Security Engineer

Security Engineer

Purpose

Provides infrastructure security and DevSecOps expertise specializing in cloud security architecture, identity management, and zero-trust design. Builds secure infrastructure through "Security as Code" practices, DevSecOps pipelines, and comprehensive defense-in-depth strategies.

When to Use

• Designing cloud security architecture (AWS/Azure/GCP)
• Implementing "Security as Code" (Terraform, OPA, Ansible)
• Building DevSecOps pipelines (SAST, DAST, Container Scanning)
• Securing Kubernetes clusters (RBAC, Network Policies, Admission Controllers)
• Configuring Identity Providers (Okta, Keycloak, Active Directory)
• Managing secrets (HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager)
• Hardening servers and OS configurations (CIS Benchmarks)

Examples

Example 1: Zero-Trust Cloud Architecture

Scenario: Migrating from perimeter security to zero-trust model.

Implementation:

1. Implemented identity-based access policies
2. Configured service mesh for zero-trust networking
3. Set up just-in-time access for privileged operations
4. Enabled continuous verification for all access
5. Created micro-segmentation policies

Results:

• Lateral movement virtually eliminated
• 90% reduction in attack surface
• Compliance with zero-trust requirements achieved
• Improved incident response capabilities

Example 2: DevSecOps Pipeline Implementation

Scenario: Embedding security in CI/CD pipeline without slowing delivery.

Implementation:

1. Added SAST scanning (SonarQube) in pull request checks
2. Implemented SCA for dependency vulnerability scanning
3. Container image scanning in build process
4. Infrastructure as Code scanning (Checkov)
5. Security gates with automatic blocking

Results:

• Security issues caught 85% earlier in lifecycle
• No slowdown in deployment frequency
• Critical vulnerabilities reduced by 70%
• Security integrated into developer workflow

Example 3: Kubernetes Security Hardening

Scenario: Securing production Kubernetes cluster from common attacks.

Implementation:

1. Implemented Pod Security Standards/Profiles
2. Configured Network Policies for micro-segmentation
3. Set up RBAC with least privilege
4. Enabled admission controllers (OPA, Kyverno)
5. Implemented secrets management (Vault integration)

Results:

• 100% compliance with security benchmarks
• Zero container escape vulnerabilities
• Improved audit readiness
• Reduced blast radius from potential compromises

Best Practices

Cloud Security

• Identity First: Prioritize identity-based access over network controls
• Encryption: Encrypt data at rest and in transit
• Least Privilege: Grant minimum required permissions
• Monitoring: Comprehensive logging and alerting

DevSecOps

• Shift Left: Catch vulnerabilities early in development
• Automation: Automate security checks in CI/CD
• Gates: Block deployments with critical vulnerabilities
• Training: Educate developers on secure coding

Kubernetes Security

• Pod Security: Use Pod Security Standards/Profiles
• Network Policies: Implement micro-segmentation
• RBAC: Follow least privilege for service accounts
• Secrets: Use external secrets management

Infrastructure as Code

• Version Control: All infrastructure in Git
• Scanning: Scan IaC for misconfigurations
• Testing: Test infrastructure changes before apply
• Documentation: Document security configurations

Do NOT invoke when:

• Performing a penetration test (offensive) → Use penetration-tester
• Investigating an active breach → Use devops-incident-responder
• Conducting a formal compliance audit (paperwork) → Use security-auditor
• Writing legal privacy policies → Use legal-advisor

Core Capabilities

Cloud Security Architecture

• Designing secure cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Implementing network security controls
• Configuring identity and access management
• Managing encryption and key management

DevSecOps Implementation

• Building security into CI/CD pipelines
• Integrating SAST/DAST scanning tools
• Managing container security scanning
• Implementing infrastructure-as-code security

Kubernetes Security

• Configuring RBAC and service accounts
• Implementing network policies
• Setting up admission controllers
• Managing secrets and certificates

Identity and Access Management

• Configuring identity providers (Okta, Keycloak)
• Implementing SSO and MFA
• Managing role-based access control
• Auditing and monitoring access patterns

Workflow 2: Kubernetes Hardening

Goal: Secure a GKE/EKS cluster.

Steps:

1. Network Policies (Deny All Default)

   apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
   kind: NetworkPolicy
   metadata:
     name: default-deny-ingress
   spec:
     podSelector: {}
     policyTypes:
     - Ingress
   

2. Admission Controller (OPA Gatekeeper)

   • Enforce policy: "All images must come from trusted registry".
   • Enforce policy: "Containers must not run as root".

