Review & Remediate Kubernetes CIS Benchmark
Implementation Effort: Medium
This task involves enabling Kubernetes policy monitoring, reviewing CIS benchmark recommendations, and applying remediations across clusters using Azure Policy or manual configuration updates.
User Impact: Low
Only security and platform engineering teams are involved in the remediation process; end users are not affected.
Overview
Microsoft Defender for Containers supports Kubernetes CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmark assessments by continuously evaluating Kubernetes clusters against industry-standard security best practices. These assessments are surfaced as recommendations in Microsoft Defender for Cloud and help organizations harden their Kubernetes environments.
To review and remediate CIS benchmark issues:
- Ensure Defender for Containers is enabled and Azure Policy for Kubernetes is configured.
- Navigate to Microsoft Defender for Cloud > Recommendations.
- Filter recommendations by Kubernetes CIS benchmark or search for specific controls (e.g., "Ensure that the --anonymous-auth argument is set to false").
- Review each recommendation, which includes:
- Affected clusters
- Severity level
- Remediation steps
- Links to external documentation
- Apply remediations by:
- Updating Kubernetes API server or kubelet configurations
- Applying Azure Policy definitions or Gatekeeper constraints
- Re-deploying workloads with secure settings
This process supports the Zero Trust principle of "Use Least Privilege Access" by enforcing strict configuration baselines and reducing the risk of misconfigurations that could be exploited by attackers.
Risks if not implemented: Without CIS benchmark enforcement, Kubernetes clusters may remain misconfigured, exposing them to privilege escalation, unauthorized access, and lateral movement risks.