| name | implementing-runtime-security-with-tetragon |
| description | Implement eBPF-based runtime security observability and enforcement in Kubernetes clusters using Cilium Tetragon, monitoring process execution, file access, network connections, and syscalls at the kernel level. Use when deploying Tetragon to detect or block dangerous syscalls (ptrace, mount, unshare), enforce kernel-level Kubernetes security policy, or add low-overhead runtime threat detection to a cluster. |
| domain | cybersecurity |
| subdomain | container-security |
| tags | ["tetragon","ebpf","runtime-security","kubernetes","cilium","container-security","observability","kernel-security","cncf"] |
| version | 1.0 |
| author | mahipal |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| nist_ai_rmf | ["MEASURE-2.7","MAP-5.1","MANAGE-2.4"] |
| atlas_techniques | ["AML.T0070","AML.T0066","AML.T0082"] |
| nist_csf | ["PR.PS-01","PR.IR-01","ID.AM-08","DE.CM-01"] |
| mitre_attack | ["T1610","T1611","T1609","T1525"] |
Implementing Runtime Security with Tetragon
Overview
Tetragon is a CNCF project under Cilium that provides flexible Kubernetes-aware security observability and runtime enforcement using eBPF. By operating at the Linux kernel level, Tetragon can monitor and enforce policies on process execution, file access, network connections, and system calls with less than 1% performance overhead -- far more efficient than traditional user-space security agents.
When to Use
- When deploying or configuring implementing runtime security with tetragon capabilities in your environment
- When establishing security controls aligned to compliance requirements
- When building or improving security architecture for this domain
- When conducting security assessments that require this implementation
Prerequisites
- Kubernetes cluster v1.24+ with Helm 3.x installed
- Linux kernel 5.4+ (5.10+ recommended for full eBPF feature support)
- kubectl access with cluster-admin privileges
- Familiarity with eBPF concepts and Kubernetes security primitives
Core Concepts
eBPF-Based Security
Tetragon attaches eBPF programs directly to kernel functions, enabling:
- Process lifecycle tracking: Monitor every process creation, execution, and termination across all pods
- File integrity monitoring: Detect unauthorized reads/writes to sensitive files
- Network observability: Track all TCP/UDP connections with full pod context
- System call filtering: Enforce policies on dangerous syscalls like ptrace, mount, or unshare
TracingPolicy Custom Resources
Tetragon uses TracingPolicy CRDs to define what kernel events to observe and what actions to take:
apiVersion: cilium.io/v1alpha1
kind: TracingPolicy
metadata:
name: detect-privilege-escalation
spec:
kprobes:
- call: "security_bprm_check"
syscall: false
args:
