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Scenario #233
Security
K8s v1.22, Azure AKS
Improperly Configured API Server Authorization
The Kubernetes API server was improperly configured, allowing unauthorized users to make API calls without proper authorization.
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What Happened
The API server authorization mechanisms were misconfigured, allowing unauthorized users to bypass RBAC rules and access sensitive cluster resources.
Diagnosis Steps
- 1Reviewed the API server configuration and found that the authorization mode was incorrectly set, allowing certain users to bypass RBAC.
- 2Verified access control logs and confirmed unauthorized actions.
Root Cause
Misconfiguration in the API server’s authorization mode allowed unauthorized API calls.
Fix/Workaround
• Reconfigured the API server to use proper authorization mechanisms (e.g., RBAC, ABAC).
• Validated and tested API server access to ensure only authorized users could make API calls.Lessons Learned
Properly configuring the Kubernetes API server’s authorization mechanism is crucial for cluster security.
How to Avoid
- 1Regularly audit API server configurations, especially authorization modes, to ensure proper access control.
- 2Implement strict RBAC and ABAC policies for fine-grained access control.