Why NeuVector Trumps Traditional Intrusion Detection System (IDS) in Kubernetes

Kubernetes is quickly becoming the go-to platform for container orchestration, and for a good reason. It allows organizations to deploy, scale, and manage containerized applications in a highly-available and resilient manner. However, as Kubernetes becomes more widely adopted, it’s important to remember the most critical responsibilities for any organization operating Kubernetes is securing the platform and the workloads running on it.

Security in Kubernetes is different from traditional environments because of the way it abstracts the underlying infrastructure. In a traditional environment, the security perimeter is defined by the network and the host. In a Kubernetes environment, the security perimeter is defined by the pod, which is the smallest unit of scheduling in Kubernetes. Pods can be created, destroyed, and moved around the cluster at any time, making it difficult to maintain a consistent security posture. Additionally, pods can be configured to run with escalated privileges, which can lead to a compromised process being able to access the corresponding node and sometimes the entire cluster.

Due to the unique nature of Kubernetes orchestration model, traditional security solutions are insufficient for protecting these types of environments.  

In Kubernetes, software-defined networking is leveraged to allow the platform to frequently change firewall rules, assign new IPs regularly and apply network security policies.  Additionally, Kubernetes workloads are self healing and autoscaling where instances of workloads appear across various nodes in a cluster and change rapidly on a constant basis.  Due to the nature of how these environments fundamentally operate, traditional Host & Network intrusion detection systems lack the ability to understand normal behavior in a Kubernetes environment without a tremendous amount of redesign.

This operational model allows workloads to scale quickly but also creates a number of security challenges that need to be solved differently than any system designed previously. Host & Network based IDSs are designed for specific use cases which have not evolved to understand the mutating nature of Kubernetes and the unique ways services move across nodes in an environment. This means they may not be able to detect malicious activity occurring in the environment and new threat types which need to be analyzed from a different perspective because of new attack vectors.

If a hacker were to gain access to a container by exploiting a vulnerability in the exposed running process and proceeds to connect to another container living in the same network addressable space, how would a traditional host or network based IDS understand that this behavior wasn’t normal?  Understanding the behavioral patterns of Kubernetes is key to successfully protecting the environment and that requires a deep integration with all running nodes and the services itself Kubernetes provides.

Enter NeuVector. NeuVector is a Kubernetes-native security solution that provides automated security for containerized applications. It uses a combination of runtime security, network security, and Kubernetes-specific security features to provide a comprehensive security solution for Kubernetes environments.

Runtime Security Capabilities

NeuVector’s runtime security capabilities use behavioral analysis to detect malicious activity inside the container, such as rogue processes or malicious code injection. Additionally, NeuVector integrates with the Kubernetes API to automatically discover and protect new pods as they are created. This ensures that the security posture of the entire cluster is maintained in real-time.

For example, if a new pod is created that does not meet the organization’s security policy, NeuVector can automatically block traffic to and from that pod until it is brought into compliance. This can help to prevent a compromised pod from compromising the entire cluster.

Network Security Capabilities

NeuVector’s network security capabilities provides a Kubernetes-native firewall that can be used to segment traffic between pods, and can be used to enforce network policies at the pod level. This allows organizations to implement a network-based zero-trust security model, where all traffic is considered untrusted until proven otherwise.

For example, if an organization wants to segment traffic between different teams or projects, NeuVector can be used to create firewall rules that only allow traffic between specific pods or services. This can be especially useful in multi-tenant environments, where different teams may be running workloads on the same cluster. Additionally, NeuVector can also be used to detect and block malicious network traffic, such as port scans or DDoS attacks.

Kubernetes-specific Security

NeuVector provides Kubernetes-specific security features, such as automated security policy generation, and automated enforcement of Kubernetes security best practices.

For example, it can automatically detect and prevent pods from running with escalated privileges, which can help to prevent a compromised pod from compromising the entire cluster. NeuVector can also be used to scan container images for vulnerabilities and block the deployment of images that do not meet the organization’s security standards.

Secure Kubernetes Environments with NeuVector

NeuVector is a necessary solution for securing Kubernetes environments. Its Kubernetes-native design and advanced security features make it well-suited for the dynamic nature of a Kubernetes environment. Its runtime security, network security, and Kubernetes-specific security features provide a comprehensive security solution that traditional security solutions are unable to provide. By using NeuVector, organizations can ensure that their Kubernetes environment is secure, even as it scales and evolves over time.

NeuVector is a leading provider of Kubernetes security solutions, and is trusted by many organizations to secure their production Kubernetes environments. It is also worth noting that NeuVector has been recognized by industry analysts as a “Cool Vendor” in the Container Security space.

Companies are using NeuVector to protect their containerized workloads and meet compliance requirements. With its advanced features and Kubernetes-native design, NeuVector is the great choice for securing your Kubernetes environment and ensuring the security of your containerized applications.

Do you need a Kubernetes-specific security solution that can scale with your environment? Contact Shadow-Soft to learn more about NeuVector.