As a new engineer, understanding the concept of security is important for several reasons.
First, security is a fundamental aspect of cloud native application development. It is the practice of protecting applications, data, and infrastructure from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. By understanding how security works, you will be able to build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications more effectively and securely.
Second, security allows for better protection of sensitive data. By implementing security controls and best practices, it ensures that sensitive information is protected and kept confidential.
Third, security promotes better compliance with industry standards and regulations. By implementing security controls and best practices, it ensures that the application and infrastructure meet compliance requirements for various regulations such as HIPAA, SOC2, PCI-DSS, and more.
Fourth, security allows for better resilience and availability of the system. By implementing security controls and best practices, it ensures that the application and infrastructure are protected from threats and can continue to operate in case of an attack or failure.
In summary, as a new engineer, understanding the concept of security is important because it is a fundamental aspect of cloud native application development. It allows for better protection of sensitive data, promotes better compliance with industry standards and regulations, and allows for better resilience and availability of the system. It is a critical component of building and deploying applications in a cloud environment and is essential for any engineer working in the field today.
Learning Materials
Here’s a list to get you started learning about security. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.
Beginner:
- “Introduction to Cloud Security” by Hitachi: https://hitachi-systems-security.com/infographic-introduction-to-cloud-security/
- “Azure Security Fundamentals” by Microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/
- “What is Cloud Security?” by IBM: https://www.ibm.com/topics/cloud-security
Intermediate:
- “Cloud Security with AWS” by AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/security/
- “Cloud Security with Azure” by Microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/overview
- “Cloud Security with GCP” by Google: https://cloud.google.com/security/
Advanced:
- “Advanced Cloud Security REFCARDS” by dzone: https://dzone.com/refcardz/advanced-cloud-security
- “Overview of Cloud Native Security” by Kubernetes: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/security/overview/
- “Cloud-Native Security Baseline Policy” by Microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-adoption-framework/govern/security-baseline/cloud-native-policy
Videos to Watch
Understanding Security In The Cloud Native World
The Cloud Native Computing Foundation’s survey found that while companies recognize the need for modernizing security, there is still a gap in expertise and tooling to map compliance requirements to cloud native technologies. CNCF is working to bridge this gap through education, security control mapping, and creating an interactive map to help organizations navigate the cognitive security paper.
A Possible Learning Path
Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different security tools such as Kubernetes Network Policies, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and Secrets Management. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying these tools on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.
Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of security, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes API objects, encryption, and authentication. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.
Understanding the principles and best practices: Security is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of security such as least privilege, defense in depth, and threat modeling.
Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with security for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.
Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using security tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.
A Note from the Architect
Security is important, but it’s not something you can ever get completely covered.
Cloud native architecture poses many risks, such as data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and denial of service attacks. These risks can have significant consequences for both the organization and its customers.
One main area of concern in cloud native architecture is access control. In a cloud environment, it’s easy for unauthorized users to gain access to sensitive information if proper access controls are not in place. To mitigate this risk, it’s important to implement identity and access management (IAM) policies that limit access to resources based on user roles and permissions.
Another area of concern is data encryption. In a cloud environment, data is often stored and transmitted over networks, making it vulnerable to interception and theft. To mitigate this risk, it’s important to encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit.
A third area of concern is network security. In a cloud environment, networks are often shared among multiple tenants, making them vulnerable to attacks. To mitigate this risk, it’s important to implement network security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), and virtual private networks (VPNs).
It’s important to note that security is a constant practice and not a one-time event. It’s important to regularly review and update security policies, implement security updates and patches, and conduct regular security audits to ensure that the systems and applications are secure.
It’s also important to educate developers on the security best practices and make them aware of the potential risks and ways to mitigate them. This will help ensure that security is built into the development process from the beginning, rather than an afterthought.
