Applying Zero Trust to Kubernetes Clusters

Abstract

The growing adoption of Kubernetes as the foundation for cloud-native architectures, has underscored the need for robust and scalable security measures. Traditional security models often fail to address the dynamic and distributed nature of Kubernetes environments, making them vulnerable to threats such as lateral movement, privilege escalation, and misconfigured access controls. This paper explores the application of Zero Trust principles in Kubernetes clusters, synthesizing insights from peer-reviewed and technical studies to evaluate the effectiveness of current tools and practices. The research methodology involved a systematic literature review, identifying key security vulnerabilities, tools for Zero Trust implementation, and their impact on performance, scalability, and manageability. The findings reveal that while Zero Trust significantly enhances security, challenges such as integration, scalability in multi-cloud deployments, and performance trade-offs remain. A roadmap is proposed to address these challenges, integrating tools like Istio, Kyverno, and Falco into a cohesive framework for Zero Trust.