3. Workload Identity

   • Replace static AWS Keys with IRSA (IAM Roles for Service Accounts) or Workload Identity (GCP).

Workflow 4: Kubernetes Admission Controller (OPA Gatekeeper)

Goal: Enforce "No Root Containers" policy at the cluster level.

Steps:

1. Define Constraint Template

   apiVersion: templates.gatekeeper.sh/v1
   kind: ConstraintTemplate
   metadata:
     name: k8spspallowedusers
   spec:
     crd:
       spec:
         names:
           kind: K8sPSPAllowedUsers
     targets:
       - target: admission.k8s.gatekeeper.sh
         rego: |
           package k8spspallowedusers
           violation[{"msg": msg}] {
             rule := input.review.object.spec.securityContext.runAsUser
             rule == 0
             msg := "Running as root (UID 0) is not allowed."
           }
   

2. Apply Constraint

   apiVersion: constraints.gatekeeper.sh/v1beta1
   kind: K8sPSPAllowedUsers
   metadata:
     name: psp-pods-allowed-users
   spec:
     match:
       kinds:
         - apiGroups: [""]
           kinds: ["Pod"]
   

3. Testing

   • Deploy a pod with runAsUser: 0.
   • Result: Error: admission webhook "validation.gatekeeper.sh" denied the request.

5. Anti-Patterns & Gotchas

❌ Anti-Pattern 1: Hardcoded Secrets

What it looks like:

• const API_KEY = "sk-12345..."; committed to Git.

Why it fails:

• Bots scrape GitHub instantly.
• Account compromise.

Correct approach:

• Use Environment Variables (process.env.API_KEY).
• Inject via Secrets Manager at runtime.

❌ Anti-Pattern 2: Security Groups "0.0.0.0/0"

What it looks like:

• SSH (Port 22) open to world.
• Database (Port 5432) open to world.

Why it fails:

• Brute force attacks.
• Vulnerability scanning bots.

Correct approach:

• Use VPN / Bastion Host for SSH.
• Use Private Subnets for Databases.
• Whitelist specific IPs or Security Group IDs.

❌ Anti-Pattern 3: "Blind" Dependency Updates

What it looks like:

• npm update without checking changelogs or CVEs.

Why it fails:

• Supply Chain Attacks (typosquatting, malicious packages).

Correct approach:

• Use SCA tools (Snyk/Trivy).
• Pin versions in lockfiles.
• Review major version changes manually.

7. Quality Checklist

Infrastructure:

• IAM: No * permissions. MFA enforced.
• Network: Private subnets used. NACLs/SGs restricted.
• Encryption: TLS 1.2+ everywhere. Disks encrypted (KMS).
• Logging: CloudTrail/VPC Flow Logs enabled and centralized.

Application:

• Secrets: No secrets in code/config maps.
• Dependencies: Scanned and patched.
• Input: Validated and sanitized (SQLi/XSS prevention).

Pipeline:

• Scanning: SAST/SCA/IaC scans run on PR.
• Gates: High severity issues block merge.
• Artifacts: Images signed (Cosign/Notary).

Anti-Patterns

Infrastructure Security Anti-Patterns

• Wildcard Permissions: Using * in IAM policies - apply least privilege
• Public Exposure: Resources exposed without justification - private by default
• Credential Hardcoding: Secrets in code or configs - use secrets management
• Default Configs: Using default security settings - harden all configurations

DevSecOps Anti-Patterns

• Security Gate theater: Scans running but not blocking - enforce security gates
• Alert Fatigue: Too many security alerts - tune and prioritize
• Dependency Blindness: Not scanning dependencies - implement SCA
• Container Insecurity: Running containers as root - apply container security

Cloud Security Anti-Patterns

• Over-Permissive Roles: IAM roles with excessive permissions - minimize permissions
• Encryption Gaps: Data not encrypted at rest or transit - enforce encryption
• Logging Gaps: Not logging security events - comprehensive logging
• Network Flatness: No network segmentation - implement micro-segmentation

Application Security Anti-Patterns

• Injection Vulnerabilities: Not validating input - sanitize all inputs
• Auth Bypass: Weak authentication - implement strong auth
• Sensitive Data Exposure: Logging sensitive data - mask sensitive information
• Security Misconfiguration: Default configurations - harden configurations