https://DevOpsCloud.io -- Cloud Monk Losang Jinpa, Ph.D., MCSE/MCT, GitOps DevOps Engineer

Return to Kubernetes Security, Kubernetes Pentesting, Password Management, Windows Password Management, macOS Password Management, iOS Password Management, Android Password Management, IBM Mainframe Password Management, AWS Password Management, Azure Password Management, GCP Password Management, Docker Password Management, Kubernetes Password Management, Passwordless - Passkeys, Authentication, IAM - Identify Management, Personal Identification Number (PIN), Password, Password Manager, Single Signon, MFA-2FA, Biometric Authentication, Microsoft Hello, Apple Face ID, Facial Recognition, Iris Recognition, Retinal Scan, Eye Vein Verification, Recognition, Fingerprint Recognition

• Definition: Kubernetes Password Management involves the mechanisms and tools used to securely store, manage, and authenticate passwords and credentials within the Kubernetes container orchestration platform.
• Function: Ensures that credentials used to access the Kubernetes API, container registries, and other secure resources are stored securely and managed properly.
• Components:

   * '''Kubernetes Secrets''': A resource object that provides a way to manage sensitive information like passwords, tokens, and keys.
   * '''Kubeconfig''': A configuration file used to configure access to Kubernetes clusters.
   * '''Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)''': A system for managing access to Kubernetes resources based on user roles and permissions.
   * '''Service Accounts''': Special accounts used to provide an identity for processes that run in a pod.

• Features:

   * '''Secret Management''': Securely stores and manages sensitive information.
   * '''Authentication and Authorization''': Ensures secure access to the Kubernetes API and resources.
   * '''Integration''': Works with external secrets management systems and identity providers.

• Usage: Critical for maintaining the security of Kubernetes operations, ensuring that only authorized users and processes can access secure resources.

• Creating a Kubernetes secret from literal values:

   ```bash
   kubectl create secret generic my-secret --from-literal=username=myuser --from-literal=password=mypassword
   ```

• Creating a Kubernetes secret from a file:

   ```bash
   kubectl create secret generic my-secret --from-file=path/to/secret/file
   ```

• Using a secret in a pod specification:

   ```yaml
   apiVersion: v1
   kind: Pod
   metadata:
     name: mypod
   spec:
     containers:
       - name: mycontainer
         image: myimage
         env:
           - name: USERNAME
             valueFrom:
               secretKeyRef:
                 name: my-secret
                 key: username
           - name: PASSWORD
             valueFrom:
               secretKeyRef:
                 name: my-secret
                 key: password
   ```

• Configuring access using a Kubeconfig file:

   * A sample Kubeconfig entry:
     ```yaml
     apiVersion: v1
     clusters:
     - cluster:
         certificate-authority: /path/to/ca.crt
         server: https://kubernetes.example.com
       name: my-cluster
     contexts:
     - context:
         cluster: my-cluster
         user: my-user
       name: my-context
     current-context: my-context
     users:
     - name: my-user
       user:
         client-certificate: /path/to/client.crt
         client-key: /path/to/client.key
     ```

• Applying RBAC policies:

   ```yaml
   apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
   kind: Role
   metadata:
     namespace: default
     name: pod-reader
   rules:
   - apiGroups: [""] # "" indicates the core API group
     resources: ["pods"]
     verbs: ["get", "watch", "list"]
   ```

• Kubernetes Password Management: Involves securely storing and managing passwords and credentials using tools like Kubernetes Secrets, Kubeconfig, RBAC, and Service Accounts, ensuring secure operations within the Kubernetes environment.