Module 1: Introduction to Cloud Native Security Slides

Slide Outline

1. Introduction to Cloud Native Security - Why traditional security fails in cloud-native systems and how to think about modern infrastructure protection
2. Learning Objectives - 4 outcomes for this module
3. Why This Module Matters - Every Kubernetes cluster deployed without security awareness is a breach waiting to happen. Default Kubernetes configura
4. Before vs After - The operational shift this module teaches
5. The Evolution of Infrastructure - Lesson section from the full module
6. Why Traditional Security Fails - Lesson section from the full module
7. The Cloud Native Threat Landscape - Lesson section from the full module
8. Core Security Principles - Lesson section from the full module
9. Real-World Use Cases - Securing production Kubernetes clusters from day one, Building security-first internal developer platforms
10. Common Mistakes to Avoid - 5 mistakes covered
11. Hands-On Labs - 2 hands-on labs
12. Key Takeaways - 5 points to remember

Learning Objectives

• Understand the evolution from monoliths to cloud-native platforms
• Learn why perimeter security fails with ephemeral workloads
• Map the cloud-native threat landscape
• Build a security-first engineering mindset

Why This Module Matters

Every Kubernetes cluster deployed without security awareness is a breach waiting to happen. Default Kubernetes configurations are intentionally permissive for developer convenience — not for production safety. Understanding the threat landscape and security principles BEFORE deploying is the difference between a secure platform and a headline-making incident.

Common Mistakes

• Assuming Kubernetes is secure by default (it is not)
• Using the default service account for all workloads
• Storing secrets in plain ConfigMaps or environment variables
• Deploying containers as root without resource limits
• Relying solely on network policies for east-west security

Key Takeaways

• Traditional perimeter security fails with ephemeral cloud-native workloads
• Cloud native security requires five pillars: identity, zero trust, policy, runtime, supply chain
• Least privilege and defense in depth are foundational principles
• The threat landscape includes container escapes, RBAC abuse, supply chain attacks, and lateral movement
• Security must shift left — it starts in the build pipeline, not after deployment

Hands-On Labs

1. Exploring the Kubernetes Attack Surface

   Identify security weaknesses in a default Kubernetes deployment.

   30 min - Beginner

   • Deploy a Kind cluster with default settings
   • List all service accounts and their permissions
   • Access the Kubernetes API from inside a pod
   • Document every security gap you find

   View lab files on GitHub

2. Analyzing Insecure Deployment Examples

   Review real-world insecure Kubernetes manifests and identify vulnerabilities.

   25 min - Beginner

   • Review 5 intentionally insecure deployment manifests
   • Identify the security issues in each
   • Write hardened versions of each manifest
   • Compare before and after with diff

   View lab files on GitHub