Kingdom: Security Features

Software security is not security software. Here we're concerned with topics like authentication, access control, confidentiality, cryptography, and privilege management.

Kubernetes Misconfiguration: Static Authentication Token

Abstract
A Kubernetes API server uses static tokens to authenticate requests.
Explanation
A Kubernetes API server authenticates requests by comparing bearer tokens to a list kept in a static token file. The token file stores secrets in plaintext and is static in nature. Static token-based authentication is susceptible to brute force attacks and can leak access credentials to attackers in a misconfigured environment. To add, replace, or revoke a token, you must restart the API server.

Example 1: Using the --token-auth-file flag, the following configuration starts a Kubernetes API server that authenticates requests by static tokens.

...
spec:
  containers:
  - command:
    - kube-apiserver
    ...
    - --token-auth-file=<filename>
    ...
References
[1] Static Token File The Kubernetes Authors
[2] Standards Mapping - CIS Kubernetes Benchmark Recommendation 1.2.2
[3] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration CWE ID 552
[4] Standards Mapping - DISA Control Correlation Identifier Version 2 CCI-001958
[5] Standards Mapping - FIPS200 CM
[6] Standards Mapping - General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Access Violation
[7] Standards Mapping - NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 4 IA-3 Device Identification and Authentication (P1), IA-8 Identification and Authentication (Non-Organizational Users) (P1)
[8] Standards Mapping - NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 5 IA-3 Device Identification and Authentication, IA-8 Identification and Authentication (Non-Organizational Users)
[9] Standards Mapping - OWASP API 2023 API8 Security Misconfiguration
[10] Standards Mapping - OWASP Application Security Verification Standard 4.0 1.9.1 Communications Architectural Requirements (L2 L3), 2.2.5 General Authenticator Requirements (L3), 2.6.3 Look-up Secret Verifier Requirements (L2 L3), 6.2.1 Algorithms (L1 L2 L3), 8.3.1 Sensitive Private Data (L1 L2 L3), 8.1.6 General Data Protection (L3), 9.1.1 Communications Security Requirements (L1 L2 L3), 9.2.2 Server Communications Security Requirements (L2 L3), 14.4.5 HTTP Security Headers Requirements (L1 L2 L3)
[11] Standards Mapping - OWASP Mobile 2014 M5 Poor Authorization and Authentication
[12] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2004 A10 Insecure Configuration Management
[13] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2007 A7 Broken Authentication and Session Management
[14] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2010 A6 Security Misconfiguration
[15] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2013 A5 Security Misconfiguration
[16] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2017 A6 Security Misconfiguration
[17] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2021 A05 Security Misconfiguration
[18] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.1 Requirement 6.5.10
[19] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.2 Requirement 6.5.7
[20] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.0 Requirement 6.5.10
[21] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.1 Requirement 6.5.10
[22] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.2 Requirement 6.5.10
[23] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.2.1 Requirement 6.5.10
[24] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 4.0 Requirement 6.2.4
[25] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 4.0.1 Requirement 6.2.4
[26] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.0 Control Objective 4.2 - Critical Asset Protection
[27] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.1 Control Objective 4.2 - Critical Asset Protection
[28] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.2 Control Objective 4.2 - Critical Asset Protection
[29] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.1 APP3260.1 CAT II
[30] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.4 APP3260 CAT II
[31] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.5 APP3260 CAT II
[32] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.6 APP3260 CAT II
[33] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.7 APP3260 CAT II
[34] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.9 APP3260 CAT II
[35] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.10 APP3260 CAT II
[36] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.2 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[37] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.3 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[38] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.4 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[39] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.5 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[40] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.6 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[41] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.7 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[42] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.8 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[43] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.9 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[44] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.10 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[45] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.11 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[46] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.1 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[47] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.1 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[48] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.2 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[49] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.3 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[50] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 6.1 APSC-DV-001650 CAT II
[51] Standards Mapping - Web Application Security Consortium Version 2.00 Server Misconfiguration (WASC-14)
desc.structural.yaml.kubernetes_misconfiguration_static_authentication_token.base