kube-bench

Pros of Falco

• Real-time threat detection and alerting for runtime security
• Broader scope, monitoring system calls and container activities
• Highly customizable rules engine for detecting complex behaviors

Cons of Falco

• Higher resource overhead due to continuous monitoring
• Steeper learning curve for writing custom rules
• Requires kernel module or eBPF probe for deep system visibility

Code Comparison

Falco rule example:

- rule: Unauthorized Process
  desc: Detect unauthorized process execution
  condition: proc.name in (unauthorized_procs)
  output: "Unauthorized process started (user=%user.name command=%proc.cmdline)"
  priority: WARNING

Kube-bench check example:

- id: 1.2.1
  text: "Ensure that the --anonymous-auth argument is set to false"
  audit: "ps -ef | grep kube-apiserver | grep -v grep"
  tests:
    test_items:
    - flag: "--anonymous-auth"
      compare:
        op: eq
        value: false
  remediation: "Edit the API server pod specification file /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml on the master node and set --anonymous-auth=false"

While Kube-bench focuses on static configuration checks against CIS benchmarks, Falco provides dynamic runtime security monitoring with a flexible rule system. Kube-bench is more specialized for Kubernetes security audits, while Falco offers broader system-wide security monitoring capabilities.

Pros of Gatekeeper

• Provides dynamic policy enforcement for Kubernetes clusters
• Supports custom policies using Rego language
• Integrates with Kubernetes admission controllers for real-time policy checks

Cons of Gatekeeper

• Steeper learning curve due to Rego language and OPA concepts
• Requires more setup and configuration compared to Kube-bench
• May introduce performance overhead in large-scale deployments

Code Comparison

Kube-bench (YAML configuration):

checks:
  - id: 1.1.1
    text: "Ensure that the API server pod specification file permissions are set to 644 or more restrictive"
    audit: "stat -c %a /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml"
    tests:
      test_items:
        - flag: "644"
          compare:
            op: le
            value: "644"
    remediation: "chmod 644 /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml"

Gatekeeper (Rego policy):

package kubernetes.admissioncontrol

deny[msg] {
  input.request.kind.kind == "Pod"
  container := input.request.object.spec.containers[_]
  not container.securityContext.runAsNonRoot

  msg := sprintf("Container %v must not run as root", [container.name])
}

Pros of kubesec

• Focuses on Kubernetes manifest security, providing a more specialized analysis
• Offers both a CLI tool and a web interface for easy accessibility
• Provides a risk score and detailed explanations for each security issue found

Cons of kubesec

• Less comprehensive coverage compared to kube-bench, which checks the entire Kubernetes cluster
• May require more manual interpretation of results, as it doesn't directly map to specific benchmarks or standards

Code Comparison

kube-bench:

controls:
- id: 1
  text: "Control Plane Security Configuration"
  checks:
    - id: 1.1
      text: "Ensure that the API server pod specification file permissions are set to 644 or more restrictive"
      audit: "stat -c %a /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml"
      tests:
        bin_op: or
        test_items:
        - flag: "644"
        - flag: "640"
        - flag: "600"
      remediation: "Run the following command:\nchmod 644 /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml"

kubesec:

---
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: kubesec-demo
spec:
  containers:
  - name: kubesec-demo
    image: gcr.io/google-samples/node-hello:1.0
    securityContext:
      readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
      runAsNonRoot: true
      runAsUser: 10001

Pros of KubeSphere

• Comprehensive enterprise-grade container platform with a user-friendly web console
• Provides multi-tenant management, DevOps automation, and microservices governance
• Offers a broader set of features beyond security auditing, including monitoring and logging

Cons of KubeSphere

• More complex setup and resource-intensive compared to kube-bench
• Steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set
• May be overkill for users only seeking Kubernetes security auditing

Code Comparison

kube-bench:

controls:
- id: 1
  text: "Control Plane Components"
  checks:
    - id: 1.1
      text: "Master Node Configuration Files"
      tests:
        - bin: "test"
          check: "-e"
          arg: "/etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml"

KubeSphere:

apiVersion: installer.kubesphere.io/v1alpha1
kind: ClusterConfiguration
metadata:
  name: ks-installer
  namespace: kubesphere-system
  labels:
    version: v3.3.0
spec:
  persistence:
    storageClass: ""
  authentication:
    jwtSecret: ""

While kube-bench focuses on security checks, KubeSphere's configuration encompasses a wider range of platform features.

Pros of StackRox

• Comprehensive security platform covering multiple aspects of container and Kubernetes security
• Provides real-time threat detection and response capabilities
• Offers a user-friendly interface for easier management and visualization

Cons of StackRox

• More complex setup and configuration compared to Kube-bench
• Requires more resources to run due to its broader feature set
• May have a steeper learning curve for new users

Code Comparison

StackRox (Go):

func (s *Scanner) ScanImage(ctx context.Context, image string) (*storage.Image, error) {
    // Implementation for scanning container images
}

Kube-bench (Go):

func runChecks(nodetype check.NodeType, kubeCnfFile string) error {
    // Implementation for running Kubernetes benchmark checks
}

While both projects are written in Go, StackRox focuses on broader security scanning and monitoring, whereas Kube-bench specifically targets Kubernetes security benchmark checks. StackRox's codebase is likely more extensive due to its wider range of features.

StackRox offers a more comprehensive security solution for Kubernetes environments, including runtime security and compliance monitoring. Kube-bench, on the other hand, is a specialized tool for running CIS Kubernetes Benchmark tests, making it simpler to use but more limited in scope.