based DevSecOps strategy

There are therefore many technical tools and opportunities within Kubernetes to strengthen security work in DevSecOps. But it is the people and the culture that make it all work successfully. While automation brings major security benefits, it is the security collaboration between the different teams that is the key to successful DevSecOps.

If the teams working on development, operations and security have different goals and perspectives, this can easily lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings. Or the many security benefits of Kubernetes within DevSecOps may be overlooked when different teams have different priorities and focuses.

The key is to break down the walls between the different teams and create a knowledge exchange that truly leads to shared security responsibility. A good start could be joint security training for Dev, Sec and Ops that puts security at the centre of all parts of the process. This leads to a common understanding and a overall view of the different parts of the process. Learning together is also a way to improve communication and understanding between the different parts.

Use common KPIs to create a shared understanding of security

Another good way to strengthen both collaboration and DevSecOps work is to introduce common KPIs that cover security, development and operations. When everyone reviews and measures the same things, a common understanding of security work is created. Some examples of common KPIs could be:

Number of production problems over time and by severity, for full visibility and easier prioritisation of problems.

Average time to action, to ensure that vulnerabilities and misconfigurations are resolved faster over time.

Implementation speed. Since security controls require rapid delivery of updates in order to provide protection, it is useful to have a metric for how often and how quickly you distribute them.

DevOps with Kubernetes at Binero

Would you like all the benefits and strong security of Kubernetes, but lack the time, resources or knowledge to do it yourself? Binero offers a fully managed Kubernetes platform with an automated infrastructure that allows you to focus entirely on developing your applications. You can get started quickly via a simple interface and, together with Binero's public cloud, you get the flexibility and security of a managed service. You also get full visibility of your Kubernetes clusters, error alerts and warnings, secure authentication, scanning and intrusion detection, as well as many other security features for secure operation and secure DevSecOps.