Security Model¶
ZeroTrustKerberosLink implements a comprehensive security model based on Zero Trust principles, providing secure access to AWS resources while maintaining strong security controls.
Zero Trust Foundation¶
The security model is built on the core Zero Trust principle: "Never trust, always verify." This means:
- Every access request is fully authenticated, authorized, and encrypted
- Access is granted with the least privilege necessary
- All access is continuously validated and never assumed to be trustworthy
- System health, behavior, and risk are continuously monitored
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ Zero Trust Security Model │
│ │
├─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ Identity │ Device │ Network │ Workload │ │
│ Verification│ Compliance │ Security │ Protection │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
└─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Continuous Monitoring and Validation │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Defense in Depth¶
ZeroTrustKerberosLink implements a defense-in-depth strategy with multiple security layers:
Layer 1: Network Security¶
- TLS Encryption: All communications are encrypted with TLS 1.2+
- IP Filtering: Optional IP-based access restrictions
- Network Segmentation: Deployment in isolated network segments
- Firewall Rules: Restrictive inbound/outbound rules
Layer 2: Authentication & Authorization¶
- Kerberos Authentication: Strong enterprise authentication
- Multi-Factor Authentication: Optional MFA for sensitive operations
- Role-Based Access Control: Fine-grained access control
- Contextual Authorization: Access decisions based on context (time, location, device)
Layer 3: Application Security¶
- Input Validation: Comprehensive validation of all inputs
- Security Headers: Implementation of security headers
- Output Encoding: Prevention of injection attacks
- Session Management: Secure session handling
Layer 4: Data Protection¶
- Encryption at Rest: Protection of sensitive configuration
- Encryption in Transit: TLS for all communications
- Credential Protection: Secure handling of credentials
- Minimal Data Retention: Only essential data is stored
Security Controls¶
Identity Controls¶
ZeroTrustKerberosLink verifies user identity through:
- Kerberos Authentication: Validates Kerberos tickets
- Principal Extraction: Extracts and validates the Kerberos principal
- Group Membership: Optionally validates group membership
- Multi-Factor Authentication: Optional second factor
Access Controls¶
Access to AWS resources is controlled through:
- Role Mapping: Maps Kerberos principals to AWS IAM roles
- Conditional Access: Applies conditions to role mappings
- Least Privilege: Grants minimal necessary permissions
- Session Controls: Manages session duration and properties
Monitoring Controls¶
Security is continuously monitored through:
- Audit Logging: Comprehensive logging of security events
- Metrics Collection: Performance and security metrics
- Anomaly Detection: Identification of unusual patterns
- Health Checks: Continuous system health monitoring
Trust Boundaries¶
ZeroTrustKerberosLink establishes clear trust boundaries:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ Enterprise Network │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ Kerberos │◄─────────┤ ZeroTrustKerberosLink │ │
│ │ KDC │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ┌─────────────────────┐ │ │
│ └─────────────┘ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ Trust Boundary │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ AWS Cloud │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ AWS STS │◄─────────┤ AWS IAM │ │
│ │ Service │ │ Roles │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
- Internal Trust Boundary: Between the application and Kerberos KDC
- External Trust Boundary: Between the application and AWS services
- User Trust Boundary: Between users and the application
Security Hardening¶
ZeroTrustKerberosLink implements several security hardening measures:
Input Validation
Comprehensive validation for all user inputs with protection against XSS, injection attacks, and path traversal.
Security Headers
Implementation of Content Security Policy (CSP), X-XSS-Protection, X-Content-Type-Options, and other security headers.
Secure Redis Communication
TLS support for Redis connections with secure credential handling and connection pooling.
Security Testing
Structured approach to security testing with vulnerability types, severity levels, and remediation guidance.
Threat Model¶
ZeroTrustKerberosLink's security model addresses several key threats:
| Threat | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Unauthorized Access | Strong authentication, authorization, and access controls |
| Credential Theft | Short-lived credentials, MFA, secure credential handling |
| Man-in-the-Middle | TLS encryption, certificate validation |
| Injection Attacks | Comprehensive input validation, parameterized queries |
| Denial of Service | Rate limiting, resource constraints, monitoring |
| Insider Threats | Least privilege, audit logging, anomaly detection |
Security Compliance¶
The security model helps organizations meet compliance requirements:
See the Compliance Verification Guide for details on how ZeroTrustKerberosLink helps meet these requirements.