Kubernetes Dashboard OIDC: A Comprehensive Guide

Kubernetes Dashboard is a popular web-based user interface for managing Kubernetes clusters. It provides a convenient way to visualize and interact with various Kubernetes resources. OpenID Connect (OIDC) is an identity layer built on top of the OAuth 2.0 protocol, which allows applications to verify the identity of end - users and obtain basic profile information. Integrating OIDC with the Kubernetes Dashboard offers several benefits. It enhances security by enabling single - sign - on (SSO) capabilities, which means users can use their existing identity providers (such as Google, Okta, or Microsoft Azure AD) to authenticate to the Kubernetes Dashboard. This reduces the need for managing multiple sets of credentials and improves the overall user experience.

Table of Contents

  1. Core Concepts
    • Kubernetes Dashboard
    • OpenID Connect (OIDC)
    • OIDC and Kubernetes Dashboard Integration
  2. Typical Usage Example
    • Prerequisites
    • Configuring OIDC for Kubernetes Dashboard
    • Accessing the Dashboard with OIDC
  3. Common Practices
    • Identity Provider Selection
    • Token Management
    • Role - Based Access Control (RBAC)
  4. Best Practices
    • Security Considerations
    • Monitoring and Logging
    • Regular Updates
  5. Conclusion
  6. References

Core Concepts

Kubernetes Dashboard

The Kubernetes Dashboard is a web - based UI that allows users to manage Kubernetes clusters. It provides a graphical interface to view and manipulate various Kubernetes resources such as pods, deployments, services, and namespaces. The dashboard simplifies the process of interacting with the cluster, especially for users who are not familiar with the command - line tools like kubectl.

OpenID Connect (OIDC)

OpenID Connect is an open standard for authentication that builds on top of the OAuth 2.0 protocol. It adds an identity layer to OAuth 2.0, allowing clients to verify the identity of the end - user and obtain basic profile information. OIDC uses JSON Web Tokens (JWT) to securely transmit user information between the identity provider (IdP) and the relying party (the application, in this case, the Kubernetes Dashboard).

OIDC and Kubernetes Dashboard Integration

Integrating OIDC with the Kubernetes Dashboard involves configuring the dashboard to trust an OIDC identity provider. When a user tries to access the dashboard, they are redirected to the OIDC provider’s login page. After successful authentication, the provider issues an ID token, which the dashboard uses to verify the user’s identity and potentially their authorization to access certain resources within the cluster.

Typical Usage Example

Prerequisites

  • A running Kubernetes cluster.
  • An OIDC - compliant identity provider (e.g., Google, Okta, or Azure AD).
  • The Kubernetes Dashboard installed in the cluster.

Configuring OIDC for Kubernetes Dashboard

  1. Create an OIDC client in the identity provider:
    • In your chosen OIDC provider, create a new client application. Configure the redirect URI to point to the Kubernetes Dashboard’s OIDC callback URL (usually something like https://<dashboard - url>/oauth2/callback).
  2. Configure the Kubernetes Dashboard:
    • Edit the Kubernetes Dashboard deployment YAML file to include the OIDC configuration. Add the following environment variables:
spec:
  template:
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: kubernetes - dashboard
        image: kubernetesui/dashboard:v2.4.0
        env:
        - name: OIDC_CLIENT_ID
          value: <your - client - id>
        - name: OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET
          value: <your - client - secret>
        - name: OIDC_ISSUER_URL
          value: <your - oidc - issuer - url>
        - name: OIDC_SCOPES
          value: "openid profile email"
  1. Apply the changes:
    • Apply the modified YAML file to the cluster using kubectl apply -f <dashboard - deployment - yaml>.

Accessing the Dashboard with OIDC

  1. Open the Kubernetes Dashboard URL in your web browser.
  2. You will be redirected to the OIDC provider’s login page.
  3. Log in using your credentials from the OIDC provider.
  4. After successful authentication, you will be redirected back to the Kubernetes Dashboard, and you should be logged in.

Common Practices

Identity Provider Selection

  • Security and reliability: Choose an identity provider that has a good track record of security and reliability. Providers like Google, Okta, and Azure AD are widely used and have robust security measures in place.
  • Compatibility: Ensure that the identity provider is OIDC - compliant and supports the necessary features for integration with the Kubernetes Dashboard.

Token Management

  • Token expiration: Be aware of the token expiration time set by the OIDC provider. You may need to configure the dashboard to handle token refresh to avoid frequent logouts.
  • Token storage: Store the tokens securely. The Kubernetes Dashboard should not expose the tokens in an insecure manner.

Role - Based Access Control (RBAC)

  • Map OIDC groups or claims to Kubernetes roles: Use RBAC to define which users or groups from the OIDC provider have access to specific resources in the Kubernetes cluster. For example, you can create a role for read - only access to pods and bind it to a specific OIDC group.

Best Practices

Security Considerations

  • Use HTTPS: Always use HTTPS to access the Kubernetes Dashboard. This encrypts the communication between the user’s browser and the dashboard, protecting sensitive information such as tokens.
  • Limit access: Only allow access to the dashboard from trusted networks or IP addresses. You can use network policies in Kubernetes to restrict traffic to the dashboard.

Monitoring and Logging

  • Monitor authentication events: Set up monitoring and logging for OIDC authentication events. This can help you detect any suspicious activity, such as multiple failed login attempts.
  • Audit logs: Keep audit logs of user actions in the dashboard. This can be useful for compliance and security purposes.

Regular Updates

  • Keep the dashboard and OIDC components up - to - date: Regularly update the Kubernetes Dashboard and any OIDC - related components to ensure you have the latest security patches and features.

Conclusion

Integrating OIDC with the Kubernetes Dashboard provides a more secure and user - friendly way to access and manage Kubernetes clusters. By understanding the core concepts, following typical usage examples, and implementing common and best practices, intermediate - to - advanced software engineers can effectively use OIDC for authentication in the Kubernetes Dashboard. This not only enhances security but also simplifies the user experience by enabling single - sign - on capabilities.

References